Writing blog content is one of the most challenging issues many bloggers face. It is usually fun, but not all times.
And when you have to create content in and out for your blog, newsletter, article marketing, guest blogging etc. blog content creation can become a tedious task.
I often get asked: How do you start writing a blog post, Jane?
And here is my answer to this question.
In this post I explain exactly how I start writing a blog post.
I’m diving right in.
Fix yourself on the topic
Fixing yourself on the topic means getting hold of it in your head, in the first place.
If you do not have a “feel” for the topic, you cannot even start to put a word on your screen. It just won’t happen.
Make sure you understand the topic first. If the topic is too complicated for you, you should start doing some research.
Spend some time in reading about what others have written on the topic.
If, after some research, you feel confident about writing on that topic, yes you can proceed. If not, please do not force yourself to write on the topic.
It won’t work. It will bring up an awful post for sure.
Since you’re writing about the topic, it is *very* important that you have enough understanding about the subject.
This could be a no-brainer; but many bloggers believe that they can write on any topic if they just do a bit of research.
Second, a mere understanding is not enough.
You have to be able to come up with your own angle, your own ideas and your own strategies for the topic matter.
Simply reading a bunch of other blog posts and rewriting them won’t cut it.
You will just be producing rehashed content which is generously available on the internet and nobody is interested in that kind of content.
Do your research
In continuation with what I just talked about, doing your own research on any topic is kinda mandatory before you start writing a serious blog post.
You might know the “complete” solution to a particular problem. But it is still good to do a bit of research to see what others have discussed.
There could be overlaps between your tips/solutions and theirs; that’s fine.
But doing your research will help you first of all know what’s already been talked about and what’s missing, what could be improved and so on.
Outline the main points
I never start writing a post without an outline. Whenever I get a post title in my head and whenever I record it, I immediately do an outline.
Even if I am not able to draft a perfect or a finalized outline, I simply put the ideas as bullet points.
Starting a post with the outline already in place makes it MUCH easier to fill up the blocks and finish the post.
Not just that, you can easily tackle the BIG task of writing a whole blog post by breaking it into chunks where you write one sub-heading (one item of your outline) at a time.
Later on, just make sure to proof read the post at least twice or more to confirm if the post flows smoothly between the different sub-heads.
Find out the severeness of the problem and come up with your solutions/insights
When you have your own solutions for a particular problem, it is MUCH easier to start writing a blog post.
I don’t know about you but this is how I feel – I feel very confident in writing a blog post when I have my own solutions/insights at hand. It is a great feeling.
This confidence surely helps me break the ice and start writing a blog post without much hesitation.
Include applicable tips
Just wanted to give you a short note here – make sure the tips or the solutions you share are applicable.
If you are writing a theory-based post or providing an insight, it is fine as long as you throw in at least a couple of applicable takeaways in the post.
That’s how you’ll be able to make your readers feel warm and as well generate traffic through your blog posts.
Opening
The introduction or the first few lines of the post are the most challenging to start with. Some bloggers write the introduction at the end.
But I prefer to write it in the beginning as I start the post – I’m not saying this is the best strategy, but this works for me.
If you’re like me, you probably know that the hardest part in “starting” a blog post is writing the intro or the opening.
Here are some of the ways in which you could open your post:
- mention the severeness of the problem
- start with a promise – tell your readers what you are going to reveal exactly in the post
- start with a question (usually related to the severeness of the problem)
- start with a joke (use this at your own risk)
Ironically, write the opening in the end, if you find it really challenging. You don’t have to spend hours together starting at the blank screen after all.
How to start writing a blog post: Did I answer the question?
I hope so. If not let me know in the comments.
Writing blog content can be tedious if you do not have a content strategy in place.
So make sure you get super focused about your blog’s purpose and come up with a content creation strategy.
Once you have one in place, make use of these tips to start writing a blog post!
When I go to write my posts, I generally use the same kind of tactic that you do – get my initial research and things that I will reference (EG: Other posts, places I will reference, etc.), and then fill in my outline. The outlines of my post generally change very minimally – I keep them the same and let the thoughts roll.
Great post, keep up the great work.
Getting the research done initially helps a lot. Thanks for stopping by Joe!
wonderful article Jane
really helpful for bloggers to writing their blog posts
getting started is some thing very difficult for many bloggers
cheers
The best way to express your thinking is Blogging now-a- days. By the help of blogging we can put different subjects to think of to our friends and for others too. I gained a good points from this blog which I will keep in mind while writing my own blog.
Good luck with your writing Smith.
How much time it usually take you to write a decent article? This one for example? Even the most unknown topic to write takes me about 5-6 hours (including research, looking for key words, outlines and thinking the idea).. And is it like from by your side?
Evan yes an average post takes 5-6 hours for me. But usually it takes about 7 hours including multiple proof readings. I don’t do it all in one sitting though.
Wow great suggestion @Jane, I Am new in blogging and i want to good writer like you and pro blogger. And after about this topic. i got some useful and valuable information in this post thanks. i will follow 🙂
Readers appreciate if you could provide one or two applicable ways. And about ‘the opening part’…It’s a bit difficult for me if not everyone. Writing ‘the opening’ in the end is a good idea as it saves your time. Educative! Thanks, Jane.
Yes Achari, sometimes I do also write the opening in the end. Every post is a different experience 🙂
I used to write my introductions at the beginning, but I find it better for me when I just dive into the “meat” of the article.
I tend to make the intro too long and get less focused about the important part of the article.
Yet again, excellent article about writing content Jane 🙂
You’re welcome Sam. Yes sometimes I write the intro in the end, if it gets too challenging to get the words out. Writing the meat of the post is MUCH better than starring a blank screen 🙂
Hiii JaneSheeba I got great info here about how to write blog post, And this post definitely helpful for every new bloggers. Thanks
Hey Jane !
Nice tips. Although you have mentioned strong and important points over here.
But what should be the ideal time to write a blog post??
You are very true that if we give solutions by ourselves it makes us contented.
Thanks.
Matt
Matt, everyone is different. To me, mornings are perfect times but I can write almost anywhere, even if its noisy!
Jane in my view the best way to start writing post is writing down some key points first. Also I first search the Title of my post on Google and try to make sure that it is unique.
Yes Mohsin, outlining a post helps to get it completed really faster.
Hi Jane – this is a topical post.. I’ve literally added a post on how to be a great blogger and your post ties in well 🙂
For my, research is the most prudent factor when determening what to post about and how to start. The moment you find the topic which clicks, your natural creating habits will get you off the ground.
Kapil, love your approach for writing a blog post. Thanks for sharing it!
The best way to express your thinking is Blogging now-a- days. By the help of blogging we can put different subjects to think of to our friends and for others too. I gained a good points from this blog which I will keep in mind while writing my own blog.
Typos and spelling errors will send people away from your pages. Make sure you proofread everything you post to the Web
Wow great suggestion Jane, I Am new in blogging and i want to good writer like you and pro blogger. And after about this topic. i got some useful and valuable information in this post thanks. i will follow 🙂
Nice Article , Dear Jane. Same tactics I follow while making an article. However most of the times I don’t do keyword research. I write according to the taste of my readers . However that thing applies to some niches only.
Narender, doing keyword research will help you write on topics that are well searched which means if you are able to rank for that keyword you could get lots of search traffic. But it is also important that you write whatever suits your readers.
outlines and first line is always important as it will help users to read the article so i suggest that add the outlines or main point to headings.
thanks
Hello Jane!
Thanks, as always, for a great post. What you write in respect of blogging applies to practically every area of life in which we want to be successful. Being average (or worse below average) and not being committed nearly always leads to failure, not success. You are the best example of a person who does their best all the time (look at your blog, it’s perfect in each aspect) and who is committed (you can see that).
All the best,
Olga
Thanks SO much for the nice words Olga 🙂
Hi,
I Am new in blogging and i want to be a good content writer like you . And after about this topic. i got some useful details. Thanks.
Hi,
After reading your article it gave me to get inspired and continue on content writing. But I can’t hate myself because I love and like to write quality content and can inspired somebody.
Very well-explained tips Jane. Sometimes, writing a quality blog post becomes a pressure that we end up getting nowhere. Your step by step suggestions surely helps a lot.
Sarah, yup putting pressure on creating a post will lead to nowhere. And even worse, most of the times the outcome will be a terrible blog post.
Hey Jane,
Awesome post with great information. I really enjoyed the whole post while reading and I think this post will surely gonna help all the newbies. Writing a blog post is one of the toughest part but you explained it very well. Thanks for sharing this useful tips.
how to solve the problem when there is no inspiration to write this article?
thanks before 🙂
If you are obtaining a nice and powerful ghost rider, then there is no need to worry about.
Nice post
Hi!
You’ve explained a lot go useful tricks on writing blogposts. I think this would help me to write good quality blogposts for my blog. As a novice blogger, I always had problems about the intro of post. however your article helped me a lot. Thank you for writing such a great article.
Hello Jane! Thank you for your detailed and helpful post! I am trying to find enough confidence these days to approach a blog owner and write for him as a guest. The problem is I am a bit perfectionist and I don’t seem to find the perfect topic for my article. Your post was really helpful!
Dragos, you don’t need to publish perfect posts; useful posts are fine. Perfect is a relative word in my opinion. What’s perfect to you might not be perfect to someone else. So keep going!
This will always be the questions of first time bloggers. And this must be a constant practice of veterans as well. Thanks for the brillant piece. Thanks for sharing!
Apart from what you discussed above, I think one can also use the tools like google trends or twitter trends to get some ideas on what to write about. Thx for your tips.
Hey Jane,
A brilliant post!!! The very endeavor of writing a beautiful blog post is explained in this post in great flair. The crucial point in a post is its content and style. This post can be of much help to the bloggers who are new to the blogging arena. Thanks for the share.
I guess the most important part in writing a blog is thinking that it’s not JUST for your followers but it’s for yourself as well.
The wonderful thing about blogging is that you can write anything that you want. As a lover of travel and life, I am deeply rooted to writing about the events which happen in my life. There are many blessings that we can enjoy everyday, the important thing is to open your eyes wide enough just to see it.
This is quite the post. I’ve always wanted to know how do people start their posts. Looks like our styles are pretty much the same. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Jane, agree with your views. I think when we start writing a blog post, we should really think if that is something a reader would love to enjoy reading, and we should first ask ourselves if we would like to read this post as a reader. If we keep this in mind and also respect the other rules of blogging as you have stated, the post would definitely become a big wave.
Thanks
Blogging is never a easy task it requires a subject and a detailed study of positive and negative aspects of it ..If someone ask a query you are able to solve it
I’d also add “don’t even THINK about writing a post when you don’t have a solution to the problem.”
Solutions are what your readers come to your blog for and the main reason they’ll stick around.
Thanks for the link, my dear!
Well said Ana. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Hey Jane,
I would like to acknowledge your words infact thoughts by thanking you. Its a wonderful post. You have made some very note-worthy points to look upon. Your thinking is simple yet very effective. You have written something which is synchronizing every newbie’s psychology like me. The dilemma which you have kept is almost everyone’s dilemma. One more thing about your article is that “It has questions, along with answers”, which makes them more lively and trustworthy.
Thanks a lot for this.
Regards
Charmie
A well elaborate self explanatory post, I think research is the main thing in blogging as well anything you want to do, but many newbies ignore this thing and so got in trouble. I am here after a long time due to my busy schedule, hope now i will visit to the blog regularly
Hi,
Jane you have done a fabulous job, many new blogger start their know blog and they did not know how to write a professional blog post, if they read this post they will happy and take new tips about writing a new blog post. keep it up Jane.
Thank
Kamran
Finding yourself the correct niche and then keeping the focus on the right kind of content and the quality of content is the major task of blog writing. Thanks for sharing the effective guidelines.
This is a good breakdown about writing a post – I’ll be sharing it on Twitter. Personally, I rarely use an outline, though I know it’s quite common among bloggers. I find that as I start writing and getting ideas down, the organization for the post begins to present itself. I also agree with you that the level of comfort you have with the topic makes a huge difference!
Hi Jane,
Thank you for this great and very helpful post! I am new in blogging and I must say I had some difficulties writting my first posts, now I know the next one will be interesting and well articulated thanks to you!
Thanks again for sharing your tips with us 🙂
Jenny
I have good experience working on blogs but this is not first time I reached here. I know that tips you share here for blogging are useful but It is problematic for me to maintain outline.
Hi Jane
you are doing a great job, this has helped many blogger to start their own blog and they did not know how to write a good quality blog posts.
Hi
Jane,
It is always great to know how expert bloggers write their blog post like you do. You have provided great tips and it will surely help in creating compelling content for blog. I just read this post and learned something new.
Thanks for sharing.
Have a great day,
Praveen Verma