Comments on: How to Survive Your First Six Months of Blogging http://wordful.com/how-to-survive-your-first-six-months-of-blogging/ Content marketing, branding, entrepreneurship and writing Wed, 16 May 2012 09:14:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Byteful Traveller http://wordful.com/how-to-survive-your-first-six-months-of-blogging/comment-page-1/#comment-381 Byteful Traveller Fri, 03 Apr 2009 08:33:46 +0000 http://wordful.com/?p=908#comment-381 Samuel, your comment about releasing your best theories "too soon" reminds me of something Steve Pavlina said once. That, he gives away his best ideas for free, soon after they occur, because that pushes him to continue refining his ideas and developing new ones. You also mentioned that it frustrates you to see people who have less experience in your niche have more attention than you. I understand your frustration, but keep in mind that experience with a particular topic isn't the most important factor: the ability to communicate clearly and effectively is. But don't worry, the act of blogging is one of the best ways to improve your communication skills. Best of luck on your blogging journey, Sam! :) (btw, charles, you should look into getting the commentluv plugin. encourages participating/commenting even more.) Samuel, your comment about releasing your best theories “too soon” reminds me of something Steve Pavlina said once. That, he gives away his best ideas for free, soon after they occur, because that pushes him to continue refining his ideas and developing new ones.

You also mentioned that it frustrates you to see people who have less experience in your niche have more attention than you. I understand your frustration, but keep in mind that experience with a particular topic isn’t the most important factor: the ability to communicate clearly and effectively is.

But don’t worry, the act of blogging is one of the best ways to improve your communication skills. Best of luck on your blogging journey, Sam! :)

(btw, charles, you should look into getting the commentluv plugin. encourages participating/commenting even more.)

]]> By: damon http://wordful.com/how-to-survive-your-first-six-months-of-blogging/comment-page-1/#comment-380 damon Fri, 03 Apr 2009 07:56:42 +0000 http://wordful.com/?p=908#comment-380 I wish I would have found your blog much earlier then I did. I have learned so much in just the short time reading it. It's hard to edit... when you couldn't ever write or spell very good in the first place. It is embarrassing at times with my grammar and spelling, but I just live with my mistakes and correct them as I find them. If they could ever come out with a grammar checker that actually works well, I would be willing to pay money for the software. I wish I would have found your blog much earlier then I did.

I have learned so much in just the short time reading it.

It’s hard to edit… when you couldn’t ever write or spell very good in the first place.

It is embarrassing at times with my grammar and spelling, but I just live with my mistakes and correct them as I find them.

If they could ever come out with a grammar checker that actually works well, I would be willing to pay money for the software.

]]> By: Charles http://wordful.com/how-to-survive-your-first-six-months-of-blogging/comment-page-1/#comment-376 Charles Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:47:55 +0000 http://wordful.com/?p=908#comment-376 Hi Writer Dad -- your meteoric rise in 8 months is impressive. I hope to be at your level soon. Now that I'm past the 6 month barrier, I do actually feel a bit of momentum and it feels great. Yes, a great editor puts their readers first. Excellent point. Hi Writer Dad — your meteoric rise in 8 months is impressive. I hope to be at your level soon. Now that I’m past the 6 month barrier, I do actually feel a bit of momentum and it feels great.

Yes, a great editor puts their readers first. Excellent point.

]]> By: Charles http://wordful.com/how-to-survive-your-first-six-months-of-blogging/comment-page-1/#comment-375 Charles Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:45:58 +0000 http://wordful.com/?p=908#comment-375 Thanks for the kind words, Dan. Thanks for the kind words, Dan.

]]> By: Charles http://wordful.com/how-to-survive-your-first-six-months-of-blogging/comment-page-1/#comment-374 Charles Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:45:47 +0000 http://wordful.com/?p=908#comment-374 Yeah, content gluttony is a real killer. After reading so much, you get up to speed on where things are, then you don't to read as much because niche content tends to repeat itself (at least in saturated niches). Yeah, content gluttony is a real killer. After reading so much, you get up to speed on where things are, then you don’t to read as much because niche content tends to repeat itself (at least in saturated niches).

]]> By: Charles http://wordful.com/how-to-survive-your-first-six-months-of-blogging/comment-page-1/#comment-373 Charles Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:41:00 +0000 http://wordful.com/?p=908#comment-373 Hi Sally -- nice to hear you don't have problems with content production. It was a problem for me because I had to first define what I was doing. It's so necessary to read to and explore other blogs, especially when we start. That's part of the fun and inspiration. You nailed me on complementary -- I fixed it, thanks! Hi Sally — nice to hear you don’t have problems with content production. It was a problem for me because I had to first define what I was doing.

It’s so necessary to read to and explore other blogs, especially when we start. That’s part of the fun and inspiration.

You nailed me on complementary — I fixed it, thanks!

]]> By: Charles http://wordful.com/how-to-survive-your-first-six-months-of-blogging/comment-page-1/#comment-372 Charles Thu, 02 Apr 2009 21:54:13 +0000 http://wordful.com/?p=908#comment-372 Hi Sam -- you are a very conscientious blogger, and that's a huge advantage. Too many people dive into it recklessly and with the wrong intentions. Your question about releasing your good stuff all at once: I'd let it out gradually, but don't write just for the sake of your readers. When you're starting out blogging, part of the growth process is to first establish your ideas with yourself and you blog -- concentrate on forming your blogger identity and don't let others get you down. Just use that resistance to better yourself and your core ideas. As you gain readers, there are ways to direct them to your older posts (such as a featured post page, related posts plug-in, etc.). In fact if your older posts will be just as valuable as your new ones -- sometimes more -- because people will search for them or refer others to them. The bottom line -- only publish excellent content! Hi Sam — you are a very conscientious blogger, and that’s a huge advantage. Too many people dive into it recklessly and with the wrong intentions.

Your question about releasing your good stuff all at once: I’d let it out gradually, but don’t write just for the sake of your readers. When you’re starting out blogging, part of the growth process is to first establish your ideas with yourself and you blog — concentrate on forming your blogger identity and don’t let others get you down. Just use that resistance to better yourself and your core ideas.

As you gain readers, there are ways to direct them to your older posts (such as a featured post page, related posts plug-in, etc.). In fact if your older posts will be just as valuable as your new ones — sometimes more — because people will search for them or refer others to them.

The bottom line — only publish excellent content!

]]> By: Sally http://wordful.com/how-to-survive-your-first-six-months-of-blogging/comment-page-1/#comment-371 Sally Thu, 02 Apr 2009 21:19:40 +0000 http://wordful.com/?p=908#comment-371 I came across you on Yaro's blog in relation to your comments on Thesis. I have a blog of two weeks old and am so consumed with content production that I have not had time to think about design so was interested to see what you had done with your's . Looks great - very vibrant. I really appreciate your articulation of the 'consuming' 'action' ratio. Especially that you noticed it changing as you grew as a blogger. I intend to be disiplined but then find a new link to another great blog ( exactly as happened here ! ) and so on !! As part of combining the two I am now commenting more than I would have done before. So even if I am consuming I am writing at the same time by commenting ! PS - pls delete this if I am wrong ! but I think you and Brian Clark may be 'complementary' . To complement is to make complete . Whereas compliment is for free or to praise someone .... I think !!! I came across you on Yaro’s blog in relation to your comments on Thesis. I have a blog of two weeks old and am so consumed with content production that I have not had time to think about design so was interested to see what you had done with your’s . Looks great – very vibrant.

I really appreciate your articulation of the ‘consuming’ ‘action’ ratio. Especially that you noticed it changing as you grew as a blogger. I intend to be disiplined but then find a new link to another great blog ( exactly as happened here ! ) and so on !! As part of combining the two I am now commenting more than I would have done before. So even if I am consuming I am writing at the same time by commenting !

PS – pls delete this if I am wrong ! but I think you and Brian Clark may be ‘complementary’ . To complement is to make complete . Whereas compliment is for free or to praise someone …. I think !!!

]]> By: jan_geronimo http://wordful.com/how-to-survive-your-first-six-months-of-blogging/comment-page-1/#comment-369 jan_geronimo Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:03:48 +0000 http://wordful.com/?p=908#comment-369 Your reference to content gluttony got to me. I'm guilty of this. I can't get enough of reading the so-called elite bloggers. My feed reader is bursting with my subscription to blog experts. Of late, however, I'm cutting down on my subscription to meta-blogging sites, leaving only the most essential advice blogs out there. You're absolutely correct: balance is key. And what blogger in his right mind does not fall in love with copyblogger. I'm still enamored to this day. lol. Your reference to content gluttony got to me. I’m guilty of this. I can’t get enough of reading the so-called elite bloggers. My feed reader is bursting with my subscription to blog experts. Of late, however, I’m cutting down on my subscription to meta-blogging sites, leaving only the most essential advice blogs out there. You’re absolutely correct: balance is key.

And what blogger in his right mind does not fall in love with copyblogger. I’m still enamored to this day. lol.

]]> By: Writer Dad http://wordful.com/how-to-survive-your-first-six-months-of-blogging/comment-page-1/#comment-368 Writer Dad Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:35:52 +0000 http://wordful.com/?p=908#comment-368 Great post on passing the six month barrier. You have great advice. I'm only on you by two months, I started in August, but I agree with all you've said. Thinking of ourselves as editors first is another way to show respect for our readers. Great post on passing the six month barrier. You have great advice. I’m only on you by two months, I started in August, but I agree with all you’ve said. Thinking of ourselves as editors first is another way to show respect for our readers.

]]>