Blogging: A Daily Practice

“If we are facing in the right direction, all we have to do is keep on walking.” –Proverb

Some bloggers have an easy time posting each day.  I am not one of those people.  Writing everyday is a discipline and it is hard work!  I practice and blog as a part of my daily workflow, and I have met so many wonderful blog readers and “dog friends” through this blog.

Because writing can be difficult, below are a few tips that you might find useful to support your online voice.

1. Keep it Consistent — There is nothing worse than blogging with two-week lapses in between blog posts.  Most times, I blog Monday through Fridays.  It is difficult to cultivate readership when people waste their time visiting a site without new content.  At the very minimum, a blog should be updated at least once a week.  I visit other blogs that post frequently because I know that there will be new content waiting to read!  Keep in mind that not every blog post is “jaw dropping.”  However, because of the daily consistency of blog posts, you start to become connected with the writer of the blog on a personal level.  I really think that this is what makes a blog successful.  One of my blog readers recently shared with me that she loves checking this blog first thing when she wakes up in the morning to see what is new!

2. Personalize — Personal stories and sentiments also help to create a great blog.  It makes a blog relatable and likable.  I think incorporating snippets of your life is powerful.

3. Schedule — I am a list person.  I am always making lists and I have made lists ever since I can remember.  I also love to organize.  (Doug tells everyone that I am our “official calendar keeper” — yes, I keep a paper and pencil calendar — I like the hard copy!)  If you think about what you are going to blog in advance (most of the time), it takes the pressure of sitting in front of  your blank computer.  Usually on Sunday evenings, I make a list of what I want to blog about for the week.  Yes, this may seem crazy to some, but it works.  However, sometimes, I deviate from my list and new ideas come to me during the week and I incorporate those new ideas into my blogging schedule.

4. Create a Series — In the past, I have posted about our outings and adventures with Biscuit along with many photographs of Biscuit augmenting the posts.  These types of posts give readers a peek into our lives.  I have an “Interview” series where I regularly interview artists and other people related in some fashion to dogs; I have a “Good Reads” series reviewing books that I have read; and I recently started a new series entitled, “Things I Love!”

5. Keep it Simple — I try to write the way I would talk/write to a friend.  I believe that it takes the pressure off and allows you the freedom to express yourself just the way you are.

When it comes to writing about commissions, I like to write a personal post about the commission!  Clients like this and they end up sharing the post with their family and friends!

I hope that this post is helpful!