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Reflecting on my blogging journey has been a truly humbling experience. I started with nothing more than a passion for writing and a desire to share my thoughts and ideas with the world. Over the years, my blogging techniques have evolved significantly, allowing me to create more engaging, meaningful, and impactful content. I have learned the importance of researching topics thoroughly before writing, and I have also become more disciplined about my writing schedule. I have grown to understand the power of social media and how to use it to reach a larger audience effectively. Through trial and error, I have developed a style of blogging that works for me, and I am proud of my progress. 

My Initial Approach to Blogging

When I first began blogging for Lady V Writes, I needed to learn how to blog effectively as an author. I wanted to write about something I loved that would inspire and motivate others. I thought little about how I wanted my blog to be received or how I would become recognized for my work. Part of me felt that as a book author, a blog was a waste of time when I could be writing the next great novel. I wanted to spend as little time on it as possible. 

Then the imposter syndrome took over. Would anyone even care about the blog or my thoughts? I wanted to share my thoughts and ideas with the world. On the surface, this desire for self-expression is an excellent starting point, but it is only the first step. I ignored the thoughts in my head and gave it a go. After some time, it started to feel like I was creating content for the sake of creating content and not because it meant anything to me. I was on the content treadmill to nowhere. I had spreadsheets full of blog post ideas, none of which made me feel genuine.

 It is essential to understand that blogging is a very different medium than writing a book or a journal. When blogging, you must consider your audience’s needs and desires. You must think about engaging them and keeping them interested long enough to read your entire piece. As authors to our fans, we keep these things in mind, but blogging is another animal entirely. 

Changes in My Writing Style

Although my initial approach to blogging was a good start, I made significant changes in my style as my blogging journey progressed. For starters, I began to write more engagingly and with more of a focus on my readers. I stopped being so concerned with impressing other writers and put my energy into being a better writer for my audience and began writing shorter articles and using more assertive, impactful language. I also started to write more intuitively and less formulaically. So I scrapped my original plan and started to write from a more spontaneous and authentic place.

Researching Topics Before Writing

I started my first blog in 2010, long before I became an author, and because The Fiber of My Being was dedicated to everything, fibery research was a must. The goal of the Fiber of My Being was to educate, so I planned all posts three months in advance as I’d have to order fiber and have time to dye it and spin it before sharing my findings. As I progressed as a blogger, I realized there were better ways to write blog posts. Before in the Fiber blog, I used Microsoft word and folders to track all my resources, but now I use tools like scrivener to organize my research, so I can easily access it when writing my article.

Developing a Writing Schedule

As an author, I have a writing schedule, but writing for my blog takes more time and effort than for a novel (at least, it feels that way). I like to have things done a month in advance for all my outlets and tend to group them, social media posts, newsletters, blog posts, contests, promotions, etc.

Discovering the Power of Social Media

Blogging and social media go hand in hand. Almost any business and social media go together. It’s just a matter of finding what platform your people are located on. Social media platforms can be tricky. It’s essential to find the balance between what platforms you enjoy along with finding where your audience hangs out. I am on four platforms, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Interestingly enough, Pinterest gets the most interaction. 

Refining My Blogging Strategy

As I continued to write and use social media, I refined my blogging strategy and made it more effective. I learned the importance of finding my niche and writing content that would reach my target audience. I started to understand that successful blogging is more than having a large following. It is also about having an engaged and engaged community. 

Conclusion

Blogging is an enriching experience. It allows you to share your thoughts, ideas, and opinions with the world. It is a chance for you to inspire and motivate others, and it is a beautiful way to connect with like-minded people. If you are interested in blogging, it is important to understand what it entails. You will need to be dedicated to creating a consistent content stream while maintaining a solid social media presence. It will take time, effort, and energy, but it is a rewarding journey that will allow you to share your voice with the world.