This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.
Youre going to publish a post today. Dont worry about how your blog looks. Dont worry if you havent given it a name yet, or youre feeling overwhelmed. Just click the New Post button, and tell us why youre here.
Why do this?
- Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
- Because it will help you focus your own ideas about your blog and what youd like to do with it.
The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.
To help you get started, here are a few questions:
- Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
- What topics do you think youll write about?
- Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
- If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?
Youre not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another but its good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.
Cant think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a crappy first draft. Anne makes a great point just start writing, and worry about editing it later.
When youre ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blogs focus writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is zerotohero, so other new bloggers can find you, too.