I’m so glad you joined us for our series on how to be a better blogger and influence others. Today we are discussing the second of 5 Tips for New Bloggers.
To read the previous posts in this series, please click on the links below.
The most important thing a blogger can do is write.
I know, I know. I can already see you shaking your heads and sayng, “Duhhhh.”
Writing is what blogging is all about, but once you get sucked into the web of social media, it is easy to lose focus.
Bloggers not only write, but they are also expected to have a strong presence on several social media platforms. They get dozens of emails every day, and if you are attempting to make money, then you are also busy selling companies on the benefits of partnering with your blog.
Then there are photos to edit and graphics to make. Let’s not even forget about Pinterest, the place where time stands still.
Keeping focus is difficult; however, the most important thing you can do for yourself as a writer is write and write often.
The following three steps are designed to help you develop good blogging skills.
Set Goals
In order to stay focused on writing, you should set some goals.
How often do you want to post to your blog?
Can you write five days a week, or do you have too many employment and family responsibilities? Perhaps setting up a Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule is more feasible.
Take some time to honestly evaluate your responsibilities and then set your goals accordingly.
Blogging should not cause imbalance in the rest of your life. We need to pray over our priorities and make sure we are using our time wisely. Then, and only then, will blogging will be a blessing.
Once you have set some goals, stick to them and you will see your writing improve and your blog grow.
Find Your Voice
As students, we are all taught the mechanics of writing, how to structure a sentence and form a paragraph, but we do not often find our voice until we begin to mature as writers.
Your voice is the comfortable way you communicate with words. It is unique to you and should reflect your personality.
While you are finding your voice, do not be afraid to experiment with different genres. Maybe you want to express yourself through poetry, or perhaps you’ve always wanted to try your hand at writing fiction. I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and try something new. Your aptitude may just surprise you.
Once you find your voice, your words will gain the power to influence, entertain, amuse, and inspire your readers.
Your writing will be a direct reflection of you.
Read Aloud
Read your words aloud. It is amazing how quickly small errors will appear when you read your writing out loud. It may seem foolish at first, but you will recognize awkward sentence structure and phrases that do not flow smoothly. Reading aloud will give you a whole new perspective.
Remember, writing is the most important thing you can do as a blogger. Carve out time to work on your craft and develop good techniques that will benefit you and your readers. Set some goals, work at finding your voice, and don’t forget to read your writing out loud.
I am excited to see how God is going to use your words as you work to develop good writing skills.
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