By Terez Howard
Love Is a Natural Thing

I blog because I love to write.
That makes blogging as natural as breathing for people like me who enjoy feeling a computer keyboard underneath their fingertips. But even for bloggers having an affair with writing, blogging can become a chore. How?
A freelance writer who blogs for a business owner does not particularly relish the idea of writing about chicken coops week after week. A business tips blogger might find she has to include financial advice in some of her posts since finances are a top priority among many businesspeople when numbers are one of her worst enemies. Incorporating financial anything would be drudgery for me.
So what can a girl do to build a love for blogging?
Write what you know.
Itâs not a secret. Itâs not earth shattering. Itâs the truth. You write about what you know. Take your life experiences and everyday happenings and regurgitate them on a blog post.
Iâm not saying to give a play-by-play account of what you do during the day:
This morning, I woke up and made the bed. Then, I went into the bathroom to shower.
No. Donât do that, and donât do this:
After I got into the bathroom to take a shower, the toilet seat was up again! My husband still doesnât know how to put the seat down. We argued for hours, and I left the house for the rest of the day. I might not go back.
The first example is boring. The second example is too personal. Strike a balance. Be entertaining enough and personal enough, while sharing helpful information. Like this:
After another marital disagreement (we all have them, right?), I considered what it would mean to the female population if our men actually followed our advice. So I asked myself, âHow would I best respond to an unwanted suggestion?â Presentation is everything.
Apply what you know
You must research your topic if youâre writing in foreign territory. Use experts and authorities for your sources. When appropriate, cite your these specialists as your sources. And remember, you are producing your own distinctive work, not a copy cat article.
Then comes the fun part. Make your blog your own. There are hundreds of blogs about cooking. I recently saw an ad about a woman who blogs about cooking and doesnât cook. She writes super simple snack recipes. She is unique.
Your blog might not be so one-of-a-kind, but each post can stand on its own as original if you parallel what you know with what you write.
âBut I donât know anything.â
Thatâs just lazy. Either you are not thinking, or you are not working to know anything. Look around. Literally, look around. Go ahead.
I see a computer. I could blog about which computers offer programs that cater to writers. I see various piles of papers. I could blog about organizing these papers or why these piles are already organized. I see an enormous bookshelf. I could write a blog comparing the writings of my favorite author, Langston Hughes, with my own writing or get tips from this multi-talented writer.
Those ideas are the ones that are in front of my face. Walk through your house. Think about your family and friends and their interests. Recall your everyday activities to mind and apply them to your blog.
Maybe blogging isnât love at first sight for you. Look at blogging through a mirrored lens to cultivate a love that could grow into a lifelong relationship.
What one thing about blogging could make you fall in love with it?
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Terez Howard operates TheWriteBloggers, a professional blogging service which builds clientsâ authority status and net visibility. She regularly blogs at Freelance Writing Mamas . You’ll find her on Twitter @thewriteblogger
Thanks, Terez!
— ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz on your business!!
I use to blog about me but your right it was too personal the way that I did it. I needed to find the right balance like I have now that I blog about my family!
I think what is making me fall in love with blogging is how much I’m learning and growing. I’ve gone to conferences and met fascinating and inspiring people. I’ve tackled my computer fears and learned things I didn’t think I could. I’ve gone out into the community and met and talked to people I wouldn’t have. And, the online community and fun that I’m having just keeps me wanting more!! I have a lot to learn! But, I’m taking one step at a time on my journey! ~Chris Ann
I have an even stronger drive (for me): I write to learn.
In fact, the easiest way I know to learn something is to write a little paper or blog post or essay about it.
It’s hard. It takes time and when you readership is low, it just consume your time.
What balance? It’s just a struggle when your readers don’t let you know what they do or don’t like. If I had more of that, I think I would know how to balance my blog.
Blogging can be natural, but every once in a while it does need to be tamed.
Re: “Write what you know.”
I love this and it’s oh so true! I almost want to say that if you’re having a hard time, you might just be trying to hard. It’s easy to write what you know. It doesn’t have to be perfect. If it’s written in a conversational tone, that’s ok. At least it’s natural and it’s reflective of the knowledge that you want to share with the world.
Yeah, Ricardo,
We often take ourselves and our blogging more seriously than we should. It’s not about teaching. It’s about making it easy to share information. 🙂