Your blog, your rules
I saw this post by Jarrod, saying he doesn’t feel like blogging today, so he won’t do it, and no one can make him.
I think that’s the right mindset — and the wrong.
Let me explain what I mean.
First of all, let’s leave “business blogging” aside. It has its place, but I want to focus on personal blogging. The kind of blogging I do, and most likely you, the reader of this post.
A personal blog is a wonderful thing to have. I think it’s the ultimate tool for personal development. We get it all in one beautiful package:
- A creative outlet.
- Connections with like-minded people.
- Personal insights.
- Technical skills.
- A better way to express ourselves.
It’s a joyride.
But to keep that joy, it helps to have at least some idea of how we want to approach blogging.
Finding your blogging approach
We might simply do it when we feel like it, just like reading a book. If we set our reading goals too high, we lose the joy and stop getting much out of it. Same with blogging.
Or our blogging might be more like working out. We want to get in shape or improve our health, so we stick to a routine to get there. If we start skipping workouts, we feel the effects, and it gets harder and harder to get back on track.
It’s not that one approach is better. They’re just different, just like we as human beings are.
As for me, I’m in the latter category. I want to improve my writing in general, and my writing in English in particular. I also know that if I don’t stick to a routine, I’m very likely to quit after a while. That’s just how I work.
And to come back to Jarrod’s post — he did blog about not wanting to blog, it just happened to be a short post. Same here, it’s up to you not only how often you blog, but also how long your texts are. Some days it’s a full chapter, some days it’s just a footnote.
What kind of blogger are you? Only you know the answer to that question. If you’re not quite sure, let this be your guide:
Your blogging should feel joyful and rewarding.