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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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!
Failure. It’s a word that often brings up feelings of disappointment, frustration, and sometimes even…
Being busy has become the new norm. Most of us are busy most of the…
Any year that goes by leaves us with abundance. It is the good, the bad,…
Deep down, you want to succeed at something. Be it your business, your workplace, in…
I woke up to a message from one of my very old connections on LinkedIn.…
Small, daily actions can lead to big changes over time. If you want to achieve…
View Comments
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
Excellent post Jane and absolutely worth implementing tips. Whenever I start writing a blog post, I make sure to find at least one primary keyword (because I always look for more search traffic) and also find relevant long tail keywords in order to optimize the blog posts without doing any keyword stuffing.
That being said, as you said, it all starts with the research. The more time you spend doing the research the more good ideas will come. Also make sure to find the top 10 pages on Google search for the topics you are going to cover. That way you’ll know what is missing and what are the key points that you can use within your own blog posts to make it 10x better.
I usually prefer writing longer blog posts (more than 2000 words) and optimize well for both readers and search engines. The key here to write long form of content is to do extensive research. It also has to do with your experience around the niche you are in.
If you’re already into marketing, running an online marketing niche blog becomes easier because you know what to say and what advice to give to your target audience. You’re rightly said about the introduction as it’s the first thing your audience will read.
If your intro is boring, no one will even skim through the post, let alone sharing or linking to your content. So make sure to use quotes or captivating lines in your intro to make your blog posts worth reading.
Thanks for sharing your tips Jane, keep up the great work!
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.