blogging basics
A to Z challenge - Blogging, Writing & Creativity

Back To Blogging Basics

April 2, 2014 - By 

I’ve written a post called 7 Reasons Why You Should Stop Blogging and read and agreed with  Vidya Sury’s  7 Deadly Sins of Blogging. However, when Fabida,  who writes at Shocks and Shoes brought this article –  12 Reasons  You Should Start A Blog Today – to my notice, I knew at once that I just had to write this post.  

I was particularly struck by the following points in the article:

  1. Make a difference in the lives of others.

  2. Document your life in an empowering way.

  3. Find your authentic voice.

If you’re a writer, you really don’t need more reasons than these to start a blog.

A while back I shared that my blogging mantra includes actively using social media and networking. However,  I’m starting to wonder whether I really want to be such an active networker. I’m increasingly disenchanted with social media and how it insidiously begins to take over our lives. What’s the value in it, I’m wondering? I will continue to be on social media, but have already begun to cut back on the time I spend there.

I’m going Back To Blogging Basics

Now I want to go back to the basics:

  1.  Writing with passion – People tell me anyone can be a blogger and I agree. It’s simple. Yes, software, templates, a good commenting system and great SEO are all important elements – because we want to get ourselves heard. What makes the difference between a blogger and a great blogger is passion. Today I want to remind myself to write with passion about subjects I’m passionate about.

 

Seth Godin quote

2.  Connecting with my readers on my blog. I’m not going to try to take those connections onto other social media platforms – except to find avenues to share the work of others.

As an experiment, I have taken off most of my social media buttons on this blog. I’ve left on some simple sharing buttons.

I never did buy the idea of link dropping, preferring to stick to smaller blogging groups, but I’ve already started to cut back on the groups I am a part of. The decreased social media presence will continue.

What I will do (yes, I know  you’ve heard this before ;)) is focus on responding to comments and visiting the blogs of those who comment and those of like-minded bloggers.

I would like you to take a minute to visit Leo Babauta’s website (do come back here after that!). Talk about keeping things simple. I won’t ever get to that stage as far as a template is concerned- because I like color too much, but I love the focus on quality content he has.

Leo Babauta quote

3. Publishing consistently – I think that it’s definitely important for regular readers to know more or less when we’re going to be posting. I try to stick to a twice a week schedule. If I’m going to be posting every day (like this month) then I let my readers know in advance. I also need to let them know when I’m taking a break. Once again, it’s about making that connection with your readers.

  1. Creating quality content – I aim to write stuff that evokes emotion and a response from my readers. My posts may not always be of the feel-good variety, because they will reflect my own questions and doubts, my experiences good or bad, and I try to keep it real. I think the important thing is to make sure my content is relevant and useful too.

I am attempting to keep things simple and will rely on you, dear reader, to keep me honest.

What are the blogging basics as far as you are concerned?

This post is written for the letter B for the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge 2014. José and I are undertaking the Challenge on our blog, From 7Eight too.

 

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Corinne Rodrigues, a writer, coach, and blogger from Secunderabad, India, shares insights on life, creativity, and wellness through her blogs Everyday Gyaan and The Frangipani Creative.

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105 Comments on “Back To Blogging Basics”

  1. Did you read my mind this morning? I was just thinking along these lines about blogging and social media and how the latter is taking away a lot of time from blogging itself.

    I love the simplicity and elegance of the design on your blog and hope we continue to connect over the blog and elsewhere 🙂

    Big fan of Leo and so is my dad 🙂 He literally walks the talk, doesn’t he?

  2. Yay Corinne – my thoughts exactly – blogging is all about writing with passion and interacting on blogs and less about social media. Glad someone thinks like me 😀

  3. I so agree about writing with passion and connecting with readers! Yes, with so many social media options, which can take up a lot of time, keeping it simple is the key!

  4. Very interesting points. I think there can be a big problem with social media when you find that’s all you end up doing. Blogs seem to be where you can see much more of a person than something like Twitter. I’ve recently tried to add some things to my blog that might be useful to others, so hopefully there is more than just me bathering on :).

  5. Love this post! Back to basics always works when things get a bit too much. There is some deep beauty in keeping things simple and authentic. I really value this post from a seasoned blogger like you, because as a relative newcomer to this world of blogging I have a lot to learn. And when the learning such as this resonates with you deeply, it is so much more meaningful.

  6. Some time back I wanted to get away from social networking sites…. but now I use that to connect with all my blogger friends and blogs. For that… Thanks to you 🙂

    1. As long as we know how to balance it, Sheethal – too easy to add too many people, right? Then we begin to feel overwhelmed. I’m trying to ease out of a lot of unnecessary adds! 😉

  7. Passion..that is the key word… I am trying to get my basics right and keeping it simple. Connecting with my readers and making an identity for my blog is what I want to aim at as of now

  8. There comes a point when things get too complicated and it’s best to return to the basics. It’s time to rethink the basic reason why we started to blog.. for most of us it was/is the love for writing or sharing our feelings and thoughts. In the end that’s what counts – not the pageviews, not the shares and maybe not even the comments, other than the few regular genuine ones.

  9. I agree, one needs passion for writing to be a great blogger, else the posts would just sound lifeless. Once in a while it’s always advisable to go back to basics 🙂

  10. I agree blogging first and foremost is about writing with passion…and also I agree that being on social media encroaches on our time…I have spent the whole day yesterday on facebook and it’s tiring and at the end of the day I didn’t write a word y’day…yes we should actually come back to basics

  11. Okay, so you know I have a big smile on my face as I am reading this. And you know why.

    Hugs. Three cheers for getting back to nature/basics!

  12. I just read Vidya’s comment and smiled to myself because as soon as I had read this post I had sent you the same message.

    I confess I hated the idea of not blogging the way you have listed, initially. But then somehow the bug bit me, or the idea of defeating ‘them’ at their own game did, I don’t know. Now that I am into it I will agree the charm is intact. I love social media, it is something that finds me hooked on to. Perhaps a few months, years (or say never) I will get bored and move on.

    Until then my attempt will be too keep the blogging as a medium preserved while the ways of connecting suited to social media networks as well.

  13. Just this year I have cut back considerably to the groups I belong to a choice few, and at this time an A-Z group which you and I are both in. I found that I didn’t want to just drop links anymore or stress myself out trying to keep up with it all. Technically, if you take away the A-Z group, I belong to one group on Face Book. The other groups encompass the weekly writing challenges that I always participate in each week. It makes sense for me and is a lot more manageable. ♥

  14. I’d gone away from FB for a very long time, till I got into the AtoZ group this year. Till then, my presence on FB and other social media was very less. Now it is mainly for connecting with blogger friends, and for spreading a word about their work 🙂
    Lovely point, Corinne. Social Media or not, we are always with you as readers, and we know you’re with us 🙂 Cheers !!

  15. I love this post 🙂 I am totally new to blogging and I can use some basics 😉 Even I had stopped using FB until I joined the a-z group 😀

  16. Great thoughts. I’m totally in love with blogging. I’ve been on the sphere since 2008, and I’ve seen so many people come and go, but I also have lasting relationships that have been so beneficial–whether from an emotional standpoint or a professional one. I couldn’t have done the publishing thing without my bloggies.

  17. Never been much of a social network person, Corry 🙂 Has its advantages and disadvantages. But oh, I’m glad to be writing regularly and happily again. Even commenting often, which I was missing of late.

  19. I am pinning Seth Godin quote. I agree, you have to have a purpose and you can use this platform to make a difference in others lives

  20. My blogging basics..ummm…write from your heart. Don’t write to please audience. Read blogs you like even if they don’t read your blog. Don’t make the statement come true, I scratch your back and you scratch mine 😛

  21. Interesting points! I so agree that the whole focus on social media means there’s hardly any time to blog! Now why didn’t I think of keeping things simple myself? 😉

  23. Thanks for this talk about these basics. Yes, I took up blogging seriously 2-3 months back just out of sheer passion in the path of reinventing myself. These thoughts somewhere echo with my own understandings as well. Thanks again.

  24. If everyone is sharing then who is writing and if everyone is writing then who is reading?
    Social media is intrusive and time consuming.
    You have hit it spot on!

  25. Corinne you are very correct. The focus on social media and writing the basics are entirely different aspects altogether.I prefer to write the basics and leave the frills all together.

  26. Thank you for the mention, Corinne!! That article mentioned several valid points, as does this post!! I completely get what you’re saying, sometimes social media even leaves me with a weird feeling of guilt; that of not visiting all the blogs featured. Sometimes all this talk of SEO and networking can be so confusing that it’s good to be reminded of the very basic reason we started to blog.

    1. You’re welcome, Fab. Thanks for the link. It really made me think. I like the aspects of social media where one can share inspiring links like you did and have meaningful conversations at times. It’s the link dropping and the pressure that gets to me. I think you’re very balanced about this. 🙂

  27. Wow! COming from an expert like you…this is something I’m definitely going to come back to… I’m not a regular blogger but one thing that has kept me coming back is my vision for why I first started it….and that’s to get me into the discipline of writing and making a difference….Great post!

    1. I’m hardly an expert, Danny. But I’ll admit to being a constant learner. Yes, it’s important that we keep re-visiting the reason why we started to blog at all.

  28. Hey Corinne,
    I checked Leo’s website, this is the first time I have seen something like that. Thanks. IT was so refreshing. BUt I could not find the comment section.

    1. Hi Ananya – Glad you liked it. Increasingly some ‘big’ bloggers including Seth Godin and Copyblogger are taking off commenting. Copyblogger has moved the conversation about their posts to Google Plus. 🙂

  29. You are so right. 4 years ago I was a crazed blogger, had a public site that got 1000 hits per day, got a shorty award (twitter) and then I came to the realization it was too much. I enjoy meeting a few quality people, I write for me, I’m doing this A to Z madness with the hope of finding a few potentials for publishing. Simplicity and stay true to you!

    Happy A to Zing

  30. Corinne with you cutting down on social media, a lot of your co-bloggers will miss you

  31. Incidentally Corinne, I have resolved to do the same this year. In addition to blogging, I write professionally as well. And I wish to take blogging back to more reading and connecting with bloggers through blogs. Overdose of social media definitely distracts and detracts, and I am already cutting down my time there. Your post comes at the perfect time for me. Quality, honesty and passion were the reasons for the hobby in the first place.

  32. I wish we could have coffee and talk about how refreshing this is to read. You know, all I read and see is focus more on social media and then when CopyBlogger turned off comments – well the internet exploded and then blogs started to follow suit! I lean right where you do. Social media is great, for those that are about that. BUT, as a writer, we write and want that to always have a sense of intimacy and connection with our readers. Oh please, let’s grab that coffee together!!!!

    🙂

    1. That’s going to be a seriously expensive cup of coffee, Cristina. 😉 Someday, someday!
      Yes, I’m still wondering about Copyblogger – I can’t understand that.

  33. Great post. I’m a firm believer that if you’re going to take the time away from your family, friends, pets, spouse, to write, then YOU should be in that writing. It should be meaningful, and reflect who you are!

  34. Corinne, you hit the nail on the head. (Is that the correct phrase?) There is no shortage of social media, groups, etc that it is easy to forget why we started blogging in the first place. At one point I wrote down all the sharing tools I could use and ended up feeling overwhelmed and scrapped them all and kept the basic ones I enjoyed. Thanks for this post.

    1. Oh yes, it’s easy to get sucked into this – and they keep inventing new platforms on which we just ‘have to’ be seen, Amelia!

      PS: Hitting the nail on the head – absolutely right! 🙂

  35. Great blogging basics points. I think it does make sense to stick to smaller groups and interact and learn, rather thank just link dropping in bigger groups and not really creating an impact. Loved the quote from Seth 🙂 Thanks!

  36. Passion, yes passion. Being unable to sleep at night and needing to pour out my thoughts is the reason why I started blogging. Networking had never even crossed my mind until this past year. I’m terrible at social media, barely have a presence on facebook, tweet only occasionally, and share rarely on Google+. But blogging? That’s fun. I like that.

    Excellent post, and I’m glad you’re getting back to the basics.

  37. An authentic voice – yes, I completely agree. If you’re not speaking from your heart, what’s the point of speaking? My authentic voice isn’t always “nice” but it’s me.

    A good post – reminds me of what’s important in blogging.

  38. Great post Corinne, you inspire to write, you know…

    one of the most important thing on my blogging basics is keeping the post from being too long.. readers run away seeing those long posts, I have noticed.

    1. Thank you so much, Amrit.
      Yes, long posts do put off some people. However, I’m starting to write to the length I need necessary. Content curation is also important.

  39. Corinne! I couldn’t agree more. I was just having a rant about how I would like to blog without all the distractions that seem to accompany it. It doesn’t help that I am a social media Luddite. 🙂
    Your post is a welcome read and very reassuring. Thanks!

  40. I agree, Corinne.

    One can have everything, but without the “Passion,” one has NOTHING.

    Great points & insights. xx

    PS. Social Media is beautiful & horrible at the same time!

    1. I know you have loads of passion, Kim and that’s one of the many things I admire about you, my friend.

      And agree about Social Media – lovely to connect with old friends, but I don’t want to ‘have to’ do it for my blog.

  41. Wow!! Interesting tips.. I do not know how much of a passion I have .. All I know that, for the first time, I am making time for something religiously after having joined work .. Hope to continue to do so…

    Personally I do not like social media. I feel very exhausted with it. It is like I am bombarded with information at such a rate that I cannot take it ..

    I love how you are being honest with yourself.. And I visited Leo’s website from here. It is simple, frill free.. I definitely go through his writings..

    1. Thanks, Simple Girl. You’re on the right track with your blog. I love your theme and posts for the Challenge.
      Glad you liked, Leo Babauta’s site. His writing is also simple and no-nonsense.

  42. It’s funny because I’ve been thinking about social media recently and read an article in our local paper about a reporter who closed his Twitter account. I enjoy blogging and have met some wonderful people this way.

    1. I don’t find Twitter as bad as Facebook, Shelley. I’ve had a great experience on FB – don’t get me wrong. But I don’t want to use it for my blog any more. 🙂

  43. I believe that I must “write with passion about subjects I’m passionate about.”

    In everything, including in blogging, after following the basic rules and etiquette, I believe in doing things the way I think are correct. I sometimes wonder whether I’m being a stubborn mule in thinking and doing so. Reassuring to read this post from you!

  45. Cheers to keeping it simple! Consistent writing is something I’d like to do diligently and hope the A-Z is a start! As for social media – it is quite addictive. In fact I have become active only once I started blogging but I have restricted myself only to one or two blogging groups ( you know that! ;)) and connecting with like minded people!

  46. Totally agree with you. This isn’t my first blog, but I learned through trial and error over the years that things soon begin to encroach on our lives. I now have two blogs on the go, one I only write to once a month, and thats Bloggers4Peace, and the other, which is the one I’m using now, about my stories and my writing life.
    I am only part of two groups, Blog Blitz and the recently joined IWSG, which I’m still finding my footing with.
    Basic is always best I find. 🙂

  47. Love your blogging basics.My blogging reflects my thoughts and moods. I love humor and romance along with motivational and inspirational topics but am yet to write on the spiritually uplifting ones. I am at a stage in life where my thoughts are undergoing a transformation and my outlook towards life is changing gradually. Social media is fine as long as it is contained to a limit.

  48. Oh, I am so guilty of the social media addiction! It’s both a distraction tool and a fun way to connect with other writers.
    I’m actually hoping the A-Z Challenge will get me blogging regularly again.

  49. Thanks for your thoughts on blogging. You are definitely a connected lady! I enjoy your posts and am sure you’ll find that balance you want.

  50. Thank you for bring ing up this most valuable point. I was thinking that there are two blogging basics to me. One, is providing relevant content and two, is creating relationships.

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  52. Thanks for these awesome tips in blogging. As a newbie, they are to the point and exactly what I had in mind, but could not envision when creating and managing my content.
    I’ll be trying harder now.
    Cindy

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