Three thousand blog posts published over eight and a half years of daily blogging…
I’d say it’s a decent amount of content. Could I have written and published more? Sure. More is always the answer when it comes to how much work one can do. I could have written better posts, developed my projects better…
But the truth is that my writing has developed a lot since I wrote my first post on this blog, back in April 2012.
I’ve also learned a few other things I’d like to share with you.
1. Most of My Articles Are Awful
Looking back, reading articles I’ve written in 2013–2015, most of them are just bad.
Articles that I had to write and publish because I was trying to adhere to some dumb rule of consistency (an impossible one that required me to publish at least 2 different articles a day on 3 different blogs).
Articles I rushed to publish because I had not enough mental clarity to properly discuss the topic.
Articles that, well, were badly written, riddled with typos and errors, formatted in a way that that it all looked like a neverending chunk of text.
Heck, even the articles I was most proud of, the ones that got thousands of likes and hundreds of comments, the ones that I wrote under the effect of the muse, made me feel like I could have done better.
Of course, there are two main reasons for this:
- The articles were indeed bad.
- I had progressed in such a way that I could no longer relate to or even appreciate my own writing.
After eight years of blogging, it would have been troublesome, to say the least, to read some of my first articles and notice no progress in terms of quality or writing style.
Count on skills to develop over time, and also count on not being able to relate to (or be proud of) most of your creative output. It is what it is. Failure is the path of any creative endeavor, and we never quite manage to create something perfect, so we just give up and click publish.
2. I Switched Niches a Few Times
When I first started in April, 2012, I was writing book reviews. Yes. I was a book reviewer at first, even though I had no natural inclination towards reviewing anything.
There’s an art to that, and I won’t dwell too much on the topic, but it requires, among a keen eye for detail and killer taste, an almost superhuman ability to write in an entertaining and fascinating manner.
After a couple of months of reviewing books, I began writing essays about art and the creative process. About writing, but without giving advice or trying to preach.
Then I wrote a (mostly) inspirational article about my journey as a writer, ever since I wrote my first story when I was 14 years old. It did extremely well, and it made me realize that I both enjoyed writing and sharing inspirational articles.
That’s when I changed my niche yet again, deciding to write about motivation and inspiration, and a couple of years later I was writing about self-development, self-help, and success.
Sticking to a niche, no matter what, is guaranteed to lead to burnout and creative bankruptcy.
As we accumulate knowledge and skills, the topics and ideas we want to write about change. Our notions change. It’s natural.
I began by sharing blogging advice on The Art of Blogging, but also wrote an entire series of articles on mindset — a bit of inspiration, a bit of motivation, and some psychology and persuasion techniques thrown in as well. Oh, and the occasional wake-up call as well.
Do not be afraid to slowly shift towards different niches, or to write about related topics. It’s how the journey is supposed to be.
3. Inspiration Is the By-Product of Consistency
I can remember whether most of my articles were written under the effect of inspiration or not.
And do you want to know the truth?
I can’t tell the difference between what came easy, what felt like strolling my fingers across the keyboard, and what I had to force myself to write, what I had to struggle for.
If you’ve been blogging for some time, you must have faced this urge to only write when inspired.
Don’t.
Write according to a schedule, according to a clear content strategy, and write in order to reach your goals.
Inspiration is a myth. It’s what happens to you after you do countless hours of work.
The more you work, the more inspired you feel.
The thing is that ideas come from connecting the dots. It’s that easy. Ideas come from past experiences, books I have read, conversations I have overheard. The obstacles I had to overcome.
If you look in the dictionary under the word “procrastination,” you’ll likely find an old photo of me.
I only used to write when I felt like it. Not for the past 5 years or so. I write because that’s my routine, because showing up is half the battle.
I show up, whether I feel like it or not, and when I look back at my content, I honestly can’t tell the difference between what I wrote under the inspiration of the muse, and what I had to force myself to sit down and write into existence.
4. The Best Way to Do Great Work Is to Think and Act Like a Beginner
I went through a dark age of sorts. Two years during which I felt that blogging was a soul-sucking endeavor. It was painful.
The truth?
I thought there was nothing more to learn.
That was a lie, and just when you think that you have reached the top, that’s when everyone else starts to surpass you.
A beginner’s mindset is key not only to get to the top but to stay there as well. The world wide web is a fast-changing environment.
The only way to keep up is to always be on the lookout for opportunities, to always approach blogging as a novice, willing to learn, to adapt, and to overcome difficulties.
Otherwise, you will become irrelevant in about 2 to 3 years.
5. The Most Fun I Had Was When I Was Experimenting
Experiment. Not everything that works for other bloggers works for you or me. It’s okay if you write something new and different and your post only gets 16 views.
You can always recycle content. After all, if you have a few main themes, you’re bound to tackle them a few times. If it’s a topic you care deeply about, you’ll be writing about it more than once.
This is something most bloggers forget to do after a while.
Experimentation is how you develop new skills, figure out a niche that’s better suited, or engage other parts of your brain.
Experimentation is how you connect the dots or how you develop a different writing style.
So, don’t be afraid to experiment.
When it comes to blogging, you can certainly change even the things that aren’t broken.
6. Going Viral Is a Curse in Disguise
I launched my blog on April 22, 2012. I’d publish new content on a daily basis. The first article of mine to go viral was on the 5th of June, 2012.
And, yes, it felt great, and, yes, I did work harder and managed to take advantage of this opportunity over the following months and had a few more articles go viral, but the truth is… it all happened too early in the game.
It’s not that I didn’t appreciate what had happened, it was that I didn’t know how to replicate it.
That’s why I say overnight success is not worth it.
Focus on the incremental improvements, on metrics that you understand and can replicate if you want to.
Don’t try to win the lottery or rig the system, but try to understand the game and play it so well that you can consistently publish content people want to read.
7. Being Popular Does Not Automatically Mean You’re Liked, Respected, and Admired
Anyone can become popular these days. Well, almost anyone.
But the truth is that we live in a world where influencers with millions of followers fail to sell even a few t-shirts.
Popularity does not mean money, and popularity doesn’t mean you are an authority in your niche.
The numbers don’t lie, but they aren’t telling you the whole truth either.
The road to 1,000 true fans is far more difficult than just getting a thousand people to scan through your articles.
A lot of people will like, few will share, and even fewer will buy.
If you want your work to feel meaningful five years from now, stop chasing the numbers, and focus on sharing work that positively impacts the lives of your readers. Engage with them. Interact with others in your niche. Be a part of the conversation that goes on in the community.
Don’t focus on numbers, but rather on the strength of the connections you make and on the quality of the content you share.
In the end, there’s something else I learned.
There are some aspects of blogging that can’t be reverse-engineered.
In order to fully understand and internalize the most important lessons from writing and publishing over 3,000 articles, you have to write and publish 3,000 articles yourself.
Sometimes, there’s no substitute for first-hand experience.
So, what are you waiting for? Punch the damn keys.
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“The more you step outside your comfort zone, the more creative you become.”
Loved reading this post!
Thank you, Khyati. Do you have any questions for me?
I’m just getting started since November I think so any advice would be great
“It’s okay if you write something new and different and your post only gets 16 views.” – I needed to hear this. Thanks for encouraging newbies like us, Cristian. 🙂
Brilliant post, my friend. No questions though.
Thanks, man.
Very nice post
How amazing this…
Wonderful read for an upstart blogger like myself. The ‘procrastination’ bit is something I could relate to – the longer you dwell on something, the less likely you’re going to do anything about it.
So everytime I get an idea for a blog, I make sure to get started on it immediately before the drive fizzles out. It’s helped me so far. 🙂
Loved reading your post. You are one of those writers who have experimented on various topics and have shared a lot of your experience with us.
Thank you.
Great reminders, and congratulations on the milestone!
Thank you, Cristian. Great words. And congratulations! I thought long and hard before I started a blog. With a little research and reading some of your posts, it was quickly obvious to me that it’s a commitment for the long haul. That is, in your time, creativity, to yourself and to your readers. We don’t expect to make deep friendships overnight, so why think it will happen with our blogs? Good relationships take time to build.
Hi Susan,
Thank you.
Also, yes, I agree. Blogging is (mostly) about building relationships with other people, and building (anything) takes time.
🙂 Your English is fun, Cristian. More American than many Americans, if that’s possible. Blessings on the next 3,000 posts.
Thank you so much.
Thank you for sharing your advice! I am currently in a writing rut. My wife and I just had our fourth kid born and I have been running low on sleep. The one constant I have been making an effort is to read daily even if it only a few minutes.
Yes, successful blogs are built one post at a time… and the issue of “success” is in the eye of the beholder, right? It’s not just about numbers!
I needed this today. Thank you!
Im new to blogging too, and I find inspiration when I travel which I do not so often so I also write less. I wish I could get more inspiration too.
‘Have fun. Enjoy writing just for the sake of it….’ I love this part, but I am interested in what made you publish your first post? And what’s kept you going for the years after?
I had to find an audience. I wanted to write. Simple as that. I kept going because I don’t see myself doing anything else.
Reblogged this on ReBirth: The Pursuit of Porsha.
Thank you!
I am not getting even a single view, also i want to write anonymously…
Wonderful and insightful posts. Can definitely relate on many points you’ve highlighted.
Thank you!
This post is just like a morning breakfast to me, it’s quite inspiring. Thank you for sharing, I have been on and off blogging for about three and a half years now, but fully back Gods willing’ and with articles like this, there’s no turning back. Thanks
Thank you for taking time to read my content.
Well, the idea is that you must be consistent. Don’t focus on how many posts you publish, but on keeping a schedule. Post less frequently, but consistently.
Thank you.
Competition? No: Fellow writer, friend. Without competition, no community. And cute quotes are a great entrance to new writing.
Beautiful illustration. For a growing blogger like me, it’s such an inspiration. Thanks for writing. And all the best all your future posts.
Thank you so much, Joy! I appreciate the support.
How do you manage your time? Do you recommend using Trello for example or any other app?
I make a mental list of tasks each morning. And then I work on completing it. That’s about it. I never used any app for that.
You’re awesome. You always motivate me to write something new. Big fan of your work.😀😁😃
Thank you so much, Shraban. Much appreciate the support.
Just what I needed to read today, thank you!
Was able to relate to your post very well. I recently moved towns and settling in took time and it was time away from blogging. I only had personal experiences to put up and was hesitant putting them up. Thanks for giving me an insight and injecting a dose of inspiration. ☺️
Thank you for sharing this. 😊 very inspiring to read!
Thank you. It is great wrting. I ‘m really motivated
No matter how you slice it, 3,000 posts are a lot of content. Kudos to you for your persistence and commitment. Thanks for sharing some of what you’ve learned along your journey.
Thank you! Appreciate the support.
Great post as usual. Also, as a Russian American whose first language was Russian, your English is very good. Especially since as far as I know you still love in Romania and have not had the benefit of immersion. Best wishes!
lol! live* in Romania…though I sincerely hope you love there as well. I really hope the West stops stealing your publicly trained youth and leaving your hospitals short staffed. Apologies if my politics annoy you. And take care.
Hi Alex,
Thank you for your compliments.
And politics are not annoying to me. They just are something difficult to explain, or talk about.
No problem. It’s always great to see somebody really learn a language without actually being immersed. I’d love to learn German and Chinese but I’m thirty and it’s definitely going to take a lot of work. Your success gives me hope.
It’s the result of your hard work and sweat. Kudos for you.
Super post
Inspirational post. But the last part is the one which I love the most.
Great post! Captures the essence of the inspiration of a blank page, the struggle and joy of finding words that articulate something that has meaning. Love the “more you work, more you get inspired” comment.
I needed to hear about posting/writing when inspired vs on a scheduled. Thank you! I absolutely love your content!
I would say for most of us who write, there is a sense of deeper purpose. It’s good to remind ourselves of that when we start feeling sorry for ourselves because that “viral popularity” is not coming our way. And yes, I completely agree about inspiration being a myth!!
The inspiration that I didn’t know I need. Inspiration Is a Myth really hit me. it kinda makes me feel less alone in writing.
“The numbers don’t lie, but they aren’t telling you the whole truth either,” “The more you work, the more inspired you feel.” Fabulous.
God I really needed to read this. I am always waiting for inspiration and it has hindered me from doing what I love, writing. Also, I have to fight you on a point. If you look up procrastination in the dictionary, you’ll see my face, not yours! 🙂
By far my favorite blog I’ve read so far. Straight no chaser!
I absolutely loved this. As someone who’s literally just started blogging I found this piece encouraging and inspiring. Thank you 😊
Wow!!! So inspirational and amazing!💖
Wow, over 3000 blogs. That’s impressive any way you look at it.
I am new to blogging … I have no idea what or how I’m doing. Your post was comforting and inspiring for one like me. Thanks for your insight!
Thanks for this. Great advice!
The Best Way to Do Great Work Is to Think and Act Like a Beginner -> This is so out of the box! Thank you for posting!
Wow. I really feel inspired by this post. I can recall experiencing some difficulties before finally moving on with my current blog.I really love this post🤝✊🏼
Nice to read this. I’ll be more patient as a blogger now and not aim for all my posts to “go viral”
Thanks so much. This was a very good read! I just started blogging in August of 2020 and will keep these seven lessons in mind.
Hi Christian,
Amazing post and great dedication 💓
“Showing up is half the battle won.” I agree with that. I am not usually very strict with myself but currently discipline and routine seems to be working great for me.
I have a question. How much time do you dedicate for writing each post? Is it fixed or flexible?
Hi Mya,
Thank you for the compliments. I am glad you enjoyed reading my article.
Well… it depends. For instance, The Art of Writing a Fantastic Article per Week, which stands at almost 5,000 words, took me almost two weeks to write, edit, and format.
A short article, like this one, takes me some 2-3 hours to write.
But usually I spend an entire day, especially if I have to design a lot of graphics and charts and whatnot for my article or do a bit of research beforehand.
Thank you for sharing your writing process 🌸
We All get better with practise.