When I first started my blog writing service, I would wake up in the middle of the night and have a great thought for my next post, only to rise with the sun and be totally blank of what had struck me so prolifically during the night. I would wrack my brain trying to come up with the same great wording to make it perfect. The real nightmare would come after it was posted – no comments. Not one person left a comment about the blog that I had struggled with and lost sleep over.
Extreme scenarios of sleepless nights might not be normal for some bloggers. They easily post an experience or opinion, hit the post button and sleep like a baby. My blog is my baby. Just like a newborn child, it is what keeps me awake nights searching for perfect wording so that others might gain insight or enjoyment.
If you are thinking of starting a blog, there are so many things to know besides the topic you are writing about. Legal issues, algorithms, search engine optimization, word count and advertising can all be nightmares. I have discovered that if you do your best and write in an ethical way, you probably won’t get sued. Whether or not you will actually make any money with your blog is another subject completely.
That being said, it is important to realize that legal systems can sometimes be unfair, and you can land in some hot legal blogging water. Remembering that your blog has the potential of being seen around the world and that makes you vulnerable to the laws in every country. Because the web is still so new, the precedent has not yet been completely set for bloggers. It is a brave new world, and while it can be a beautiful experience to explore, we should always remember that it can be just as dangerous.
Two years ago, I made the decision to change my blog in hopes of getting more readers. I was going through a daily depression when I saw there were no hits. I know that the number of hits do not determine a good blogger, but let’s get real, it is the only way for us to gain confidence. The number of hits is a harsh reality that we take personally.
I have discovered in the blogosphere, it sometimes is a ‘you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours’ sort of world. The more blogs you subscribe to and the more comments you leave on other blogs, the more likely you will see those same bloggers visit your site. You will gain traction and your blog will begin to experience a nod from the karma gods.
Sleepless hours have been spent on how to focus on my readers once I had them reading my blog. They won’t return if the post is not focused on something they are interested in. Now take it easy on me, I am not saying that your blog is boring, but if you don’t keep your blog fresh with new ideas, nurturing it like a newborn baby, readers will likely dwindle. I have learned the hard way to write down ideas, no matter what time it is, and keep my ideas fresh. I tend to sleep better.
RHONDA D is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.
