tech writing project

How to Start a Blog

A project presented to you by Brittany Kemp

Step 1:

Decide on what you want to blog about.

These days a variety of subjects can be the focus of a blog. Use your imagination! If you can think of it, identify an audience, then you can make a blog on it.

Some blogs that actually exist:

- colon cleansing

- food/music mixes (a mix posted with a recipe for food)

- "the middle finger project" (here the concept was a satirical take on Lifestyle Design)

- "People of Wal-Mart"...kind of a well-known internet phenomenon which involves photos of people actually spotted at Wal-Mart.

So don't hold back!

Step 2:

Decide on what blogging software to use.

If you have access to the internet and a reliable computer, this isn't a problem. You can go with

- wordpress (I do not personally recommend wordpress, as I find it to be not-user friendly).

- blogger/blogspot (the easiest form and associated with Google, it is also the most popular. I personally recommend this and use it).

- typepad (can cost money).

- tumblr (the simplest method, but most people do not take tumblr seriously. It's like an expanded Twitter. I'd be cautious about going with tumblr, unless you want to do your own "People at Wal-Mart" thing).

For simplicity's sake, I go with BLOGGER. But, it is to be said, Windows now offers built-in blogging software. I do not understand it.

Step 3:

Pick a name!

This is a little obvious, but you never know with people. I'm using my own writing portfolio as an example:

BRITTISNOTAWRITER.BLOGSPOT.COM

So your blog would be something like:

(TITLE).BLOGSPOT.COM

That's why there is some level of importance in assigning a title. That's how people will find you!

Step 4:

Make a post

Introductory posts are wise, but not for everyone. I do caution about jumping immediately in; take some time to plan ahead. Where do you want your blog to go? What do you want your blog to be? Are you taking this seriously or is it fun? If it's just for kicks, maybe you want a tumblr instead.

Go ahead and write your post now. You can do so in either HTML or what is called "compose," which is for the more technologically-illiterate ones of us out there. With that, you can use bold type, center your text, insert images, without knowing HTML speak. I will say though, speaking from experience, that learning some HTML helps immediately.

A good starting guide: http://www.htmlcodetutorial.com/

Step 5:

Always proofread!

Nothing hurts more than finding typos or massive errors in your own work. It makes it appear sloppy and unprofessionally. Especially if you plan on making your blog into something credible, this is a step that must not be passed. Take a moment to read through what you've written. Is it spelled right? Grammatically correct? Does it make sense? Or does it make it seem like you were taking too much cold medicine when writing it? Even ask a friend to look it over, if you want.

Step 6:

Post!

It's just an easy as pressing that button. Press it! Now, take a look. Congratulations, you've blogged!

Step 7:

Spread word (optional)

Use social media- Facebook, twitter, etc. Tell your friends and family to check out your blog! Using both blogger and wordpress enables you to track stats, so you can see where your audience lives, how they reach your blog, how many hits a day you're getting, what posts are the most popular, etc.

Blogger also enables you to make some revenue off your blog using advertisements (Google Adsense). However, I should warn you, I've had the Useless Critic for two years and I think I've made just about 30 dollars.

Step 8:

Post as much as you want, you have a blog now!

Get yourself into the habit. This is where a lot of people fail- they don't have the drive to keep going, or creativity (or sometimes time, etc). Give yourself a pattern- maybe you blog once a day or maybe once a week or something of that nature. Whatever works for you, really. Just keep going!

Step 9:

Enjoy it, and be as creative as possible.

Embrace your creativity- the right and wrong ways to blog are all inherent to those blessed with common sense. The more you blog, the more enjoyable and informative it will become. Read other blogs to get inspiration. Maybe you want to put more research into your posts or do interviews, that's fine! Maybe you want to be more personal. That's fine too.

It's an exciting new dimension to be a part of, in technology. And one that is sure to be rapidly taking off!

theuselesscritic.blogspot.com

brittisnotawriter.blogspot.com <- my blogs