Writers gotta write

Should I start a blog?

It’s a question I get all the time. To my content team, the answer is always a resounding “YES!” If you are a writer, you should be writing! But is a blog always the answer?

Years ago, when I was trying to improve my writing in a hurry, I entered into a challenge with some coworkers to write every single day for a year. I think we lasted maybe 6 months. But, I continued writing long after that. I’m not talking about a journal entry, I’m talking about a published blog post. And most of the time, we read each other’s blogs. Even though, I only lasted a few months, I still think it helped me tremendously.

Here’s why:

1. Don’t worry, be crappy. Writing every day forced me to write when I really didn’t feel like it. A lot of times, the finished piece was crap, but I hit publish anyway because it was 10 p.m. and I was too tired to care. This helped me get over the fear of publishing. What if people read it? It’s not ready!
2. Accountability for quality. I realize this point seems like a contradiction to the first point, and it kind of is, but hear me out. When I published my post, I knew it had to be in some level of polished condition. Writing in a private journal doesn’t hold me to any level quality. I’ve written in journals and half that stuff isn’t even legible. Knowing that people would read my writing forced me to take it up a notch.
3. Practice. The entire reason we started the challenge. Writing on a regular basis helped me become a better writer. The more I wrote, the better I got. In fact, I started even telling stories in a writing format. Some people notice it, but I end my stories with a summary reference to the intro. And that, friends, is why I _____ in the first place. Full circle writing and speaking.

So there you have it. 

If you want to become a better writer very quickly, start a blog. If you have 2 followers for 10 years, WHO CARES!? Write the blog anyway. Write until you find your voice. Write until it’s easy to churn out 500 words in 20 minutes. Write until you start speaking like a writer. When you become a storyteller that sounds like a polished piece of writing, you know it’s working.

Pro Tip: The best way to stick to writing every day is to do the challenge with a friend. Print out a calendar and see how many days in a row you two can put a large X.

Ultra Pro Tip: If you can’t think of anything to write about, write about your day. Your blog does not have to be the New York Times (not yet anyway). Start an idea folder in your Notes App on your phone. Every time you think of a story idea, put it in there. If you keep this up, you will have an entire list of ideas in no time.

It’s January 4th. Time to start becoming a better writer. Start your challenge today! (Or Monday, if you’re a Monday goal starter).