A couple of years ago I started a blog. And later tonight I attend an awards ceremony where my little blog has been short-listed for an award! I mean, how did that happen? Okay, so it’s a virtual ceremony via Zoom (fuck you Covid), but it’s still an awards ceremony. So I will be putting on some actual make-up and having a glass of Prosecco as I join the mass of little square faces on my laptop.
I started a blog, not because I thought I was any good at writing or knew when it was appropriate to use a semi-colon, but because I was passionate about interiors. My blogs are full of typos and grammatical errors and sentences that are non-sensical and way too long. But they are also full of practical help and advice that actually makes a difference to people. And that’s what people want. So don’t shy away from writing. If you can speak then you can write, just type your thoughts and you’ll have a blog.
So if you love house plants or Jesus, or baking or long-distance running, then blog about it. There is a community of people out there who want to hear from you.
Photo by Anete Lūsiņa on Unsplash
EIGHT GOOD REASONS TO START BLOGGING.
1. YOU GET TO BE YOU
When do you ever get to write in a style that’s just for you? Never. Well, unless you keep an old-school diary I suppose. But in most cases, whenever you write, it’s always with an audience in mind. Like the friendly email to your client, or the negative review on Trip Advisor, or the formal covering letter with your CV application, or your appeal to the bastard council to revoke your parking ticket. Every time you write you probably tailor your style to suit the audience. But the great thing about blogging is you never have to do this. You can just do you. And this is what I love most. When you blog you can use your own voice and don’t have to give a shit if people receive it well or not. If people don’t like it, they don’t have to read it. For me, it’s a weekly indulgence where I can just write like I’m whatsapping my best mate.
2. IT’S YOUR CREATIVE OUTLET
If you are passionate about something then you want to talk about it all the time. So unless you are lucky enough to live with someone equally enthusiastic, you are better off writing a blog than boring your husband to tears. Having the opportunity to speak out and engage with like-minded people is such a gift. A blog is the perfect platform to share your knowledge, ideas and excitement, whilst avoiding the massive eye-roll.
3. YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO PEOPLE
I will never, ever tire of the emails I get from strangers across the other side of the world (or down the road) telling me they have followed my advice and love the results. It kind of makes it all worth it, when you realise you have reached out to people and made a difference. Sure, some would say it’s self-indulgent to bask in the glow of feedback, but that person has got in touch for one reason, to thank you. So accept their thanks and feel proud you helped someone. I help people create more beautiful and practical homes. And you can help people with whatever you are passionate about, meditation, knitting, ice skating. Who cares? If you love it, blog about it and you could change someone’s life.
4. YOU’RE IN CONTROL
Blogging is different to social media platforms because you own the content you create. Insta, Facebook, Snapchat, Ticktok (I’m still not sure what that is), they are all great for the here and now but you’re really just renting space. Your posts and stories get lost in the ether. Plus your engagement is controlled by an algorithm. With a blog you’re the boss, you’re the homeowner and no one can take that away from you (well, apart from the mortgage company/website host).
5. IT’S THERE FOREVER
Kind of like the wise old professor who has a lifetime of work, papers and research stored in some dusty old archive, our blogs can exist on the web forever. Searchable and available for anyone to access at any time. Maybe our great-grandchildren will be able to read all our old blogs. No doubt SEO will have progressed a bit by then and we will be accessing the internet just by blinking. But your body of work will be there forever for you to update, add to and cringe at.
6. IT WILL EXPAND YOUR WORLD
When I used to work in the corporate world many years ago, I saw the same people every day in the office. I saw the same peers at every strategy meeting. And I saw the same drunk, inappropriate colleagues at every social. My world was tiny. Now I engage with people all over the world and we don’t talk net profit and percentage growth, we talk paint colours and lighting. It’s amazing. Of course, it doesn’t replace real-life friends (I do have a couple of those too). But if you put yourself out there you meet some really weird and wonderful people who are just like you.
7. YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE IT MAY LEAD
I’m only a few years into my blogging journey but already I have connected with an amazing community. And later tonight I will be in a (virtual) room with some of my absolute industry heroes who I have looked up to and been inspired by for years. It’s just as well it’s virtual, COVID has saved me the embarrassment of all the co-selfies I would have shamelessly asked for. I’m interested to see where and to whom my blog will lead. Start your blog journey now, who knows what could happen as a result?
8. IT COULD MAKE YOU MONEY
Yes, apparently you can actually make some money from blogging. But I’m not the person to ask about that. I assume you just need gazillions of subscribers then the advertisers will be knocking your door down to pay or gift you to feature their products. I wonder how long I could survive on an income of cushions? Anyway, there are plenty of blogs out there to tell you how to do that. I’m just happy knowing that I’m not just blogging to a brick wall after all!
So what do you love? What are you going to start blogging about?
And I must say a massive thank you to those of you who nominated and voted for me in the Amara blog awards. I’m gutted I don’t get to dress up and go to an actual party and meet everyone. But I’m also kind of pleased I can wear my PJ bottoms to the virtual ceremony and no one will ever know. I don’t have any chance of winning, my category is strong. But that also means I don’t have to prepare an acceptance speech, ha!
Thank you all for being here to chat sofas and rugs. It really does make me happy 🙂
Sarah x
