How Do I Blog if I’m Not a Writer?
This is the number one question asked by people when they’re thinking about getting a blog, or advised to get one to help them create a valuable presence on the web. And it should be. If your natural inclination isn’t to write or if you just don’t have the time, there are a number of options available to you, which I’ll cover later in this article. First, lets address the problem of “non” writers trying to write.
One, you don’t know how you’ll do if you don’t try. Who knows, you may turn out to be a natural. Two, if you stick to some simple rules, it makes everything easier:
1) Write about what you know. You talk to to colleagues, clients and people around you all day, giving advice, telling them what you need done and much more. Pretend you’re writing an email to someone (better yet, look at those emails you’ve written. Often they contain a lot of good info you can turn into posts), a an op-ed or anything else that makes it easier.
2) Posts can be any length you want. As a rule of thumb, they should be at least two paragraphs, but if its been a long day, do something like a one paragraph post on some bit of news in your industry. Nothing major, and probably something you’re already thinking about.
3) Don’t get bogged down in the details or making a perfect piece of art. You can always go back and change it later, the most important thing to do is get it down on paper.
4) If you use a content management system like WordPress, use the post-date function. Sit down on a Sunday, take a few hours and write out your posts for that week. Then submit them and post-date them. This puts them in a queue that is published automatically on the date you specify.
If you have tried repeatedly and just feel overwhlemed, there are other options available to you as well:
1) Hire a writer. There are lots of good freelance sites like Elance.com where you can find decent writers to help you out. Use them once or a number of times, but always be sure to check their references and their previous work. Cragslist and other classified sites are also valuable for finding writers, again, just make sure you check for quality.
2) Delegate the writing to an assistant, then edit the content. They often know a lot about the industry and can write articles for you to review, which you can then edit and/or add your own spin to.
3) Get others in your company involved. Partner, colleagues, assistants…everyone can be valuable to you in generating content.
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Good post, I think alot can come down to practice. I am ESL, and think I do “ok” just from practice – good ideas though, thanks
I loved the post, I am quiet new at blogging and find at time that it can be a bit intimidating.