Creating Direction for your Blog (or other Content)

I've had some takers on the challenge to blog with me, and I'm very excited.  The idea of the accountability we have toward each other is keeping me motivated to write.  It helps that I enjoy it!

I've been writing on the results of my research about starting a blog, and I'll continue with the next step, "Cultivating a Direction."

The goal of this step is to begin defining your theme, which defines the direction your blog will go. Select seven categories and five headlines for each category (thanks to Denise Wakeman for this tip).

1. WordPress and other blogging platforms allow you to create categories so readers can search by topic.  Think of topics by breaking down the overarching theme 7 sub-categories. Open up a document on your computer and write the theme and the categories.  As you blog, you may have more categories and you can add to them at any time.

2.  Now develop five headlines for each category and write those down.

3. Write 300 – 500 words for each topic (or at least 10 of them). You can show these to people and get their feedback. Or, just have them ready to help you launch.  I think it's kind of cool that you could schedule a coffee meeting, and then you can offer to buy the coffee while your associate reads through a post your wrote.  When you arrive at the table with the coffee, they'll be ready with feedback!

If you're blog is to be comprised of audio or video only, then this is the step where you want to make sure you have the tools and equipment to create audio and video.  Create your list of 7 topics and 5 subtopics for each, and then script or storyboard 10 of them and make them into recordings.

If you have trouble writing, then you may want to take classes, hire a freelancer, hire a writing coach, or just write and then hire an editor and/or proofreader (read here about the difference between an editor and proofreader).