Inspiration and Implementation: Blogging

I created a blog inspiration board on Pinterest. Out of all of the resources I pinned the 4 listed below have been the most useful in refining my blogging habit.

1. Inspirational Blogs

The first thing I did when I decided to start a blog was make a list of all the blogs I like and read on a regular basis. Interesting Thing of the Day has been the biggest inspiration to me, because the breadth of topics they cover really speaks to my varied interests. They write about anything that happens to catch their fancy. I don’t love every topic, but I have been a loyal reader for years. They post on a consistent basis which means I always have something interesting to look forward to on uneventful days.

Critically reviewing the blogs that I find inspiring allows me to reflect on the goals I have for my own blog. Now I am reading them for their entertainment value and for ideas to improve the quality of my posts.

2. First Site Guide

The “Start a Blog” section of First Site Guide is very well done. I was drawn to the site because of their fun animation, and stayed for their comprehensive videos. I watched all of the videos in the first week of starting this blog and was able to get all my ducks in a row before I started posting.

3. Resource Libraries

I have found some very thorough resource libraries that I have been putting to good use. It’s hard to know what you don’t know so having access to the A-Z guides has given me a broad overview of topics I am sure will come in handy.

4. Creative Nonfiction

You Can’t Make This Stuff Up: The Complete Guide to Writing Creative Nonfiction–from Memoir to Literary Journalism and Everything in Between by Lee Gutkind and the Creative Nonfiction magazine he founded have bee great resources for “true stories, well told.” I am trying to develop great content, but I also need to present it in a way that potential readers find compelling. I just started reading Gutkind’s book, but I can already tell it was a great choice!

The magazine is actually running an essay contest that might be a fun challenge for me. Building this habit is supposed to get me out of my comfort zone and I have never entered an essay contest before!

These resources have been extremely helpful in getting this blog off the ground. They have provided a great foundation for my blog and improved the content of my posts.

Do you have any great writing or blogging resources? Please share them in the comments below!