How To Write A Blog Post

What a hot week it’s been! Amid the thunderstorms, heatwaves and constant humidity, I’ve had no idea what to do with myself.

I guess that’s just English summer weather for you. Eccentric at the best of times.

I’m writing this post whilst writing bits of my new story “Never Fall For The Bad Boy” (hopefully premiering in August on Inkitt when I’ve got the structure right). It’s been a wet afternoon so I can’t go outside, but that’s been very productive for my writing. I’ve written about six scenes!

Overall, it’s been a productive week. I’ve organised collabs, done a LOT of writing, met up with friends, spent time with family, been out to take photographs and even managed to squeeze in feeding some baby partridges – it’s a long story.

And, of course, (if you follow me on Instagram @roxyelle01, you will know) I filmed my first ever music video! Yes, you read correctly. It’s not just me singing into a microphone for once!

Although, a slight disclaimer, before you start thinking I’m coming out with some next level video:

a) I directed and shot it myself because I have no one else to help

b) The set is my garden because I had nowhere else to go

c)I still had to record the voice track on my laptop and it is unedited

I love the joys of running a YouTube channel off your laptop :)

Anyway, today’s post is something that people have requested from me and asked me questions about for ages: how to write a blog post.

Now, as I’ve been doing this every week for nearly two years now (crazy I know), I feel like I’ve just about got the hang of what I’m doing.

But I’m still no expert. I rely completely and utterly on your feedback to help me shape and plan my posts.

Nonetheless, you guys seem to think I know what I’m doing, so I thought I’d try and give you some of my tips to write blog posts.

1) First things first, the key thing to remember is that blogging is different for everyone. What works for me may not work for you. I have my method, and as you go along you will develop your own too.

2) Blogging is all about self-expression. Writing is supposed to be the best way to express yourself, particularly when it’s not easy to vocalise in your current situation. So express it. Whatever emotions you’re struggling with. Whatever situations you’re trying to deal with. Get it out in the open and I promise it will feel better.

3) The thing I read about in nearly every training I’ve ever read on blogging is that you’ve got to pick your niche before you start.

I don’t have a niche, and I’ve managed just fine, so if you’re indecisive like me, decide not to decide is my best piece of advice for you. Talk about a broad range of subjects, and you’ll discover not only what you like to write about, but also what your readers like to read.

4) When you sit down to write your post, don’t force it. By this I mean, wait for the flow to come. Any writer will tell you that the day you plan to write is the day that you can’t. It’s just how it is.

Give yourself time to express yourself. As I said before, blogging is fundamentally about expressing yourself. And you can’t rush expression. If it’s not coming straight away, go do something else for a half hour and then come back.

And if you’re really struggling, perhaps it’s the wrong thing. Try another topic and see if that flows better. You could try the original topic again another time.

5) When I write a blog post, I usually start with a little personal bit to help me get into the flow. I write about my week or something that’s on my mind; I find it helps relax me before I get into the real post.

6) Have an idea of how long you want your post to be. It is VERY easy to go off on tangents, so you want to have a vague idea of how much you’re going to write. It will help you plan your train of thought as you go through the post.

For me, my post length is usually between 2 and 3 A4 pages on Word. Sometimes it’s longer and sometimes it’s shorter, but at least I have a vague target if you will.

7) BE YOURSELF. I read a lot of blogs, and there are quite a lot of them that all sound the same. Now, I suppose all these people could legitimately have the same interests, but I doubt it. Don’t write about something you think you should be writing about. Write about what you like.

I’m an individual and I’m proud. Some people may not like my style, and they can go read someone else’s blog who is more suited to them. But I will not change myself or what I believe in to please anyone else.

Never forget that your blog is ultimately about YOU. Nothing else matters.

8) Don’t be afraid of blogger’s block. It is ok and it happens to everyone. Sometimes, you have ideas coming out of your ears. There are so many ideas in your head you have no idea how you’ll factor them all in.  

And then there are other times where you couldn’t come up with something new, fresh and original to save your life.

But don’t, for goodness sake, let the fear of blogger’s block stop you from starting a blog. Trust me; it isn’t that bad and it passes.

9) Following on from the last point, if you are suffering from blogger’s block, scope around on different blogs for inspiration. Don’t feel bad about taking ideas from other people; as long as you give credit to the people you pinch from, it’s ok in the internet community.

And remember that inspiration strikes at all times, so be prepared for that idea when it comes. I promise you it will.

10) And finally, plan. People always ask me how I managed to balance blogging and school. It’s not easy, I won’t lie to you and tell you that it is. But, if you think ahead it is not only possible, but rewarding.

I tend to think about my posts in a month range. I plan four weeks of posts, and then when I’ve come to the end of that block, I plan my posts again. (It becomes more of a planning meeting with me because I have several medias to plan, such as YouTube, Instagram, Inkitt and the blog, but you get the idea)

So, think to yourself: four weeks, four topics. What should I plan to write about?

You can be as detailed as you like with these plans. I tend to stick to blog titles and work from there, but you can write bullet points, or even a sample paragraph if that would help. Try whatever works.

Ok, so I hope this post was helpful to any of you who are wanting to start a blog. I tried to be as broad and comprehensive as possible, but if I missed anything or you’d like to ask me another question, don’t hesitate to comment on this post or DM me on Instagram for a chat. I’m happy to help with whatever you need.

So, I guess the last thing for me to say is good luck.

Have a great weekend, whether you’re starting a blog site or not :) , and make sure to check out my video when it’s posted tomorrow. I’m so excited for you all to see it!