If 2020 gave us anything, it was time. Most of the things we usually spend our time doing, like meeting up with friends for coffee or dinner, going for drinks, or just ordering in, weren’t allowed for most of the year. Instead of spending our time doing something, we spent a lot of time looking for things to do. If there’s one thing that we learned from 2020, it’s that our time spent with others, the time we spend creating and sharing our stories, is precious.
Blogging is a phenomenal way of sharing your stories and 2021 is the perfect year for it. Blogging isn’t dead – it’s just been taking a nap.
1. The simplicity of it.
The barrier for entry into blogging is low. You don’t need a fancy camera or an expensive microphone. All you really need to get started with blogging is a computer connected to the internet. If you have that, and some will, you can start a blog.
2. You learn how to write for an audience.
Writing for yourself is great. Journalling is a great way to get things off your chest or work through your ideas. Writing for an audience forces you to flex a different muscle – there’s somebody else listening to you. When you’re writing for an audience, you’re writing with the intention of someone reading. This is a good skill to practice because it helps you think about how what you’re writing is going to be received.
3. Storytelling.
Storytelling is an essential part of human culture. Stories are what help us understand the world around us and how we fit in. They help us understand who we are. Stories make sense of the complexities of the world and help articulate the nuances in our experiences. Stories are what reflect our truest understanding of what life is about.
Learning how to tell stories well takes practice. Keeping a blog will help you focus in on your ideas and pick out the most interesting and relevant parts to keep your reader engaged while still conveying your message.
4. Reflection.
Blogging regularly will help you look at your life and the world around you in new and interesting ways. Things you hadn’t noticed before will become more interesting to you. The connections between different parts of your life and the things in it will start to reveal themselves.
5. Finding your voice.
Everybody has a story to tell. Nobody’s experience is the same as anybody else’s and that’s one of the great things about life. Being able to tell your story is one way to leave your mark on this world. Everything about you is unique and so is your expression of who you are. People are interested in who you are and what you have to say so share your story. Use your voice.
6. A captive audience.
The people who are reading your blog are there to read what you’ve written. They’ve taken the time out of their day specifically for you. They are interested in hearing what you have to say – well, reading what you have to write. They could have scrolled through an endless stream of tweets but they want to focus on your ideas and experiences. This is a fantastic feeling. Engage these people.
7. It’s a record of your story.
A little bit at a time, you’re writing your own autobiography. When you look back over your posts, you’ll be able to see where you came from. It’ll give you perspective on where you currently are. It’s an interesting way to keep a record of what’s going on in your world.
8. It makes you think.
Writing a blog isn’t easy. It requires some time and energy, but it’s well worth the effort. First, you have to come up with an idea – something to write about. Then, you have to type it up. If you don’t know something, or need a bit more information, you have to do some research. From there, you have to work with your writing to make sure that it captures all of your ideas, flows nicely, is engaging, and sends the right message. All of these things use brainpower. This is a good thing.
9. A Bonus: You get to share your world with the world.
If there’s nothing else compelling you to blog in 2021, carving out a little corner of the internet for yourself should be. From that space, you get to broadcast your experiences and thoughts, wrestle with your ideas, and impact others simply by sharing your stories.
You are an interesting person and people do want to know about you. Give them the chance to learn about who you are and learn from what you know. You’re a lot more interesting than you think you are. The world needs to hear what you have to say. Say it.
If you have something to add to this list, I’d love to hear it. I hope that you’re going to start, or continue, blogging in 2021. Leave a note about your blog in the comments below.
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