So You Want to Start a Blog: Answering a Reader Question

Blogging is supposed to be dead, you know. People don’t read blogs. It’s a waste of time to write blog posts when people want tweets. We read on phone, not computers, and therefore don’t want long-form reflection.

We all know that’s not true, don’t we? What circulated endlessly just last week, provoking laughter, cringing, some (gross) support, and Gospel responses? A blog post about what men prefer in women.

People still read blogs. Of course, the best way to get people to read your blog is to be controversial, to be relevant, to be already famous when you start one. But more than we need people who still read blogs, we need people who still write blogs.

You mentioned that there are already so many creative blogs. And you’re right, there are. I’m going to skip the answer that no one else is doing it your way (although it’s true), and move on to the fact that you can’t afford to miss what cultivating a good creative blog might do for you.

I don’t look for this blog to make me famous (again, controversy wins; my most popular post was about our current president before he was our current president and I don’t regularly blog about politics). I don’t look for this blog to win any awards. But I do look to writing to help me formulate and articulate a Biblical worldview. I do expect that writing this blog is going to refine my passions and sharpen my communication skills.

Having a blog is worth it for me. That’s enough reason, but it’s also a hard hit for the ego. Who wants to write a blog that you know might just be “worth it” for you when you could write a blog that makes your name known around the internet? Being known around the internet is not all it’s cracked up to be and this is all foundation work anyway. Do people read this blog? Yes, and I appreciate every single one of you. Do people listen to the podcast? Immensely more, and I appreciate every single one of you. But I write here with the intent of laying a foundation for something later.

(Exactly what? I have some vague dreams that I’m holding close right now.)

But since you don’t want to do it for the likes or to get rich, go for it.

That’s what I tell everyone about blogs or podcasts or books or coffeeshops- granted, a coffeeshop would be slightly more expensive. When there’s such a low cost of entry and you have something burning inside you, let it out. Forget that you don’t think you’re a good writer. Writing regularly will make you a better writer, and honestly, some of the best books I’ve ever read are books on writing. That’s your assignment to be a better writer: write and read.

So you don’t take good pictures. Hop on your Instagram account and start paying attention to what you like about other people’s pictures. You like shots of feet in ordinary places? Holding books against walls? Coffee cups in front of a favorite sweatshirt? Flowers that kids pick? Write down what you like and start taking those pictures. You will get better at taking pictures.

You don’t want to be vulnerable? Friend, I’m an enneagram 8. My worst fear is being vulnerable with people. I will break my leg, have a baby, suffer from deep emotional distress, you name it, and my main goal will be to NEVER show any emotional response to others. But I’m learning that vulnerability is a gift. You will offer it to some people and they will unwrap it and that gift will change them. They will make sharing worth the people who toss your gift in the trash- or worse, hold it up and mock it to others. You’ll learn your boundaries.

Start. Offer what you have. Have a flexible plan and adjust as you go. This will be such a great thing for your own growth. You might have no idea what you are fanning into flame.