Blogging is at the same time the easiest and hardest of jobs. Easy because you are your own boss. Hard because you are your own boss.
You decide when you sit down and punch those damn keys. Your deadlines are self-imposed. If you don’t want to, you don’t post.
This also means that you have to make your own routine, set up your own schedule. You have to be self-reliant, fueled from within, and hold yourself accountable.
If you are serious about your blog, you must meet moments of doubt and resistance in such a way that you keep showing up. Whether you feel like it or not.
So, here are five sins of blogging you must avoid at all costs, unless you want to find yourself struggling to punch those damn keys.
1. Overthinking.
Overthinking kills your creativity, your motivation, and your enthusiasm.
My advice is, don’t think, just write.
Don’t think whether or not people will read your blog post. Don’t think whether or not they’ll like it. Don’t think about what they’ll have to say.
Don’t think if you can or can’t finish writing this blog post. Don’t think about the time it will take to finish writing this blog post, or the amount of work, or how much research you have to do.
Your uncertainties will reflect in your writing. Your doubts and insecurities will alienate readers.
When you are writing, think about your article, about your topic. Think about the emotional undertone of the piece you’re writing. Write with your heart. Always.
Think about what the words mean to you, and what they make you feel.
2. Being unrealistic.
Your first post is not going to go viral. Or your second one.
Odds are, your first hundred posts are going to suck. At least a little bit.
Don’t set yourself for failure by being unrealistic.
Keep your feet on the ground, and your eyes at the stars.
Aim to do the work the best you can. Aim to work more today than you did yesterday. Aim to become better today than you were yesterday.
This is the only thing you can control.
3. Spending too much time networking.
While networking is a big part of blogging, a lot of folks use it as a way to justify their procrastination.
They spend almost all their time on other blogs, commenting, replying to comments.
In that case, you’re no longer producing content, you’re just consuming.
There’s got to be a balance between creating content and networking.
And the truth is that it’s easy. We get addicted to those notifications, and most often it’s easier than working on creating new content.
That’s why it’s essential to set a clear schedule. Forcing yourself to be consistent means that you get to work because you have to produce new content.
Otherwise, it’s easy to postpone writing a new blog post in favor of commenting on other people’s blogs.
4. Listening to haters.
Great content always tends to divide people.
Keep this in mind.
If you write a mediocre post, it received neither positive nor negative feedback, but great content almost always divides people.
Some will love it, some will hate it.
Be okay with it. Accept it as a fact of life.
Be smart enough to let go of your desire for validation, unless you want to become creatively bankrupt.
Focus on doing the work. Let them say what they want to say. Once you publish a blog post, it’s no longer yours. It belongs to your readers. And they’re free to do and say what they damn well please.
5. Overdoing it.
There’s this trend of advertising the “grind”. Most folks overwork themselves until they sabotage they’re unable to think clearly.
Most folks over-edit. They keep working on the same five hundred word blog post as if wishing to sculpt the damn words into perfection.
The truth is that you need to let go. Enjoy the process. Trust the muse. Do your thing, edit to the best of your capabilities, and let go of your desire for perfection.
The goal is to work smart. The goal is to be happy and productive, because that’s when you create your best work.
Of course, there are a lot of other sins when it comes to blogging.
But the truth is that you need to get the work done. No matter what. That’s what matters.
Figure out what works best for you. Figure out a plan of action that inspires you. Write with passion about the things that matter to you.
These are good tips here, Christian. I guess overthinking is my biggest problem. Blogging for me is a hobby, but I still spend too much time second guessing are reworking my posts, which causes me to go even longer between them.
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Best advices, thanks so much for these words. Am relief because am trying to start my blogging (myownwords.wpress.com) am putting out my lyrics that I have kept for long and I don’t know how it’s going to be, definitely I can’t know unless I start, lol. I have started the blog but I don’t know why I want to see someone to read any of my post before I start the real work, damn thinking, lol. Reading this really helpful. Once again thanks Christian 👍👏
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Very good advice! You are so correct on these points. It’s so easy to get caught up in everything that’s going on around you and lose your focus. Keep up the great work! 🙂
Christina
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Thank you, Christina.
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Thank you for this valuable advice. Indeed, you have well targeted the errors to avoid.
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Thank you for taking the time to read and comment.
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You are welcome.
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Thank you again for your wisdom. I’ve saved this post for further reference. You are a true friend to us.❤️
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Thank you so much!
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Great points. I am probably guilty of all of these things, although number 1 is the one which I have wrestled with the hardest. I believe that I have started to overcome this now!
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Thank you, Peter!
You just got to punch those damn keys! Don’t think, don’t question yourself, don’t listen to the critic within.
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All solid tips, thanks 🙂
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Thank you!
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Very good tips in this post.
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Thank you!
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So I’ve heard of networking before. Can you explain how it helps draw eyes to your blog if you’re commenting on other blogs? Do you just comment on people’s blogs on WordPress? Or all over the web? I guess I’m just confused about networking in general, how to do it and how it helps.
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Well, if you comment on someone else’s blog, they will be curious as to who you are. Now, it depends on what kind of comment. But at the same time, you develop relationships. Not just with the blogger, but with their readers as well. It takes time, patience, and you’ve got to comment stuff that adds to the conversation, not just generic one liners.
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Some good thoughts, thankyou.
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Thank you!
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I’ve been blogging for fun but now I want to get serious and grow this thing. Thank you for these tips!
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My pleasure, Liz!
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Numbers 1 and 5 are the perfect bookends, if you are going to write, write, then when you are finished, clean up the glaring errors and tighten the prose if needed, assign the categories and hit publish. I have 43 drafts that will probably never get finished, but many more that are published. Thanks.
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Amazing advice and it’s so reassuring for bloggers just starting out. There are so many ads out there that promise instant blog success that newbies can easily feel disheartened.
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There’s no such thing as instant blogging success.
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I totally agree, lots of elbow grease and some faith is a better strategy.
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I’m a newbie myself and I’m going to keep your advice in mind 🙂 Thank you!
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Thank you!
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This is great advice. I kind of got to the point where I kind of got the first 4, but the last one… Yes tatally. I am on my 20th draft of some stuff that goes round and round in circles. Thanks for putting these ideas out there. I am getting there but I am not there yet.
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Thank you so much! These tips are suuper helpful! 🙂
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My pleasure, Jenn! Thank you for reading.
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