Over the course of my blogging career, I’ve had more than a few friends tell me how much they would love to blog, but have a creatively, crippling fear of doing so. They all had their own excuses, all of which were real of course, but none of which were valid as far as I am concerned.
The three excuses that top most lists of excuses are: perfectionism, failure, and self-consciousness. These fears are difficult to overcome. I won’t pretend that they’re easy to overcome, but I can share a few tips I’ve learned when combating my own fears then you be the judge as to whether they’re helpful or not.
Keep a Catch-All Blog
Similar to the practice of keeping a notebook or scrap paper handy, a scratch blog can work wonders. Whether you’re just starting out, or simply need a place to write when the topic just isn’t quite right for your blog, write it someplace else. A Tumblr blog as a “catch-all” blog is perfect! You can also use Tumblr or Blogger as a place to write articles that aren’t fully formed. You don’t have to brand the site, and you certainly don’t have to make it visible to the public.
A catch-all blog can be your personal playground for writing, creating, keeping notes, practicing techniques, and cleaning up code.
Proper Grammar and Punctuation Help
When I began blogging, the grammar Nazi’s were out in full force. They still exist today, but with so many blogs being written by people who are not native English, the attacks are few and far between. I avoided blogging for months because I was so fearful of some stranger pointing out that I’d not used a semicolon in the right place. That was dumb! You’re a blogger, not a journalist for Forbes. When you make an honest effort to use the English language properly, and as long as you have a compelling story, proper grammar and punctuation are secondary concerns. Still, if you are overly concerned there are programs available that help minimize grammatical errors. My personal preference is Grammarly.
I use Grammarly often. I don’t exactly care for the ‘on-site’ check because of the page clutter and minimal space available for pasting my document, but the Office Add-In option that attaches right to Microsoft Word kills! Below are a couple of screen captures to show what the Grammarly Office Add In for Microsoft Word looks like inside an actual document. Very easy to use.
Say it Loud
Become more confident in your writing by reading out loud. Go over your article and read it as if speaking to a friend. A simple once over usually reveals errors, text that doesn’t have a nice flow and uncovers changes that need to be made. In fact, read your article out loud as many times as it takes for your article to sound as good as you possibly can.
Read Everything!
Read lots of things – blogs, magazines, books. Read to make yourself think; read to find inspiration; read to ignite your inner creativity. The more you read, the more you’ll understand what you read. Pay close attention to how other writers convey their message. This is where my Google Reader comes in handy. I subscribe to lots of blogs on varied topics of interest to me.
People often talk about not knowing how to do something, but they don’t do the basic exercises that remedy that lack of knowledge. If you read more, you’ll figure it out, and then move forward by practicing what you’ve learned.
Comment Elsewhere
A technique for developing your unique voice and ability to blog is by commenting on other blogs. Visit blogs you find intriguing, and contribute to what is written in the comments. You can easily engage by disagreeing, adding to the topic or simply add your own spin. The simple act of commenting provides a plethora of benefits. I set blocks of time each week just for this task.
Make a Commitment to Begin
Everyone can find reasons to procrastinate. Maybe taking baby steps is best for you. Consider using Twitter instead of your blog to begin creating content or sharing useful information. Perhaps place your initial focus on commenting on active blogs. Support others instead of doing your own thing. Another idea would be to read blogs and listen to podcasts then share your opinion on what they’re doing right and wrong, even if you don’t have anything new to add. Too many people are stifled by worrying they may say something wrong or offensive, but in reality, experienced bloggers are some of the most “open to constructive criticism people I’ve ever encountered.
Set a Start Date
Set a real date. Mark your calendar for a definitive date, sometime in the next few weeks to begin posting. In the overall scheme of things, keep in mind – there are literally millions of blogs out there. The reality is, starting a new blog is far less dramatic than one might think.
More You Can Do
Once you begin, make a commitment to writing. Be prepared to endure the occasional writers block. I keep notebooks around my house and car for jotting down ideas from everyday life that I might wish to write about later. When a case of writers block occurs, I review my list and go from there. When I first began, I battled writers blocks often.
The more I practiced, the more I wrote – the next thing I knew, I was writing ALL the time. I got into the habit of writing no matter what – whether it was current events, news items, celebrity news, answering a question I dug up on Yahoo Answers, contributing my opinion to the hottest topics on Technorati – I would write!
If I were new to blogging and just beginning today, I would consider topics that are trending on Google Trends and Twitter to find a topic I wished to participate in.
Share your thoughts! What are or have been your fears of blogging? How have you faced those fears ?
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My way of saying “Thank You!”
My Comment Commitment: If you leave an approved comment on any of my posts, I will visit your blog and “share it” in some way whether on StumbleUpon, Twitter or Facebook depending on if I can find a nice fit.
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