So I Wrote 100 Blog Posts. Would I recommend blogging?

Dark Blue Journal passed its first birthday end of last month! I’m happy to say that including this one, I’d have written 100 blog posts. It’s a small number to some but not to me! After some calculation, I can safely say that blogging is enough work to be a full-time job.

So, would I recommend blogging? Let me build my case.

I made $0 from the blog, but I’m still happy with it.

Yup, all the time put into writing, but I haven’t made a dime! I thought it’s nice to add this point in so fellow bloggers who haven’t made money from their blog can feel a sense of camaraderie. If you’ve made a bunch of money blogging, congratulations!

So, why am I still happy about it? Firstly, money was not the primary reason I started the blog. Wanting to improve my writing was.

My blog posts usually exceed 1,000 words. 100 posts would mean I wrote more than 100,000 words! That’s 100,000 words I didn’t have before! It means I’ve been practicing and putting time and effort into this craft. There’s a sense of achievement no job has ever given me.

Besides, I’ve always wanted a little website of my own, I just never found the motivation for it. Starting a blog isn’t an easy job. There’s a lot to learn, design and write at the start. I’m happy that I have a blog with stuff in it now. It’s like a little home for my words on the internet.

By the 100th post, you may find your “niche”

I once read that you’ll have a better idea of what you want to write after writing 100 posts. I was about to disagree, then I realized that I do have the answer. It was rolling around in my head, but I was hesitant to pick it up because I know it’s a pain to pull it off and I’m new to the craft with no formal training in writing.

I wasn’t entirely sure what the blog would be about at the beginning. Scrolling through the first few posts, it’s clear how I was experimenting with different topics. Gradually, my posts got more focused. If there’s one thing I hope to do more of – it’s writing useful fact-based posts that’s easy to read and doesn’t put people to sleep.

As difficult as it is, I enjoy writing environment-related posts that require a fair amount of research and put forth important information in an easily digestible format to the world. In the process of writing fact-based posts, I learn something, and after publishing them, they have the potential of providing value to readers. What’s not to love?

Apart from nerdy fact-based posts, I also enjoy sharing a part of my mind with the world if I feel that it’s helpful for others. I mean, ultimately, most writers write to express their thoughts, don’t they?

Whatever your motivation is, if you’re feeling lost, writing a hundred posts can help you understand yourself and what’s important in your life better.

Putting a post together is difficult but it teaches you how to present a topic

I’m accepting that putting a post together will always be difficult, but I shouldn’t complain, because I have Google!

I have a renewed admiration for journalists these days. It’s definitely a difficult job. They have to research, contact and approach strangers to ask questions, then write an article in a coherent manner that tells you the story objectively but doesn’t put you to sleep.

Have you ever read a Rolling Stone article? Punchy, straight to the point, conversant and so freaking entertaining. You learn something without knowing you’re learning it. There’s a rockstar quality to their articles. That’s the type of voice I wish I could write with – definitely aiming for the freaking stars here. My personality alone is enough to tell me “nope”. But maybe I can be a nerd-star.

What I’ve been doing with some of the posts here (and I believe many bloggers do this) is research what’s available online and tell the stories that I think need to be repeated. And even then it’s not easy for me.

To write an article, I need to read a dozen other articles. With the internet being how it is, cross-checking is super important! I also make sure the sites I visit are reputable. If they’re lesser-known, I cross-check their information with other websites.

Between juggling the facts in my head and constantly forgetting which fact I’ve checked, writing an article is pretty time-consuming. When I’m done with it, I’m almost always surprised. There’s always something that needs to be improved, but the process is satisfying.

Maybe you’re reviewing books, or putting together a guide to blogging, or talking about women’s rights, the process of writing a post isn’t always easy, but the results are usually worth it. If it’s not, you can be sure that you’re learning how to present a case.

Running a blog as a hobby teaches you basics about running a business

I don’t see the blog as a business – that’s probably why I’m not making money. Despite that, running a blog still taught me some basic things about running a business. It’s a huge and unexpected perk!

Firstly, you need these two things – consistent effort and patience because things will be slow at the beginning. Things started to improve when I became more active on Twitter and publish regularly.

I still don’t know how I stuck to two posts a week for the past 7 months – it’s nothing short of a miracle. But I did, and it’s starting to show in the numbers, which aren’t impressive but show an improvement. If I don’t keep it up, I’ll lose the progress. Consistent effort is important. Wish me luck!

Secondly, you need products. In a blog, these are the posts, affiliate marketing, product reviews, etc. I suck at this but knowing how to title your posts makes a huge difference in selling them too. Of course, you can use your blog to sell your products or services too.

Thirdly, you need to learn the tricks of the trade – SEO optimization, marketing, networking, using social media to your advantage. These things bring exposure to your business. If you’re making money, you’ll need to learn about accounting and tax filing eventually.

Fortunately, a blog doesn’t take much money to run. If this is a business, I’ve been in the red for a year, but that’s just $140.15 (Web hosting for 3 years + domain name registration for 2 years). As hobbies go, it is reasonable! As a business, it’s a steal.

Running a business with a shop front, physical products or services is definitely more complex and riskier than running a blog. So, if you want to learn to run a business but don’t have a product or a lot of money, a blog could be a great way to learn the ropes. If nothing else, it teaches you what type of attitude you absolutely need.

It made putting my stuff out there easier

I remember the first time I shared my blog on my facebook and invited friends and family to join my facebook group. I freaked out! Thinking back, it’s all so amusing, but I know why I felt that way.

It’s uncomfortable to put a part of yourself out there for a variety of reasons, especially when writing usually involves a fair bit of opinions. Whether you’re shy, an introvert, a perfectionist, or just afraid of failing, putting your work out there can be really daunting. The “cancel” culture definitely doesn’t help.

That’s where publishing 100 posts come in handy. I don’t freak out anymore.

Seeing my work and its varying quality taught me to accept my abilities. Before blogging, part of me is scared of seeing how bad my work can be – then I’ll be proving to myself that I can’t write, you know? These days, I’m not as bothered by them. I learned to not place so much importance on judgment but on the improvement of the craft. This post wasn’t so well written, that’s okay, I’ll work harder on the next one.

I’m still careful about what I put out, but I also realized that people are kind for the most part and not as eager to pounce on my inadequacies as I am.

If you’re a writer and you’re struggling with publishing your work, a blog is a great way to tame your anxieties! It’s the perfect balance between exposure and privacy. And honestly, most people are kinder than we are toward our work.

Even if you’re not a writer and don’t want to be, blogging helps you to feel less self-conscious about making your thoughts known. I think there’s something freeing in that.

So, would I recommend blogging?

For people who already enjoy writing, it’s a resounding yes! Blogging didn’t just help me improve my writing skills, it also taught me the points I discussed above. If you find those points discussed to be worthy life-skills, you’ll find blogging a worthy endeavor. And it won’t necessarily take 100 blog posts to get there.

Whether you’re in it to make money or not, blogging is valuable in helping you to learn:

• how to express yourself better
• where your interests lie
• how to present a case
• the basics of running a business
• to be more accepting of your abilities
• that there’re nice people around

How much further will I take this blog? I have no idea, but I have no regrets, that’s for sure.

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So, what do you think? Do you have a blog? Would you recommend blogging? Leave a comment! If you’ve enjoyed this post, you may want to check out 7 things I learned as a beginner blogger too.

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