FIRST steps in Starting a Blog
For a creative outlet starting a blog is one of the most inexpensive and easiest if you in any way enjoy writing or have content ideas you know will be popular and of interest. All you need is a computer and an internet connection to actually get going but you can start with pen and paper to get your content ideas down.
Writing is a perfect hobby or business for an introvert as it can be done in complete privacy and the choice of your own comfortable surroundings. Additionally you can do it anonymously if you choose, especially in the beginning. Keep it quiet if you wish before you have got your website looking the way you like with a few blog posts under your belt. Of course, blogging is for all personality types and for all different reasons but in my opinion it’s an introvert’s paradise!
Choosing your website platform
One of the most beginner friendly websites to set up particularly for blog websites is WordPress.org. You can get a basic website set up and go on the cheapest plan you can find that meets your needs. WordPress.com as a host though is not recommended by me as it is very limited. You are unable to install plugins which are like apps for your website. As soon as you move from the absolute beginner phase you will need plugins.
I chose Bluehost as it is cheap as chips particularly if you chose the yearly option. Where possible I choose yearly plans instead of month by month. Firstly it is better value but secondly you don’t need to or worry about monthly direct debits.
Please do your own research to find what works for you, this goes with all my recommendations or suggestions in all of my blog posts. There are many YouTube videos you can watch for free on how to start a blog. All the information in this blog is just what has suited my budget and what I want to have on my website. For me one of the first things I wanted on my posts on my website was social sharing icons. I want readers to have the option to forward my posts to other social media platforms and to have this you need a plugin.
Writers write what they know
All of us are unique with different ideas, personalities and interests so it is up to you what you would like to write about. In the beginning you don’t need to niche down and think of one particular thing you want to write about. It would be preferable though to have an overarching theme in mind where you can write about several topics related to the theme. You need to think about the medium to long term if your chosen topic will still be interesting enough for you to keep writing about.
There is also an option to join two separate categories together as I have done. You then have the choice of writing separate posts on each topic or both within the same post. I identify equally as both an introvert and a creative person. Personally, don’t want to be limited to writing about just one of these topics.
Drafting your blog posts
I like to have a notebook and pen to use for my first draft of my blog posts. This is mainly to have a break from sitting in front of a screen as my ‘normal job’ is reliant on doing just that. Quick side note: I have just invested in a pair of blue light blocking glasses for wearing indoors in daytime. Will give an update on them in future post. Ok back to the blog!
Google docs is where I transfer my first written draft to an electronic version for the second draft though, I am thinking many would probably just prefer to type their blog content straight into the website and edit from there. Whatever process works for you, that’s what you should do.
Copyright free photos
Along with written content you will need photos. No matter how good your content is, no-one will want to read a large solid block of text. You also need to think about the layout, readability and aesthetics of your blog. Fortunately there are websites that offer copyright free photos you can download for your website. Personally I’m using Unsplash or creating my own in Canva at the time of writing this blog. You have the option to also pay a subscription. Sites such as Unsplash have a paid subscription option to gain access to their full library of available photos.
As a beginner there’s no need though to spend money when you can get an equivalent for free. You may just need to invest a bit more time in finding the right free photos. Of course you can take your own photos also and this might be more appropriate depending on the content of your blog.
Research for getting started
YouTube is a great source for researching starting a blog (along with blogs such as mine of course).
Two videos that were my source of inspiration were Start A Successful Blog in 2024 and How to Start a Blog in 2024. Both highly recommend WordPress.org as this is self-hosted rather than hosted by someone else. In other words, you will own your blog website. No need to worry about a hosted website deleting your account for whatever reason. Check out a range of videos as we are all different with different goals and needs. These are just a couple of examples that spoke to me.
For years I have harboured illusions of grandeur of writing a novel or at least a novella but the thought of committing to the time involved has kept this idea as just an illusion. Blogging is a lot more palatable and at the same time would be a good start or foundation for budding writers to explore their craft by first starting a blog.
Not only is blogging a lot less daunting, it can easily fit around a 9-5 normal job. You get to choose how much time you want to dedicate to your blogging ‘side hustle’ or hobby. It is also up to you how far you want to take your blog website so that it could one day replace your 9-5. Or like me you can just go along for the ride and see how it goes.
As I heard on a YouTube video recently, can you tell I watch a lot of YouTube videos?,
“Procrastination is the assassination of any destination”.
In other words, just start, don’t wait for perfection or all the planets to be aligned.
If I can do it, anyone can!
