How To Not Suck: Blogging Edition!

Hello, lovelies!

When September rolls around, I'll be in my 6th year of blogging. I started this blog in 2011, at the age of 12 *cringe cringe cringe*, and I'm glad to say I've learned a lot over the years about balancing the workload of this blog along with everything else going on in my life. So, without further ado, here are a few of my best tips I can give for newbie bloggers (or bloggers who have been at this game for a while).

PS: My blog title has changed! Huzzah! It's been a long time in the works, and I feel like it's much more fitting since I don't completely focus on writing or reading the way I used to. Also, I've updated my layout and blog button, so have a peek if you have the chance. (:

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1.) Patience, grasshopper.

What frustrates me a lot in books and movies is that most of the fictional bloggers in them go viral within weeks, racking up the followers and the views at a pace that is completely unrealistic.

Unless you've built a fanbase up on another platform like YouTube, it's most likely that your number of followers will go up very slowly (especially at first). Very few people get recognized on a larger scale that makes them go viral, so don't expect to be the next Zoella on your first year blogging.

To be fair, that's probably a good thing. The longer you blog, the better you'll be, so don't be in such a rush for higher numbers that you forget to work on your content. I've looked back on really old posts of mine, and I can't help but laugh because you can totally tell that I was twelve by my use of smiley faces and weird lingo. So take your time, and work on making the best content you can before you start trying to build up a large number of followers.

2.) Quantity over quality? You pick.

And here is where blogger's block and figuring out a balance comes in.

I technically have a blogging schedule, but I don't really follow it. When I first made the schedule, I felt good about it, and I hardly ever missed a day. However, these past couple years have been extremely hard when it comes to sticking to a schedule. My anxiety kicked up really bad along with other personal life business, and I had to come to terms with the fact that I couldn't keep up with my schedule and also put up posts I was proud of.

You have to find a balance that works for you, because trying to overwork yourself in exchange for a handful of mediocre posts isn't going to be a healthy solution in the end. If you need to take a break from blogging, then do it! Take care of yourself first, and then figure out when you have time to post. A good way to stay on top of things is to write out a bunch of posts when you have the time, and schedule them for a few days out. I rarely write a post and publish it the same day, just because I don't have the time, so scheduling a post is the easiest way I've found to keep myself organized and posting at a reasonable rate.

Also, if you're having a hard time coming up with posts, it's okay to take a breather and then come back to your keyboard. Sometimes I like to spend some time on YouTube or Pinterest, just browsing, and that can help get me inspired if I'm in a funk. Otherwise, reading other people's blogs can also be really helpful in beating blogger's block. There are plenty of tags floating around the internet, and a lot of them have really fun questions that help get your creativity flowing again.

3.) No one likes a copycat.

It took me FOREVER to figure out my blogging style. Was I edgy? Was a sweet? No one knew because I kept changing. Having a role model blogger that you follow is okay, but taking it to the extreme where your blogging style and blog itself begins to model theirs exactly is taking it too far. Yes, imitation is said to be the sincerest form of flattery, but that's not YOU!

Figure out what you like and what direction you want your blog to go in. Trying to force yourself into the fashion blogger or movie critic blogger persona isn't going to work out in the long run, because you're setting yourself up to be someone you're not. Do what feels natural, whether that's using very professional word choice or talking to your readers like they're your best friends. And if you feel like it's time for a change, do it! Just don't try to become a stranger to yourself.

4.) Branch out! (But no spam, please.)

Make friends! (Yay, @ at all my friends I've made through blogging.)

The best way you can let people know you exist is by finding blogs you like and leaving genuine comments. I made a lot of my blogging buddies through a mutual friend's blog, but my intent wasn't really to get my name out there. I just loved the content they were putting out, and I wanted to let them know that. The rest? That just came naturally.

Please don't try to force your blog on people. I know plenty of bloggers who leave their URL at the end of their comments, which is totally fine! But there's a difference between saying, "Here's my blog! Look at it if you want to," and "Hey! Follow me! Tweet me! Pin me! Facebook message me! Here's all my URL's!" You can plug your blog all you want in a post of your own, just be careful that you don't turn into an attention-seeker in someone else's space. (:

5.) Do what makes YOU happy.

I cannot express enough how important this is! If you started out as a book reviewer or maybe a fashion blogger, and one day you wake up and realize it's not what you want, YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE IT! And change is okay! Blogging is a very therapeutic thing for many people, including myself, and stressing about something is what makes it suddenly feel like a job rather than something fun you get to do.

I often find that changing my layout makes me feel refreshed and ready to blog some more, while other people love to add little gadgets on alongside their blog to add a fun twist. Regardless, blogging should be something that you like to do. Basing too much on the opinions of other people will turn blogging into a nightmare, but just having fun with your readers and writing about things you love is the best way to be a happy camper.

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So.

Those are five more tips I have for my fellow bloggers. Whether you've been around for a while, or your blog is still a baby, I hope this was helpful in some way. (Also for the baby blogs, good luck! I hope your blogging experience has been lovely so far.) Let me know if you have any questions in the comments. (:

That is all.

Cheers,
Seana