Chances are you have read a blog before. After reading a couple of blogs, you start thinking to yourself that maybe, just maybe, you can start one too. If regular Joe Schmoe has one, why not you? You start thinking what you’re going to name your blog, what color scheme you want, and which blog hosting site you should use. After setting everything up, you start staring at the blank screen. You can only stare for so long before you realize that starting a blog can be hard work.

As the old adage says, “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Many people think that blogging is easy. After all, can’t I just write about what I ate for lunch and post some pictures with it? (Clearly, if you have thought this, you’re confusing blogging with Instagram!) Maybe, I can pretend to be an expert about a subject matter that 10, 000 other people are also experts at? That’s probably not going to work too. So before you start, perhaps you should consider these four things first.

1. Be specific.

There seems to be a blog about every possible subject matter there is. As you think of starting your blog, ask yourself what you’re passionate about. What do you like? It is way easier to write about things that you like than things that you don’t like. However, if you’re like me, you might like A LOT of things. What do you do if you like music, movies, philosophy, random fun facts, pop culture, and politics? I know it’s hard but I’m going to challenge you to pick one. You have to be specific about what you want to tackle. Once you make that decision, it is easier to have a vision of what your blog can be. If you have a vision and mission for your blog, it’s going to give you the impetus and sustained drive to keep on blogging.

2. Be mindful.

You’re probably not the only one in the world who can talk about what you want to talk about on your blog. Take a look at the other blogs in your field. Find out what you like about their blog. Why do you keep on checking if they have any recent posts? Or, you can ask yourself the opposite question. Why do I NOT want to check out their blog? By looking at other blogs, it can really help you try to figure out what works and what doesn’t work. It’s good to learn from your mistakes but better if you learn from the mistakes of others.

3. Be yourself.

If I wanted to read Jon Acuff, I would go to his website, not yours. Don’t be a second-rate copy of someone else when you can be a first-rate you! Bring something new to the seemingly over-saturated marketplace. That “something new” is you! No one else thinks like you, writes like you, and blogs like you. Don’t be afraid to be original. Rock the boat. Say things that no one else is saying. Hopefully, it’s because you have something creative to say and not just to get attention. And yes, people can tell if you’re trying to be the Kim Kardashian of the blogosphere. Make sure you have substance along with that sizzle!

4. Don’t be selfish.

As a writer, I write because I find innate pleasure in writing. However, let’s not forget that as much as we write for ourselves, we have to think about others too. For example, I know that I write very differently when I’m writing in my personal journal compared to when I am writing a guest blog. We all write blogs because at the end of the day, we would like our blogs to be read. There is nothing more annoying than a writer who thinks they are too cool to cater to the readers that they are trying to attract in the first place. You can’t call yourself a leader if no one is following you. Likewise, I’d be hesitant to call myself a blogger if no one reads my blog. Phrased in another way, maybe it goes back to the age-old question: “If I wrote a blog and posted it, but no one reads it, am I still a blogger?”

Blogging is exciting, fulfilling, but also challenging. As you begin your journey into the blogosphere, don’t forget to have fun. Trust me, the passion and the spirit you have will come through the screen. Your blogs have the potential to entertain and enrich people’s lives. And you know what, it will do the same for you too.

Viralheat allows you to monitor and analyze mentions on blogs across the web.

Author Bio: Sid Sudiacal is an energetic and passionate individual who is committed to the pursuit of wisdom. He loves singing, writing, social media, and long walks on the beach. He is currently living in Ottawa, Canada where he spends his time pondering life’s deepest questions.

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