Five Things I’ve Learned from Blogging

1. Pick a Lane!: People blog for different reasons. Sometimes it’s just to write as an escape, others do it as a hobby ,and very few actually do it to make a living. No matter why you decide to start blogging I’ve learned the most important thing is  to pick a lane and stay in it. Don’t let the success of another blogger determine what it is you really want to blog about. If you’re passionate about cooking than start a food blog, love makeup start a beauty blog. If you live and breath fashion then start a Fashion blog. Whichever one you choose remember that it’s like driving a car, only go as fast as you feel comfortable going. Keeping up with the Jones’s of blogging will cause you to burn out and go broke very quick. 

2. Not Everyone is Here for you: Starting a blog does not guarantee readers. For a very long time you may only be writing for yourself or a few friends and family members. However, if you’re relying on friends and family to keep your numbers up and to help get you noticed you’re barking up the wrong tree.  It really doesn’t matter what you decide to write about the awful truth is that not everyone is going to want to read it. I’ve learned that most of my support comes from the connections I’ve made on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. One way to get your blog noticed is to be authentic. Socialize with potential readers via these various Social Media outlets. Comment on other bloggers post, stumble blog post, and comment on what other bloggers have written. This will allow for people to begin to notice you and make the conscious decision themselves that they want to interact with you and read your blog. Also, please whatever you do don’t ask someone to “Follow you Back”.  

3. Blogging is no place for those who lack Self Confidence!:  This statement was actually made by a blogging friend whom I  greatly admire. If you’re the type of person who wants to please everyone and hates to be criticized or talked about then blogging, definitely in the areas of beauty and fashion are not for you. There is a reason why I like to read Necole Bitchie’s website and let me tell you it’s not for the gossip or the articles. I love to read the comments! The comments are where you will get most of your entertainment. Readers have strong opinions and many of them aren’t afraid to share them if they have the security of a computer screen blocking their identity. With that being said there is also a very fine line between arrogance and self confidence. I’ve run into several bloggers whom think their numbers and reach and whom they’ve worked with entitles them to act like their roses don’t really smell like boo boo. Be confident, but don’t be the person you’d hate to be alone in a room with.

4. Don’t close doors before they open: When you start a blog you start a brand. With that brand comes scrutiny. Everyone is watching you, brands that you work with currently and brands that you wish you could work with. If you really love to express yourself on twitter using vernacular that is not pleasing before the eye of the he who is holy then you might want to have an alternate twitter account. Keep these types of things separate from your brand so that you don’t turn off people who were interested in working with you in the future. I’ve had my share of run in’s on twitter, one I will whole heartedly stand behind, the others I probably could have easily just handled via DM. My take home message is you never know who is watching.

5.Enjoy what you do: This is one of the most important things I’ve learned not only throughout my blogging career but about life in general. Right now I’m a Phd student working on a potential myosin light in Plasmodium falciparum. I like science but, I don’t enjoy the bench work. This has led me to do my best at the bench work but to also think about where I would really enjoy working, that’s mostly in Diversity and Recruitment of Minority students into the STEM fields. Blogging can be very tedious, esepcially if you’re a juggling more then just your post for the week. Many bloggers get burnt and end up giving up on blogging when they do it for more than the sheer enjoyment of it.  Take blogging breaks, reduce the number of times you post during the week, but don’t get so caught up in it all that you don’t get some type of joy out of it

If you’re a blogger what have you learned from blogging? Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments.

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