Well, the A to Z Challenge is over
and it’s time to immediately dive right back in to my regular schedule. Since
it’s the first Monday of May, it is time for the Question of the
Month, which is a monthly bloghop hosted by Michael G D'Agostino from A Life Examined. Michael poses a
new question and participants post their answers on the first Monday of the
month. Here’s the question for May:
If a friend came to you looking for advice on
starting a blog, what three pieces of advice would you give them?
In
lieu of the A to Z, I read this question and my first thought was “I don’t know
how to answer that, I’m questioning my own reasoning right now!” But after one
day off, I feel more refreshed and ready to answer…well somewhat ready...
1.
You do
not have to stay on topic. Even if you are blogging to showcase your books or
give writing advice, it doesn’t mean you always have to do that. Post pictures
from a recent vacation. Write about your crazy aunt. Share a verse that
inspired you. If you feel the sudden urge to write a flash fiction about a
snail in Paris, then do it! Share some of your interests with readers; they
want to get to know you.
2.
Be
brief or sectionalize your posts. If
your posts usually have more than 1000 words you might consider including
pictures or getting to the point in fewer words. Some people have short
attention spans and most others are busy, and the length might appear daunting
without a couple picture breaks. Plus, pictures bring more life to the page.
3.
Make
plans for your blog. Spontaneity can be fun and it’s perfectly fine to post off
schedule once in a while, but I have learned that readers like it when you have
some sort of regular schedule. Pick a monthly blog hop to join, like this one, or use a weekly memes like Scripture Sundays or Wordless Wednesdays. Find something to do
on a monthly or weekly basis and let readers know if you are taking a break.
Most of all, make
sure you enjoy what you’re doing!
What advice would you give to a new blogger?
