5 THINGS I WISH I KNEW BEFORE I STARTED BLOGGING

The blogger world definitely has it’s perks. But have you ever found yourself wondering what being a blogger is really like? You know, the good, the bad and the ugly.

I’m sure that at times, from a reader’s perspective it seems like all blogger’s lives are filled with glitz and glam. But I promise it’s not always like that. Sometimes, like in any other job things get tricky and annoying. Plus, it’s not always a joy to sit and be forced to blog your heart out. Here are a 5 things I wish I knew before I started blogging.

1. People always know your business.
   I guess these days with the overuse of social media people know your business anyway (well, at least if you’re on it), but if you happen to be a blogger there’s an expectation to constantly be posting. Like once a day, everyday. Seriously! I can’t say that I abide by that rule, though at times I wish I did. Don’t get me wrong, I’m kind of a social media junkie, just ask any of my friends. Better yet, ask my husband. But I don’t always want people to know what I’m doing. What if I have nothing exciting to share?
2. Your mailbox is never empty.
   On any given day you get hundreds of emails literally hundreds. About a quarter of them are worthwhile and the rest are either junk or people making random story pitches. Yes, it is nice getting goodies in the mail and yes, I love me a good brunch meeting. But sometimes I literally get lost in the abyss of just responding to e-mails, before you know it your days is almost over and all you’ve done is check/respond emails. Anyone else feel my pain?
3. Writer’s block is real.
   I was always the kid that preferred writing a paper instead of filling out a scan-tron sheet. There’s just something so peaceful and soothing that takes place when you sit and write your thoughts down. But what if you have no thoughts? Better yet, what if you’re having a crappy day, or you’re just too sick to even get out of bed. I know the feeling all too well and it certainly isn’t fun. I’d say that writer’s block is a bloggers worst enemy. You just sit there, staring at a screen. You know you have to fulfill deadlines but you just stare aimlessly in hopes of a miracle. How do you beat it? I’ve found that it helps to have additional contributors/authors and to write posts ahead of time.
4. At some point or another someone will steal your photos and/or identity.
   Though the internet is used as a public search engine, it doesn’t mean that any and all pictures you find on Google are free reign. Hopefully, we all know by now that using other people’s images and not giving credit is illegal. So what gives people the idea that stealing images from bloggers is okay? Better yet, why would someone go as far as creating a fake account and have the audacity to use your personal name and images? So rude! What can you do if this happens to you? Report, report, report! For the most part social media outlets are pretty good about helping you handle the situation, but be ready to give proof of identity and/or business legal names. How can you prevent this? Watermarking your images is one way, but again there are ways to get around watermarks. So, the choice is yours… Share with caution and just expect it to happen, or just get caught by surprise — like me.
5. Blogging requires a willingness to learn.
   The number one advice you’ll hear in the blogging industry is to blog about something that you’re passionate about. Though that advice is 100% accurate, I’d say that having a willingness to learn is just as important. You may not be passionate about photography, SEO or HTML, but I promise that mastering these skills will improve your outcome. To be a good blogger you also have to be versatile. A great blogger is also an editor, a copy-writer, a photographer, a social media expert and most of all a learner.

There you have it, the blogging world unrated. So get ready, turn on your computer and blog your heart out. I promise it’s all worth it in the end.

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