Blogging can be a great pastime that can help you to refine your own thoughts on different subjects, connect to a wider community of individuals in a particular domain, and even launch a business venture.
Of course, one thing about blogs is that in order to really have an impact, they have to have real character, and must be as authentic as possible.
Here are just a few tips for creating a blog that has real character, that might help you on your journey as a blogger.
Blog about a topic that you are genuinely enthusiastic about, and interested in
First things first, in order for your blog to have a real character, you should only blog about things that you genuinely find interesting, and that you are enthusiastic about.
There are no “rules” about which topics should be included here. You could just as easily blog about the Telecom Industry as you could blog about your travel adventures. In either case, the key thing is that you should let your genuine enthusiasm for a topic guide your choice of what to write about, and you should let that enthusiasm shine through as much as possible, as well.
When people force themselves to blog about topics that they have no interest in, because they believe it will be a good move for the business, or for “building their brand,” the result is almost always stilted writing that everyone can see is missing that special “something.”
Discover your own authentic voice, and don’t be too “goal-oriented”
A major part of authenticity and character is discovering your own authentic voice as a writer – and this is something that can only really come about through experience, and through being relaxed and open enough to allow your true self to shine through.
If you are too “goal-oriented” with your writing – as in, if you are always looking to achieve a particular target with whatever it is you’re writing, whether that’s doubling your blog’s web traffic within a set period of time, or getting a certain number of social media engagements – you will naturally try to write in a utilitarian way that ticks certain boxes, but that doesn’t allow your authentic voice to develop or flourish.
Have some fun with the process, and don’t be afraid to mix things up a bit
Fundamentally, you should have fun with the blogging process, and you should always engage with your writing in the same spirit of play that kids carry with them more or less constantly.
Don’t be afraid to mix things up with your writing, either. If you’re inspired to write about a particular topic that doesn’t fit into the overall niche of your blog, go ahead and do it.
Many of the most engaging, lively, and character-laden blogs out there are that way, for the most part because the bloggers who run them are really having fun with the process of writing.