Today’s the day. I’m going to sit down and write on my blog.
Okay, I’m sitting here. Have my computer ready to go, water next to me, my favorite music on in the background. Write. Write. Come on, get with it. Think of something and write.
Oh wait, I forgot to start the dishwasher. Let me run and do that.
The phone’s ringing. Let me see who it is.
Oh, I’ll try this again tomorrow. I’d rather do lunch with a friend anyway.
Does that scenario ring true for you? I know it does with a lot of people.
Unless you love writing and write hundreds of words every day, chances are your computer screen can be a bit intimidating.
Yet if this is what you’ve decided to do – you have a business, or an idea, or a concept – and you choose to use your blog to get the word out there, writing isn’t an option. You have to write to create content, need content to play in the social realm, and must come up with different ideas all the time in order to keep things fresh and new.
But that isn’t always an easy task. And I’m betting you can see yourself in the following questions as well.
1. I have trouble coming up with ideas to write about. They all seem so trivial and not worth writing about.
A while back I worked with a woman who was creating a blog dedicated to Scoliosis. She created a post “What Is Scoliosis?” and a post “How I’m Impacted By Scoliosis”. And that’s where she lost it. “What else is there” she asked?
So we had a conversation on all the things you could write about on this one topic.
Scoliosis affects many different people: men, women, kids, teens, adults, seniors. Scoliosis can be mild, moderate, severe, advanced. There are many different ways of handling the symptoms. There are many ways of living with the pain. You can look at it through the eyes of the person living with scoliosis, or look at it through the eyes of a mother tending to her teen.
In short, you have to look beyond how it affects you personally, and look at it in minute detail from every angle possible.
You don’t write about broad topics; instead you find one detailed item to write about and express it as much as you see fit.
If someone wants to read about something, they aren’t looking for the broad topic. Chances are they’ve been through dozens of “What Is Scoliosis” pages. What they are looking for is the details – “How do I go to prom and not have pain from scoliosis” – instead.
Think about your life. When you have a question, does it seem trivial to you at the time? Neither will your post when someone is searching, and finds your content, and gets an immediate answer to their questions.
2. I sit down to write and then promptly freeze up. How do I get over writers freeze?
This one is difficult and easy at the same time. My answer is – just do it. Your first post doesn’t have to be perfect. Nor does your 10th post. When I look back at my first posts from years ago, I’m amazed at how little content was there. There wasn’t a lot of detail. And they were only a few sentences long.
But they were a start. And the more I typed, the more posts I created, the better they got. The more my personality started shining through.
Your first posts don’t have to win Oscar or Pulitzer or whatever award you’re “dreaming” of. They just have to set the precedence for what direction you want to go.
3. My ideas are more surface ideas, and I have a hard time putting the details down.
Are you having the “scoliosis” problem where you can come up with the title “What Is Scoliosis” but beyond that, have trouble with the details? Instead of sitting down at the computer ready to write, sit down with my Blogging Planner instead.
Start with your concept – i.e. scoliosis. Then start brainstorming from every direction you can think of. Don’t judge your ideas, just write down concepts.
Then once you have a variety of ideas, begin to plug them into a calendar. It’s much easier sitting down with a title and a basic concept, and starting to write from there.
4. How do I make the ‘who do you think you are’ voice in my head go away?
Once you’ve been writing for a while, you’ll start taking on the “expert” persona. You’ll get into more controversial posts that give your opinion instead of the facts. You’ll make judgments, recommendations, and provide resources. In short, you’ll be tooting your own horn and showcasing how much you know on the subject.
And that’s when the doubt creeps in. “How can I do this?” “Am I really qualified to be talking like this?”
The answer is yes. If this is what you love, who you are, and what you choose to research, live with, and no more about, you become the “expert” at what you do.
No, you can’t give anyone medical advice if you aren’t a doctor. But you can tell them about your own personal experiences and how you’ve researched your content.
When you live it, know it, understand it, and research it day in and day out, you can talk about your experience.
That’s what your blog is for.
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Want to create a blog for your idea, yet having trouble putting it all together? Know what you want to blog about but the details are leaving you “stuck”? Maybe its time for my Blog Writing Class. In four short weeks, you’ll be on your way to writing and managing a dynamic blog presence that not only captures attention every time someone reads what you have to say, but starts building your own online reputation too. Only 50 seats available – register today.
