Over the previous 7 months, I’ve been doing a weekly problem on a new weblog known as ‘Discover Your Spark’.
My purpose with it’s to write down a brand new ‘immediate’ weblog publish each week for 52 weeks on the subject of serving to folks ‘discover their spark’ (and to assist me discover mine too).
On this publish, I believed I’d share a few of what I’ve realized (and relearned) via doing this problem.
1. I’ve liked beginning one thing new
Whereas I really like ProBlogger and Digital Pictures Faculty (my foremost blogs), it’s been refreshing to get again to writing one thing I’m obsessed with.
2. Having a ‘problem’
Committing publicly to write down a weekly publish for a 12 months) has been very motivating for me and has helped me keep on process.
3. I’ve actually loved utilizing the Ghost running a blog platform
Whereas I often encourage new bloggers to start out their weblog on a platform that they management and Ghost is a hosted service – there’s additionally one thing fairly releasing about not having to work out the tech challenges when beginning one thing new. I don’t suppose I’d have began this mission if I needed to do it alone server, with my very own design, and many others. I made a decision after I began that I might not spend a lot time ‘tweaking’ design or options and make investments 99% of my time into creating content material. I believe this has paid off large time.
- Ghost not solely supplies you with a running a blog platform however a publication. Being able to hit publish and know that the brand new publish routinely additionally goes out by way of electronic mail in a publication is fairly cool.
- Whereas I’m not monetising what I do, you too can have paid membership tiers to supply premium content material to paid subscribers, which is fairly cool.
- Whereas Ghost is new(ish), it’s nice to see that they’re persevering with to develop the platform. In the previous few months, they’ve added new options, together with feedback, new stats/insights, viewers suggestions and many others.
Click on via right here to take a look at extra about Ghost (affiliate hyperlink).
4. I’ve liked the method of researching, gathering concepts and creating content material once more
I’ve tried various kinds of types of content material during the last 29 weeks (completely different lengths, curating some content material, utilizing quotes and many others) and have liked the tempo of 1 considerate publish every week. I’ve most likely gone longer/deeper into the content material than I had anticipated after I began the problem, however I’ve actually loved the long-form strategy
I’ve taken the strategy with this weblog of reporting what I’m studying fairly than making an attempt to return throughout as an skilled. This voice has served me properly up to now, however notably with the matters I’m masking (which I assume border on private growth), I believe it’s been necessary.
5. Ranging from scratch is difficult!
I had forgotten how laborious it’s to take a position a lot time and power into creating content material solely to listen to a powerful silence after you hit publish. Ranging from scratch with constructing an viewers after which getting engagement from that viewers is difficult!
Whereas I’m writing primarily for my very own growth, I believe I’d maybe taken with no consideration the great neighborhood I’ve grown through the years on my different blogs.
I believe that with my strategy of investing all of my efforts into writing, I’ve fallen brief in selling the content material as a lot as I’ve with earlier blogs within the early years. I believe I must tweak this strategy.
6. I’m glad I brainstormed matters earlier than I began the problem
Earlier than I began, I used thoughts map software program to create 52 matters that I may write on over the 12 months. I’ve since give you different concepts and discarded a number of the authentic ones, but it surely has been very helpful to have that financial institution of concepts to attract on when I’ve had weeks the place I’ve not felt as impressed to write down, or not too long ago after I travelled with the household for just a few weeks. Right here’s a podcast episode I recorded about utilizing thoughts maps in your running a blog.
All in all, the problem has been a really rewarding course of for me to date. I’m studying heaps about running a blog and the matters I’ve written about.
For these desirous to comply with alongside – the brand new weblog is at https://find-your-spark.ghost.io/
In case you do wish to begin a weblog, I might suggest signing up for my FREE Final Information to Beginning a Weblog Course.
