Bloggers often misrepresent blogging. Some proclaim blogging is just writing blog posts. Write a post. Publish a post. Blog. Do this simple thing for a long time. Go pro.
Fat chance.
I will give you a little idea of how blogging is many skills combined. Observe my guest posting gig on World Writer’s Hub. I landed the invite to guest post here because:
- I practiced my writing for years (developed writing skills)
- I published content to my blog for years (developing content creating skills)
- I networked generously in my niche (blogger outreach skills)
Each skill demanded me to practice for 1000’s of hours within each skill set. Does this sound like more than just writing and publishing blog posts? Blogging is way beyond writing and publishing blog posts because blogging is many skills to develop, many moving parts, all integral to becoming a professional blogger. Becoming a pro bloggers feels uncomfortable because mastering multiple skills feels uncomfortable. I learned how to write and self-publish eBooks to add a single income stream to my blogging campaign. I learned how to build a freelance writing business during the earlier portion of my Blogging From Paradise days.
I learned about how to coach clients when I ran a coaching business. Ditto for consulting; I developed my consulting skills through generous, patient, persistent practice over the years. Think of each skill:
- writer
- networker
- entrepreneur
- observer
- monetizer
The list goes on and on, depending on if you outsource any particular skill. Most pros learn quite a few blogging skills to better understand how blogging works. I never could experience any success unless I learned how to engage in successful blogger outreach. Developing that skill took much learning, practice and commitment. Honing my writing skills through persistent practice – while I learned blogger outreach – challenged me a bit more.
But learning how to observe reader problems by spotting pain points became yet another skill I had to study, learn, practice and master to best serve my readers. Blogging is no joke; all skills aspiring bloggers learn test these individuals to the max. Imagine learning not 1, 2 or 3 skills but 4, 5 or 6 skills over years of your life? Most bloggers quit because learning, practicing and mastering a high number of skills overwhelms them. Most bloggers quit because most bloggers did not sign up for learning, mastering and practicing so many skills. Most signed up to just write and publish blog posts.
Reality sets in. I had to face the truth to go pro. I had to drink up reality fully, learning how to be an entrepreneur when I had not an entrepreneurial bone in my body. I worked to get a paycheck for much of my life. Working for free to gain skills, exposure and credibility seemed alien to me, if not outright uncomfortable. What could I do? Either refuse to learn how to be an entrepreneur because the journey seemed too uncomfortable or learn how to build a business to free myself and my readers through blogging. I went with the latter.
Practicing my writing daily also taxed me mightily. I had no idea this journey would be challenging but blogging became fun, freeing and flat out liberating, too. Writing made me feel uncomfortable sometimes but I also developed a skill – through patience practice – that felt fun to explore. My writing also helped inspire people I never dreamed I could have reached, from all over the world. Thank goodness I developed this skill; otherwise, I never would be where I am today.
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10 Stupid Simple Fundamentals of Blogging
