Posted- A Message From My Inner Blogger

I never had dreams of starting a blog. In fact I never thought about it until four months ago.

I didn’t even know what Blog was short for.

Turns out in a whim to start my own gig I made a couple decent choices and didn’t even know it. I choose to self host and picked WordPress as my platform, next I choose a name, simple enough. And then I was faced with a dashboard and it’s million trinkets. WTF? I just want to put up pictures and write. How do you do that? Code? Where are they?

It didn’t take me long to realize what a blog can be, not only can you potentially make some decent money, you have a real way to write good stuff that can help and connect with people from everywhere. There is an entire blogging world out there I had no idea existed that I’m a part of now, it’s pretty cool.

I’d like to see how far I can take this thing, Why not, right?

I started obsessing, reading, clicking, searching. I stopped sleeping, seriously not a good idea with a 9 month old. I started looking at everyone’s blogs and decided no matter what I created with mine, it was awful in comparison to all these great blogs I kept seeing. And apparently I don’t know shit about social media either, what the hell is a linky party? A G-chat? A twitter whatever? Pin board order?

Where is everyone getting all these kick ass blogging clip art and graphics? How come everyone’s writing looks and sounds great and I’m scared to death to sound like an asshole who doesn’t know what she’s taking about?

Full Stop, Right now

I stopped looking at other people’s blogs, mine is just fine, it can, does and will continue to change.

Social media? I’m just jumping in and learning, I’ll figure it out.

My writing? It doesn’t have to be perfect, it’s important to edit, but I’ve been over editing my work out of fear of how every single word comes across and it’s left my otherwise good writing sounding flat and dull, I took me right out of it. The way I write in my journals, essays and books I’ve written that I keep in drawers safe from scrutiny, that’s how I need to write for the world to see, keep myself in it, for better or for worse that’s what bloggings all about.

I know I still have mountains of oodles to learn but from my very short time in blogging world this is what I’ve gathered about what it takes to be a serious blogger.

In the beginning, like me now, It’s a lot of unpaid hard work. No matter how pretty your blog is, on the back-end it’s a business, Your business and you’re the product your selling. Writing clear quality content comes before pretty graphics. Add your “money makers” and like plants, watch them grow. Build your reputation of being a honest hard worker with other bloggers and networks of people who believe in the “Together we all succeed” philosophy. Find your voice, and that takes time, it takes patience, that’s a really tough one for me, but I’m getting there.

This is how I’ve decided to conduct business here at Changing Plate. I’m looking forward to seeing what I think about this post when I look back on this in a year.

Is it really that simple?

Posted.

Adriana Kröller changingplate.com

About the Author: Greetings from Germany!  I’m Adriana, mother to a sweet baby girl who I travel and live with between Germany and Costa Rica. I’m taking advantage of this great opportunity and have created my blog to grow as a travel, food and culture writer and my experiences in as we make out way through such beautiful parts of the world!