Not blogging yet?
Around 1.5 years back, I wrote a post about what i call Slumdog Blogging, and I think you should read it.
I learned a few things during my blogging journey and reading around which I would like to share today.
Choose your seat and stick to it.
I started blogging in late 2011 on URL: jsinh.in. At the time of starting I never thought of other things I might like to do with the domain.
In few years I decided to put out a page or two where I can meta-link to well-known sites where I can be found. This was with the intention to give "More information" links to people who are interested in what I do or I don't.
This would be about me and more direct, blogging content and articles is about what I write or wrote and shared with the community. Also I was completely fed up of Wordpress editor (it sucks, big time) and wanted to adapt ghost blogging platform.
So without thinking of any consequence I decided to move my blog from jsinh.in to blog.jsinh.in
This transition set me back a year or so
- All links changed, link-backs dead. You cannot trace entire internet and ask them to update and point to new URL. Even if you do so, it is one exhausting manual process.
- Lost most of the returning visitors and feed subscribers.
- Took some time for traffic and people to notice the change and traffic to kick off again.
6 months after the migration to new URL (at subdomain) things where almost as they where for old URL. Initially it was like I am starting new, puff. Dear readers or trespassers, I suggest you to choose your seat wisely and stick to it.
Everyone is a hero
Everyone is hero, belive me.
I have always seen new bloggers say that "They do not have good content to write or blog about". I do not agree and say all content is bloggable and good content.
You think you are writing something very basic or not so interesting. Might be blogging some hello world code or how to that ends up in small paragraph.
This stops you eventually from blogging. But this should not be a concern. Think of it, when you start your career or initiated learning a new frameowrk or some technology stack, did you searched for those advance topics, good content or did you searched for how to or getting started content.
I have came in contact of people who are new to programmatic stuffs or semi-technical. They always tend to find answers to those basic question to start with. I feel this audience should not be neglected.
Any information is good, only the audience is different each time.
Thought: What would happen if all think like this and won't blog those things. **Remember, you are a hero !! **
I can skip one cup of coffee
I don't say or agree if have to start spending lot of money after hosting your blog. But a simple blog hosting package is worth a coffee or two.
You think or would complain - "Why to spend money for blog hosting, where I do not get anything in return".
I am sure if you have been blogging for a while then you will definately be seeing some good things happening back to you because of it. Few I can think of -
- When you write or blog, you learn it well. You master that topic and the blog written is a reference for you can read back when you need to recollect or rewise.
- If you are displaying ad(s) (by choice and not in an annoying way), I am sure you are getting back enough to pay off your blog's hosting bills.
- More people connect and talk to you from the community, even people who you would never expect to talk to and thus increase more interactions and socializing.
- Helps you career grow, mordern companies seeks candidate who are active in the community.
This way they see how they are doing and get a better picture.
Any organization who follow this trend can be categorized as good company (my opinion) as this is a good trend to follow and ultimately builds a good work environment. So this might get you hired at good place or in your dream job.
All skills are evolutionary
Any skills you possess or acquire / learn are evolutionary in nature. In human nature, you tend to evolve in what you do. Either it be your programming skills, writing skills, searching with bing / google or speaking in public.
The way you do now is always going to be better than you used to do in past. Blogging is also a evolutionary skill, you evolve in many skills with time. This can help you enhance you leanring, time optimization, your topic expertise, writing, grammatical and community engagement skills.
I am 100% sure, this would pay off if you retrospect yourself time to time.
I was so silly back then
I sometime read old posts of mine or very old post of popular bloggers. Those post really sound silly when you read. You think it is silly now, but back then you thought it was worth blogging or writing about.
This is not a bad thing, i think this way you measure how far you have matured or grown in what you or person do. Its like measurement of where you stand with example. Plus you will find how much mistakes your made in writing or is your topic / article obsolete now or not.
Consistency is the key
I always encourage everyone I meet or talk to and suggest them to start blogging. I am connected with John Sonmez for quite a while now and he has been motivating and guiding developers and techies all over the world. I find his pluralsight course very productive and I recommend you give it a run. Recently John is sending interesting newsletter series of email on blogging. I recommend you to follow and sign up for it. I am sure he won't be spamming you and you will learn something good.
One thing he insists on and I too feel is the most important part of blogging is "Being Consistent".
If you are not doing it regularly, you are not doing it at all. Do you brush your teeth once a year or take a bath once a month (I dare you say yes). No right. You tend to do things consistently with motto of keeping up the good thing going on. Anything done consistently (positive things) definately yeilds good result.
I must admit, I was not consistent during my past years for one or the other reason and I would call them excuses now. Not blogging for continously 2 or 4 month and then blogging a lot has been my inconsistency. I do know one thing, when I started getting consistent (lately), I saw good and obvious things happening.
Internet is very reactive, be part of it. Blogging or keeping your activities consistent is the key to reach your goal behind it.
I hope this helps you get started blogging, give back what you take and learn and get more out of what you do.