Yours truly! Ok, this post may not stand out hugely in a sea of fantastically etiquette titles, but one of the most frequent questions I’m often emailed, or asked is how to begin a blog. It’s both a big and small question with the obvious answer being ‘go to Blogger, WordPress or Tumblr’ and just do it- but with other points equally as important to note (especially if you’re thinking of making things a little more ‘serious’ too). But regardless, I thought I’d try and have everything in one place and hopefully inspire some of you on-the-fencers to maybe take the plunge and press publish too!
Platform. Social. Check.
Okay, so literally the first thing you’ll need to do is get a platform to write this bad boy from. There are so many incredible varied platforms out there now, so picking isn’t as tricky as it’s always been. Whether that’s Blogger, WordPress, SquareSpace or Tumblr- find the platform that suits you best and get cracking. When I started, Blogger seemed like the platform I found most easy to digest (being a coding novice too)- and was easy to customise (even if you’re keeping it super simple, or even digging out a fancy Etsy layout).
Stop observing, start writing
I genuinely think one of the reasons I had so much faith in my blog during its infancy was down to the fact I didn’t concern myself with what other people were doing. I read a handful of blogs I genuinely loved (none of which at this point were full time, or even using DSLR’s) and just got on with my own thing. I knew the content I liked, which meant I was able to seek inspiration from that unto my own- but I never even worried about where they were up to in comparison to me, because at the time (and still to this day) it wasn’t, and shouldn’t really be relevant.
Find your jam
When I begun my blog I was at sixth form, barely out at weekends (unless it was for my Topshop Sunday shift), obsessing over finishing my A-Levels and still found things to write about. You don’t have to be on a white sanded desert island to produce amazing content- but being able to find something you love talking about is the best place to start (be it charity shopping, books or gardening etc etc). One of the things that got me started (aside from music and photography) was a love of Nylon Magazine. I adored (and still adore) their content, mix of illustrations, photography, lifestyle, fashion and music content- and wanted something of my own to channel those things from too. I fingered through endless magazines for ideas, and still find that an amazing way of getting inspiration when the sea of blogging becomes a bit big and deep…
Don’t worry about what you don’t have
Although these things are lovely (and who wouldn’t want them), you don’t need an Olympus PEN, swanky DSLR, Chloe bag and clean backdrop to nail this blogging thing. Just a keyboard, something to say and a wifi connection, I promise. Everyone is different, and whilst all of the above are great, not having them won’t make you a less successful blogger. The same goes for latest launches, new clothes and sweet-ass backdrops. Again, although some of my favourite blogs have those things- a lot of my other favourite blogs don’t. For every girl I love writing about designer fashion, I have a complete must-follow who solely wears second hand. Everything in relation.
Just do it
One of my friends once told me, ‘if you don’t start something, you can never improve’- and I’m pretty sure that is something that has stuck with me ever since and motivated to improve, start and keep on doing what I love. Remember that everyone is at different stages of their lives, and it’s never late to give something a go, no matter how daft, ridiculous or unimportant it seems. Just give it a go, and see what happens!
x
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