Comments on: Starting a Blog – The Lies Every New Blogger Believes

By: Sean

Sean — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:04:03 +0000

2 years! Wow, that’s impressive. I’m only just finishing up year one. Unfortunately, I can’t say I only blog about things I care about. Though I try to care as much as I possibly can when writing blog posts for clients, there is only so much I can genuinely care about lawnmowers or barbecues. Even with my personal niche sites like Potty Training Power, I write more out of duty than passion. However, I do see it as a means to an end rather than a standard set for myself that I must adhere to forever.

By: Hayden Tompkins

Hayden Tompkins — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:29:37 +0000

Did you know that I have been blogging for over 2 years? It’s a long time but it started as a place for me to rant about stuff that bugged me and evolved as I did. I write about things I care about, and have always cared about, so I have never found blogging to be a chore.

I passionately love the process and what I have created in that time!

By: Sean

Sean — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:23:28 +0000

Hi Keith, nice to see you here!

You couldn’t be more right about SEO. It’s a topic we cover, I believe next week, but if not then it’s the week after for sure. SEO and promotion are both critical factors and something that doesn’t necessarily come too naturally to either Dave or myself, though we do get better and better as days go by. The thing about blogging is that you really have to know what you’re in it for. If it’s fame and fortune, then you’ve got a very different road to walk then if it’s simply to maintain an online journal. To each his own for sure, but knowing where you’re going is the best way to understand the right road to get there.

By: Sean

Sean — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:19:45 +0000

We’re hoping so. There are 13 posts in the series and I feel they all have something valid to say that can help noobies and struggling vets alike.

By: Sean

Sean — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:18:55 +0000

“writing comes as naturally as breathing while promotion is about as natural as breathing under water.”

HA HA HA! I Love it Kristin. I totally feel you!

Yeah, the second lie I swallowed and then asked for seconds. I truly believed that if I wrote my heart out every day with the most honest voice I had, that it would be enough to get me where I needed to go, or at least give me the pad to launch from. Little did I know it only gave me a tricycle to ride to the pad. : > )

By: Sean

Sean — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:16:21 +0000

That’s a great point Jeffrey. Though I would’ve liked to have known the truth, as it wouldn’t have deterred me so much as detoured me, I think many people would never start and that’s not a good thing. I would agree with you, these points ARE more like oversimplifications than lies. Thanks for making your point. I loved it. : > )

By: Keith Wilcox

Keith Wilcox — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:23:10 +0000

Found you through writerdad’s pingpack. You make some really good points here. Very few bloggers make any money at what they do. Some of us are striving for that elusive success while others seem to be content with 50-100 visitors per day. And, you’re right, visitors do not necessarily equal revenue. Also, maybe one that is implicit in your other points but not mentioned directly, SEO is a major factor that people don’t seem to understand. Writing content, like you say, is not enough. We need to promote. But bloggers don’t typically understand the power of SEO enough to get seen. In writing content is king, but in blogging I might say linking is king. You’ve struck on a great topic. Thanks for adding to the collective knowledge of the world. definitely NOT a flaky useless post. Thanks.

By: Trina

Trina — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:33:12 +0000

sharing your experiences will surely help others.

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By: Kristin T. (@kt_writes)

Kristin T. (@kt_writes) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:09:54 +0000

Ah, yes. While I never believed the first lie for a minute, the second lie you mention is the one I swallowed whole when I was starting my blog. In my mind, there was so much weak content and bad writing out there, quality content would naturally find its way to the surface, if given some time.

That’s not how it works, as you point out. And good promotion can take as much time as good writing—even more, in my case, since writing comes as naturally as breathing while promotion is about as natural as breathing under water.

Your third lie is one I continue to tell myself, particularly on days like today when the post is written and I think I’m mere minutes from publishing. An hour later, I’m still hunting for the right image, struggling with a captivating headline, and inserting links.