Blogging For Effect :: How Do I Blog?

How do I Blog?

A simple enough question and certainly a place to start. The question is answered in two main areas, first addressing the question of what, who, how much and when do I write stuff for my blog, and the second part addressing, where to a get a blog?

How Much Blog is Too Much? (or not enough)

The great thing about blogging is there are no hard fast rules, unless you are looking for monetary gains, and then there are some fairly stringent suggestions. These suggestions would be along the lines of "it is suggested that if jumping out of an airplane; that you wear a parachute".

I would suggest that a new post appears on your blog at least once a day. This doesn't mean you have to write something every day. Most blogging software has functionality which will let your pre-post articles, and schedule them to appear. Utilize this as much as possible. Some days you will have more energy and ideas, than others. However, the appearance of steady expecation is more or less a requirement if you are approaching blogging as a true source of income.

Post size can be anywhere between 200 and 700 words. Any less than 200, and you really can't breach a subject well, nor will the search engines be interested in you. More than 700, and the reader begins to loose interest.

Reasons for you to Blog

Currently, the most popular reasons for blogging appear to be sex, and money. Go figure.

I'm focusing (in these main articles) on the money aspect.

Humor is the fare of choice on the Internet. If you have a flair for that style then get to it, seriously. There is a ton of dreary eyed sales copy out there and people love a break from the mudane aspects of life as they know it; even people with good lives.

If you are looking to make money, then blogging will certainly gain you a nice monthly check. Many falter on the question of what to write. "Sure", they say, "I can write well and even have a flair for the tickle-bit, but what should I write? What subject?" Don't go there. The answer is simple, what are you interested in?

Perhaps you don't really know what you are interested in, or you feel that there is little about your interests which would attract other readers. I tell you, with all sincerity, your interests in words are more interesting than you know.

Writers create interest. That is what we do. I have only to look at my own library and favorites-list to verify this, for example; I don't read fantasy novels because I am already interested in elves or dwarves, I read them to experience a good story. I am already interested in some subjects, certainly, but looking for the "What's Hot" list is self-defeating in both monetary success and mental stanima.

Tuning your Voice

Every book, class, and magazine article I've ever read on "How to Be a Writer" talks about the need to write in your own voice. So I might as well follow tradition.

Getting your First Blog (and your second, and third)

Blogging Library

"How do I Blog" is answered in as many ways as there are purposes behind the act of blogging itself, and a quick search through a few blogging networks will give you some idea of the breath of reasons currently being addressed. Hence the collection of articles here are various in intent and subject as well.

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