5 Easy Steps to Write a Blog Post

Step 1: Planning

Between the first thought of a blog post idea and clicking "Publish," you might spend days or even a week "writing" it. But it's important to plan your post and even think about it (yes, bloggers can feel while they work). In the long run, doing your homework will save you time and help you form good writing habits.

NOTE: Many people have trouble writing openings. Putting off writing the opening is a good idea. Don't worry about the Introduction of the blog post yet; start writing the content.

Step 2: Write a Headline

You can write the headlines for your blog posts in two main ways. You could choose your final headline before you start writing the rest of your post and use it to organise your plan. Alternatively, you could start writing your post with a working title and see what fits when you're done.

In terms of my approach, I don't stick to one way or the other. I will sometimes write a strong headline right away and stick to it, but other posts will need a lot more work. Some people say that clickbait headlines on sites like Upworthy ruined internet writing, but the process behind them is good because it makes you think about your post and how to get people's attention.

Step 3: Draft your Post

Now that you've done your study and chosen a headline (or at least a working title), it's time to write your blog post.

Just like with titles, there are two main ways to write a blog post. There isn't a right or wrong answer here; do what feels right to you.

But I think you should get as much done as you can in one sitting. Not only does this help you stay on topic, but it also cuts down on the chance that you'll forget important details and speeds up the process.

You should try to get as much writing done in short bursts as possible, even if that's how you work best. When you go back to a draft more than once, it's easy to want to add a few words here and there, and before you know it, you've completely changed the subject. Get as much done as you can in one sitting, even if you'd rather write a blog post over three or four rounds.

Writing is one of those skills that gets easier and easier the more you do it. When you first start, writing a post might take a week or more. But after a while, you'll be able to knock out great posts in hours. You have to put in the time at the coalface when it comes to writing. There are no "hacks" or shortcuts.

Step 4: Add Image Effectively

It's important to break up the text in your blog posts, and pictures are a great way to do that. Many people read blog posts quickly rather than carefully reading every word. Adding pictures to your post will make it seem less scary and more interesting to look at.

Images Make Great Visual Punchlines

Everyone likes a good laugh, and the right picture can help lighten up your posts and add much-needed humour to something. It can work especially well if you're writing about a dry or plain boring subject.

Step 5: Edit your Blog Post

First, make sure you use more than just a word checker on your blog post. Run it through a language checker like Grammarly to fix any mistakes that make sense.

But that's not the end of it. A lot of people think that editing means crossing out lines that don't make sense or changing grammar mistakes. Grammar and sentence structure are important, but editing is also about seeing the whole piece and being ready to give up words (and the hours it took to write them) to make it flow better.

Read Your Post Aloud to Check the Flow

I've learned this trick from writing groups. If a piece sounds awkward when read out loud, it probably will sound uncomfortable to the person reading it. Even though it may seem strange, you should read your post out loud to look for wordy blocks or made-up lines.

Keep Sentences Short and Paragraphs Shorter

Huge walls of text are the fastest way to scare or anger a reader. A lot of new writers make this mistake, and I see it far too often in a lot of digital pieces.

It's best to keep sentences short. They are easier for people to read, which helps you. Going off on tangents is also less likely when words are more concise. For instance, I recently read an opinion piece in Wired that had a line with no less than seven dependent clauses, which is an editing mistake of almost unthinkable size.