This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.
Youโre going to publish a post today. Donโt worry about how your blog looks. Donโt worry if you havenโt given it a name yet, or youโre feeling overwhelmed. Just click the โNew Postโ button, and tell us why youโre 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 youโd 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 youโll 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?
Youโre 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 โ but itโs good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.
Canโt 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 โcrappy first draftโ. Anne makes a great point โ just start writing, and worry about editing it later.
When youโre ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blogโs focus โ 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 โzerotohero,โ so other new bloggers can find you, too.
Hashim Raza Husaini 