What I Discovered Beginning My Latest Weblog

Over the previous 7 months, I’ve been doing a weekly problem on a new weblog referred to as ‘Discover Your Spark’.

My purpose with it’s to put in writing a brand new ‘immediate’ weblog submit each week for 52 weeks on the subject of serving to individuals ‘discover their spark’ (and to assist me discover mine too).

On this submit, I assumed I’d share a few of what I’ve realized (and relearned) by means of doing this problem.

1. I’ve beloved beginning one thing new

Whereas I really like ProBlogger and Digital Images Faculty (my principal blogs), it’s been refreshing to get again to writing one thing I’m enthusiastic about.

2. Having a ‘problem’

Committing publicly to put in writing a weekly submit for a 12 months) has been very motivating for me and has helped me keep on process.

3. I’ve actually loved utilizing the Ghost running a blog platform

Whereas I often encourage new bloggers to begin their weblog on a platform that they management and Ghost is a hosted service – there’s additionally one thing fairly liberating about not having to work out the tech challenges when beginning one thing new. I don’t assume I’d have began this venture if I needed to do it by myself server, with my very own design, and so on. I made a decision once I began that I might not spend a lot time ‘tweaking’ design or options and make investments 99% of my time into creating content material. I believe this has paid off massive time.

Ghost not solely gives you with a running a blog platform however a publication. Being able to hit publish and know that the brand new submit robotically additionally goes out by way of electronic mail in a publication is fairly cool.
Whereas I’m not monetising what I do, you may also have paid membership tiers to supply premium content material to paid subscribers, which is fairly cool.
Whereas Ghost is new(ish), it’s nice to see that they’re persevering with to develop the platform. In the previous couple of months, they’ve added new options, together with feedback, new stats/insights, viewers suggestions and so on.

Click on by means of right here to take a look at extra about Ghost (affiliate hyperlink).

4. I’ve beloved the method of researching, gathering concepts and creating content material once more

I’ve tried a lot of varieties of types of content material during the last 29 weeks (totally different lengths, curating some content material, utilizing quotes and so on) and have beloved the tempo of 1 considerate submit per week. I’ve most likely gone longer/deeper into the content material than I had anticipated once I began the problem, however I’ve actually loved the long-form strategy

I’ve taken the strategy with this weblog of reporting what I’m studying quite than making an attempt to come back throughout as an professional. This voice has served me effectively prior to now, however significantly with the subjects I’m protecting (which I suppose border on private improvement), I believe it’s been necessary.

5. Ranging from scratch is difficult!

I had forgotten how exhausting it’s to speculate a lot time and vitality into creating content material solely to listen to a convincing silence after you hit publish. Ranging from scratch with constructing an viewers after which getting engagement from that viewers is difficult!

Whereas I’m writing primarily for my very own improvement, I believe I’d maybe taken without any consideration the fantastic neighborhood I’ve grown over time on my different blogs.

I think that with my strategy of investing all of my efforts into writing, I’ve fallen quick in selling the content material as a lot as I’ve with earlier blogs within the early years. I believe I must tweak this strategy.

6. I’m glad I brainstormed subjects earlier than I began the problem

Earlier than I began, I used thoughts map software program to create 52 subjects that I might write on over the 12 months. I’ve since provide you with different concepts and discarded among the authentic ones, nevertheless it has been very useful to have that financial institution of concepts to attract on when I’ve had weeks the place I’ve not felt as impressed to put in writing, or just lately once I travelled with the household for a number of weeks. Right here’s a podcast episode I recorded about utilizing thoughts maps in your running a blog.

All in all, the problem has been a really rewarding course of for me thus far. I’m studying tons about running a blog and the subjects I’ve written about.

For these desirous to observe alongside – the brand new weblog is at https://find-your-spark.ghost.io/

Should you do wish to begin a weblog, I might suggest signing up for my FREE Final Information to Beginning a Weblog Course.