5 Things I Have Learned About Blogging

My blog is still not paying my rent.  It isn’t even buying me a pack of gum now and then.  It is one year old, and there are days when I feel like a monetized blog is as much of a myth as Jack’s magic beans.

The truth may not show in the dollar signs – YET!  But I have grown as a writer and as a blogger.  One year ago I knew that blogs existed, but that is about as far as I could have gotten in a conversation about the online oddities that are blogs.  Today, I am still learning and growing and even sharing, but there is still a ways to go.

1.      Understanding the lingo – Cpanel, SEO, mega-tags are just the beginning of the new words in my vocabulary.  I’ve taken time to understand the building of the blog not just the writing.  It makes it easier to make changes, redo designs, and create things that are unique (and peculiar) to my site.  There are many sites that can help you find your way through this new language.

2.      Improving the writing – I have heard that if you see an adverb you should kill it.  Because of the length that most blogs have, writing must be crisp.  I have been learning to trim the fat and find the perfect word to express all that I need (instead of rambling on and on about something that doesn’t really mean that much to the piece any way).  I’ve also found jobs writing on other blogs and the insight and editing ideas that the owners have has lead to changes in the way I write for my own blog.  Amazingly, blog writing has drastically increased my print writing techniques as well.  I’m selling to national magazines (which pay EXTREMELY WELL) partly due to all I’m learning online.  Monika has some great suggestions for beginners on how to write and on getting started in writing as a career at The Writers Manifesto.

3.      Making the connection – Even online, it is not what you know but who you know.  Meeting people online has led me to other people and other sites where I learn more and make more connections.  It’s an amazing internet world and I’m learning that socializing online is as valuable as it is in any industry.  DoshDosh is just one of the many sites I try to visit and comment on in order to meet and connect with new bloggers.

4.      Finding mentors – Through the connections and jobs, I have found some people that are guiding me to a better website.  Even among them, they have different ideas or ways or special tricks that they use and I’m trying to incorporate them all (at least a little).  Learn from the Best is a blog post that I stumbled upon that takes this idea a little farther.  The point behind both what Lisa says and what I am saying is that you need to look to people with the experience in order to avoid the traps and mistakes they have already fallen through.

5.      Writing for a niche – This site started as a place to just write (that’s what a blog is, right?) and it has slowly become more focused on moms and their issues (personal growth, family – dealing with husbands 😉 – finances) and writing as a work at home business.  These are the two things I am most passionate about and the areas that I can help out from experience.  Plus, I have a vast amount of ideas to write from every single day!

The dream of having a blog that pours money into my bank account is far from dead.  The realization that like any business, blogging takes time and effort before it pays out, is finally coming to life.  The more I learn, the more I know I need to learn and the more exciting the journey becomes.  I just have to keep focusing on what’s been accomplished and keep pushing to accomplish more.