June 13 was an anniversary of sorts for me. It was on that date last year when I began this blog.
This is not so much a pat on the back as it is a reflection on lessons learned. There’s a difference between writing a blog article and being responsible for the whole thing.
For this entry, I thought I’d share some lessons learned in one year of blogging.
1. Know what you’re trying to do.
I’ve often thought of my blog as a two-headed monster. My Tuesday articles focuses on writing and publishing topics. I hope to provide quick, actionable tips that help you meet your writing goals.
Meanwhile, my Texana Thursday blog focuses on Texas folklore and history, which have long been interests of mine. I hope to provide interesting stories about the Lone Star State, its people, and its history.
It’s important to know what you’re trying to do. One of my mentors, the late Dan Poynter, said nonfiction writers should focus on only a couple of topics so they might better distinguish themselves. His topics were cats, self-publishing, and skydiving. For this blog I’ve tried to follow his advice, and focus essentially on three topics: writing, publishing, and Texana.
2. Having a schedule helps.
I’ve written elsewhere about the importance of an editorial calendar. Basically, it’s about planning your work and working your plan.
3. Prompts are everywhere.
Many web sites have blog prompts in which you simply fill in the blanks. For example:
- ___ steps to successful ___.
- The ___ things about ___ that they don’t tell you.
- All you want to know about ___.
Using prompts such as these for your topic can be a good start.
News stories make for excellent prompts. Some months ago, a portrait of a long-forgotten Texas governor, Fletcher Stockdale, was removed from its spot in the state Capitol rotunda and tossed to the ground—several stories down.
It made for an easy blog article. Who was Stockdale? He served only briefly; his job was to hold things down until the governor appointed to supervise the Reconstruction efforts arrived in Austin to take office.
Use today’s headlines to guide what you have to say about your topic.
4. Trust yourself.
All of us have told ourselves that we’re not creative, that we have nothing to say. Nonsense.
Suppose you’re writing about peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. What do you think your readers might like to know? Write about that. For example:
- What kind of bread is best for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? White, wheat, or is there another type?
- People often think of peanut butter as smooth and creamy, but some brands also have crunchy peanut butter. Which one is better, and why?
- Grape jelly often comes to mind as the jelly of choice, but are there other jellies that might be even better. Talk about them.
- I’m one of those who prefer a glass of milk with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Others might prefer water, tea, a soft drink, or something else. What’s your preference, and why?
- And, of course, you could give reasons why another type of sandwich is better tasting, easier to make, more nutritious, or whatever it might be, than a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
5. Don’t be afraid to get personal.
We all learn from experience. We can all learn from other’s experiences, as well. A “lessons learned” article can provide perspectives that textbooks cannot.
These are some of the lessons I learned this past year, and I’m sure there are more to be learned. Onward and upward.
