How To Write A Kick-Ass Blog
OK, so I’m not The Absolute Bestest Number One Blogger In The Universe Ever (yet…) but I have been blogging for nine months, and you learn from your mistakes! And because I’m nice (-ish), I will share with you some things I’ve picked up about writing blog entries. These are not The Rules set in stone, but they’re things to keep in mind…
#Lesson One: Never Tell The World You’re Bored.
‘Oh GOD, I’m bored’
‘I was bored so I wrote this’
‘My day was so boring. First I went to the post office…’
No! You do not say that! It should be a freaking rule: Don’t write the words ‘I’m’ and ‘Bored’ in the same sentence. Why, I hear you ask in my imagination? Because, my dears, if you say you’re bored, you become boring. If you’ve ever been in a room with somebody, and they say they’re bored, they automatically become (wait for it…) BORING!!! And why read a boring post? Answers in the comments, please.
#Lesson Two: Don’t Start A Blog Because It Seems Cool.
After the success of Tavi Gevinson, for example, the thirteen year old from New York, more and more teenagers have been jumping on the blogging bandwagon. Some of them are really good at it too, and that’s great. But that, of course, leaves the rest. The people who want to be famous and successful from this. They think, ‘OK, I’ll just knock off something about the skirt I bought today, take a few pictures, sit back and watch the followers roll in!’ No! That’s not how it works! If you want to be famous, DON’T. Don’t even try, because it will not work. Become an accountant, it pays well. (And that just shows you how shallow I am…) I blog because I want to improve my writing skills, inspire people and share my opinions with the world. Oh, and when you’ve given up on the famous and successful blogger scheme, please delete your blog and leave some space in the blogosphere for the rest of us.
#Lesson Three: There’s Always SOMETHING.
Ah, inspiration, that flighty temptress, or something. It’s like a tummy bug – When you want it, you don’t get it, and when you don’t want it, you get it. It’s incredibly annoying. Seriously, we all have those days when you feel you’ve exhausted your imagination, and you have nothing left to write about. This is not true. If you’re looking for inspiration, try these to get you going:
- Write about a website.
- Give a shout-out to another blog.
- Write about a news story that you find interesting.
- Share an interesting fact or quotation.
- Share your opinion about something really popular but gets your goat. Be controversial!
- Report a problem with a product or service. Liveline online!
- Make a prediction.
- Ask your readers a question.
- Set a contest for your readers.
- Embed a funny video from YouTube.
- Review a book, movie, album, product or service.
- Recommend some good blogs to read.
- And if you still can’t think of anything, just write about your day!
#Lesson Four – For God’s Sake, Be Yourself.
This may seem obvious, but sometimes it’s easy to forget. There’s no need to pretend you like something when in real life, you don’t. I know people who used to love Florence + the Machine… before they found out it had a song on the Eclipse soundtrack, and then they said they hated it, because it was now associated with the Twilight Saga. What’s the point in doing that? Just because you don’t like Twilight doesn’t mean it has to tarnish your views of everything else! And so it is with your blog. And life, and stuff.
#Lesson Five – Network.
This is imperative! Read other blogs (I’ll recommend in a second…) to get a feel for what works and what doesn’t. Most bloggers invite their readers to follow them on Twitter, because it’s a great way of getting to know them outside the blogosphere. Guest posting or doing interviews for other bloggers gives both your blogs exposure and is great fun!
#Lesson Six – Don’t Post Too Often Or Too Little.
It’s great if you’ve got lots of good ideas for posts, but if you post eight times a day your readers will get a little annoyed, and might scroll past you on their reading lists. Try and condense those ideas into a couple of blog entries throughout a few days. On the other hand, if you post only in a blue moon, people will forget about you, and they won’t come back to your blog.
Oh, and my favourite blogs?
~ Miss Vintage Vixen – This girl is kooky, funny, glamorous, and calls everyone cupcakes. And she’s my favourite blogger ever. I interviewed her back in March, if you want to find out more!
~ Thunder + Threads – Leanne Woodfull is the most honest, fun, and likeable blogger I know, and she knows what she’s talking about when it comes to fashion, which is more then I can say for myself! And she’s from Dublin! And she’s only seventeen!
~ Not Another Love Song – For something even closer to home, how about Kilkenny itself? Grace from Not Another Love Song lives right in Kilkenny city, is only thirteen, and is one of the most talented people I know. At almost everything. So it only makes sense that she’s an amazing blogger too.
If you have a blog or want to recommend your favourite ones to me, gimme a link! I’m always looking for new things to read. If you want me to interview you for your blog or if you have any chocolate to give me, email me at eleanor@punchthesphinx.com. Now I really have to finish a blog post!
High-Fives!
well done! i like it!
Aw, thanks!
Eleanor! Great Post, great tips! Will you be continuing with PTS now school has started? And OMFFFFFG thank you!!! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Thanks man always wanted to start a blog these tips really help.