How Blogging Can Help You Get Better at What You Love

Over the course of my life, I have embraced a number of hobbies: video games, collecting baseball cards, arts and crafts, badminton, and casual but soulful singing, to name a few.

None of those activities, however, brought me as much satisfaction as blogging. It has broadened my horizons and helped me get better at what I love most: writing.

There are many articles on why blogging is good for business, marketing or making money, but the most essential benefit is a personal one. Blogging challenges and improves YOU, both as a person and as a writer.

The Infamous Glorification

When the concept of blogging first emerged, becoming a professional writer in glorified online journals to make money wasn’t the goal.

The blogging community has significantly evolved as people write, not for one, but many different reasons. There is a wide range of niches available to choose from – business, fashion, food, lifestyle, entertainment and many more.

Here are my top reasons why blogging can benefit your personal and professional life.

1. Reaching out and building a platform

Your own online platform is your ability to reach people independently. For instance, if you’re planning to approach notable editors or literary agents with your manuscripts, a blog with a several hundred or even several thousand readers can increase your chances of being accepted.

Posts on freelancing and editorial services are more likely to get you an audience that will hire you. Blogging is also a great way for writers to give readers a teaser of the type of content they should expect from your novel or e-book.

2. Getting into the habit of writing regularly

If you have serious writing ambitions, blogging is a great way to start. Blog posts tend to be short yet impactful if written with focus. It is easier to write daily on your blog than to keep hammering stories and articles that might not get published for months or years, if at all.

3. Expressing your passion through words

The landscape might have changed, but there are still countless blogs that provide writers an opportunity to voice their thoughts and feelings. Whether your passion is business, politics, personal finance, photography, marketing, cooking or writing itself, blogging serves as a platform to connect with likeminded individuals who share the same passion.

4. Having an audience for your work is an amazing feeling

There are days when you are just not ‘in the mood’ to write. You stare at the screen for ages before giving up in frustration. When you are motivated, though, words and ideas come pouring out of your mind. On days when you’re feeling little less than inspired, the thought of real readers going through what you write is a huge motivator – something you can only appreciate once you experience it – and can get you through writing.

5. Getting feedback

I have to admit that there is nothing more gratifying than getting a ‘good job!’ or ‘amazing read!’ on your work from the people who matter most – the readers. Like most writers, you should look forward to feedback. Receiving a nice, unexpected compliment from your literary audience can truly make your day.

6. You can even make money

Yes, it is possible to monetize your blog. People can earn an entire living just by maintaining an online diary. If you’re planning to run a company blog, time is money and content is king – you will require a content calendar. It takes time, but once you have enough readers, you will start making a small, passive income. This will potentially increase with more web traffic, as time goes on.

7. Great medium for experimentation

Sometimes, you might want to try out a new style or form of writing; for example, short sentences with no verbs, bullet pointed lists or a more verbose, poised and elegant formation of words, using the cadences of the English Language to transform a piece of honest writing into a work of art.

Writing a whole story, article or book would be a risk under new stylisation, but a blog post is a safe space for experimenting. Even if it fails, you haven’t lost much. Blogging gives you the freedom to experiment and try out something new.

8. Making the world a better place

Having an unabridged blog means having a voice. You can freely spread out all the things you like or dislike – a motion that will help you change the world in its entirety.

You have probably seen some blog posts or videos that have gone viral over the years on Twitter or Facebook. Once that happens, the owners/writers get a lot of attention. If done correctly, a similar action can mean your blog post has the power to change things for the better.

Takeaways

Blogging can help you discover more confidence in your life. Just remember that you don’t need a blog only as a means to earn extra money or gathering a huge fan following. You don’t have to change the internet and its audience either. Sometimes, creating a distinctive online platform with the aim of getting better in your skills or spending time doing what you love is reason enough.