Everyone talks about how great blogging is and the freedom it allows, etc. That’s all true. Blogging is a great business to be in. But sometimes people fail to mention that starting a blog can be scary as hell. Luckily, the fears tend to be the same for everyone who starts a blog, which means there’s a lot of support out there.
Here are the fears I struggled with before I started blogging, and some advice (based on what I did) to get over them.
My knowledge and expertise are on parade. What if I’m not as smart as I think I am?
First of all, if you have any serious doubts about your knowledge on the topic you plan to create a blog about, then don’t create a blog about it. You need to choose a topic that you’re confident about. You don’t need to be an expert, but you do need to be able to create a lot of meaningful content. Brush up on the topic before you start. That’ll help you to be a lot more self-assured.
I might piss someone off. I might get a whole lot of public, negative feedback.
If you have a blog, I guarantee you’re going to get some negative comments, negative emails, negative reviews, etc. It’s just a part of the business. Everyone has an opinion. Be true to yourself and don’t worry too much about offending others (don’t deliberately be a jerk or anything, but also don’t make tip-toeing around your biggest priority).
Also, don’t disregard that negative feedback. If it’s malicious, then let it be. But if it’s a well-formed argument that someone is bringing to your attention, then respond appropriately. Blogging is a two-way flow. Don’t ever forget that if people are responding (whether happy or not) to you and your ideas, then you’re succeeding!
What if I run out of things to say?
The truth of the matter is that not all topics are great topics for a blog. That’s why choosing what you’re going to blog about is so critical. Keep an ongoing list of post ideas for those days when you’re just drawing a blank. For me, this looks like a Google Document that I’m always adding to.
Also, keep this principle in mind: one idea, one blog post. Once you find yourself drifting into different topics and ideas, it’s time to start a new post. That way you stretch out your ideas and the amount of posts you can create.
And don’t forget to regularly get inspired. Read the news, catch up on Twitter, read some of your favorite blogs, talk to friends, etc. Do whatever it takes to get your wheels turning and get yourself thinking about new post ideas.
What if I set the bar too high and fail to deliver?
My biggest piece of advice is to just not do that. Don’t post daily if you won’t always be posting daily. Don’t write a novel of a blog post, if all of your blog posts won’t be like that. Don’t set your readers’ expectations higher than you think you can regularly reach.
On the flip side, continue to challenge yourself. Strive for bigger and better things. But don’t let your audience’s pressures become your main concern. You need to be happy with what you produce as well.
What if I don’t have enough time to keep up with it?
Well, where are your priorities at? If your blog isn’t your priority, then don’t start one. It’s like any other thing in life. Don’t start what you can’t finish.
Stick to a regular, planned time for creating content. Approach your blog in an organized, business-like way. And keep in mind that if you’re blogging about something you’re passionate about, you’ll want to make time to keep up with it.
Don’t let the fear of the unknown or the fear of something new scare you out of starting a blog. Let me tell you something: it’s really rewarding. If you push through the discomfort stage, you’ll see how fun it is. If you never take that leap, you’ll never get anywhere.
You have great, unique things to share. So get to sharing them!
