What can I say about computers and internet? Nothing, except that I use the both on a daily basis. Another thing I know is that I run a fully functioning blog and forum… but I don't have a clue how that came to be. One day I was figuring out how this whole Facebook thing worked, and the next I was writing posts and using different social networks to market my blog. Hmm, come to think of it, that'd be a good topic to write about. How I got into this blogging shite.
Blogging is honestly one of the greatest things a person can get into. Wait, let me finish. It's not for just anyone though. If you're like me who has a lot of stuff to talk about and you write short stories or screenplays here and there, and even attempted at getting published, then blogging is right for you. A lot of people get discouraged if they get rejected by every publishing company and think that if Penguin or Signet isn't signing them then they must be horrible writers. That's not necessarily true. Mario Puzo's The Godfather was rejected close to forty or so times, I believe, before it was finally published. If publishing companies see they can't market your stuff well at the time then they usually pass on it. That's where blogging comes in. Some would say you'll turn successful at blogging if you're good at marketing, but I would have to disagree with those people. Sure, marketing, SEO, using social media to attract readers, and all the rest is part of raising traffic, but if your content is bad then there's not much anyone can do for you. You'll have someone visit your blog and read a post, but after that they'll just leave and never come back. Now if your content (your writing skills) are top-notch, then that unique visitor will come back and will even notify his friends about your blog. I think that's an ultimate test for a writer/journalist these days.
I'm not saying that Dostoevsky would be successful at blogging, I really can't tell. Not too many people would like to read 200 pages on how a flower blossoms, but someone like Hunter S. Thompson would be a killer blogger. Especially a Gonzo blogger. Damn, there's an idea for a blog right there. Go through crazy experiences first-hand and blog about them. Anywho, I kinda got carried away with this so I'll try to steer back on track. The way I began blogging was through a friend. He introduced me to the whole world of it and from then on I wrote non-stop. Got into a few problems with the technicalities of it all here and there, but in the end I pulled through and now I've been running a successful blog for over two months, which I'm extremely proud of and only get good feedback on. If you're thinking about getting into blogging, my advice would be this:
1. Write about a topic you love (I know everyone says that, but it's true. I learnt the hard way. Shite I Like is my second blog for a reason.) and
2. Never give up due to lack of visitors. If you're interested in the subject and you see you actually have some returning visitors, then go right ahead and keep posting.
All that the lack of traffic means is that you need to read-up and practise some marketing for your blog. If your content is garbage, however, then you'll more than likely catch onto it soon enough and will need to tweak it up in some places, or once again, blogging isn't for you.
Hope you don't get discouraged and start and maintain your own blog, and if you like how I write, then come and visit me, Robby G, at www.shiteilike.com.
Cheers!
