See other posts about blogging here.
I thought it would be helpful, for me and others, to explore how I’ve blogged for a long time. “Long time” is relative. It’s been several years since I started to do so without quitting. In the process I’ve started some blogs and shut them down as I explored concepts and ideas. I’ve thought I’d share how I’ve managed to blog for a long time…
(Some of the reasons I blog are found in this post and this one, oh, and this one too.)
I decided I would have a go with different kinds of blogs in terms of subjects and expression. (Every blog I’ve started since getting back to blogging ’seriously’ has had a very different feel and expression.) With all my ‘blogging experiments’ I made a decision that this blog (the one you’re reading now) is one I’ll never shut down.
(In case you’re curious of my active blogs, there is this one, the one you’re currently reading… For others, go here, here and here).
So, how have I managed to blog for so long?
Not An Option
For about two years I had a standing entry in my diary that was non-negotiable. In that time I was to write blog posts for every blog I had. Blogging was not an option. I had to write and hit “publish”.
Tolerating your own excuses is why you’re failing with your blogging (Click to Tweet)
If you’re going to blog (or anything else for that matter) you must decide it is not an option to write or record and publish.
Abandoning “Perfect”
One of the things I think was (and still) is important for longevity in blogging is abandoning the pursuit of “perfect”.
I abandoned the pursuit of perfect, that is how I’ve blogged for a long time (Click to Tweet)
Many bloggers get stuck because they want every post to be ‘perfect’. I’m not advocating being slapdash. Put something down. Make it ‘decent’ and ship it! Blogging allows you not to be so refined. Build on your idea or thoughts with subsequent posts.
I know many stuck ‘bloggers’ (don’t even know if I can call them that as they publish only a season changes) because they want every post to be perfect.
Posts Get More Posts
The more consistently I have been with creating content and or writing the easier it has been to create more. As I’ve written about one aspect of life or leadership, other thoughts and questions often surfaced.
Somehow the more you create the more you tell yourself you actually can create. I’m not saying blogging is always easy. Not always. What I am saying is that as you create you will experiences moments when you become more aware of other directions and things you could create.
Capturing Stuff
Remembering ideas for blog posts was something I got a handle of as I wrote them down. I use Evernote and have a notebook called “drafts” for every blog I publish to.
Some are empty with posts titles others have a couple of bullet points to remind what I wanted to write about. To blog for a long time you must capture ideas, as they are often fleeting.
Do you blog? What has worked for you? Do you have questions about blogging?