Tips from the pros

When I started this blog and was trying to decide on a name, I googled various blogs and websites which shared the name.  One of them (based not too far from me) had the following advice which I have been trying to embrace (with thanks to Sarah from awaywithwords): 

1. Believe that you’re interesting
This has been the trickiest one for me.  The last three years have seen my confidence at it's lowest for a long, long time.  I didn't realise how much of my identity and self confidence was tied up with what I did for a living or more accurately the fact that I was in paid employment.  When I first moved here I chose not to work so I could settle the kids into life in a new country and starting a new crèche and school.  Once they were all set it became the case that there were no jobs available in my field so I was out of work but not by choice.  I have nothing but admiration for people who choose to stay at home with their children.  I have nothing but empathy for people who have that choice foisted upon them.  It can be the least fun, most tiring, under appreciated way to spend a day.  Of course there are plus sides too but it just wasn't for me.  Anyway, I digress.  I started blogging as a way to get my brain working again.  I started with a private blog for my family and friends, a nice soft audience if you will.  Then earlier this year I decided I was going to go public, a process I found very nerve wracking.  I channeled by inner 25 year old (the most confident age I can remember being, at 21 you think you know it all but you know nothing, at 23 you realise what an idiot you were at 21, by 25 you have things sussed), took a deep breath and hit post.  Most of the time I post whatever happens to come into my head.  Once you stop analysing everything and believe that you have a voice worth hearing it becomes much easier to write.

2. Be realistic
I had great intentions initially of posting every few days but then a week or two would go by with nothing and I would feel guilty.  So rather than adding another thing to my to do list and making the blog into a chore, I figured I would just post when the mood took me and if it didn't well sure what harm. 

3. Carry a notepad
I am a fan of notebooks as a rule so this was an easy suggestion to adopt.  Countless times ideas have popped into my head and I would think, oh I'll remember that and post it later.  Later would arrive only to find me blankly trying to recall what gem I had come up with earlier to no avail.  I keep one beside the bed as I often have random thoughts first thing in the morning while I am trying to psych myself up to get out of bed (it can take a while these frosty mornings).

4. It doesn’t have to be a novel
This is a really helpful tip, particularly when trying to get started.  Knowing that I can keep it short and sweet conversely seems to give the floodgates permission to open.

5. Love your blog
Once I chilled out about how regularly I posted, I started to enjoy the blog more.  When it became something I could do rather than something I felt I had to do, it became easier to commit time to it.

6. Share it
This was another hard one for me, tied up with the confidence thing I suppose but there's really not much point in having a public blog if no-one sees it.