For months I have had the desire to start a blog, but for one reason or another (or two or three), I never did.
It was in early December when I was waiting on my pool-playing buddy to arrive at Timothy O'Toole's that I struck up a conversation at the bar with fellow blogger and wealth management entrepreneur, Chris Smude.
Being an aspiring entrepreneur myself, I asked him to share with me how he made the leap. I also shared with him some of my business ideas and areas of interest which are - seriously - all over the place. It was then he provided such a simple and actionable piece of advice: start a blog.
Which brings me to my "Three Lame Excuses for Not Starting a Blog And How to Get Past Them":
1. But I don't know what my topic or focus should be?
Should I focus on topics relevant to my current job field? Should I wait until I decide what business I want to start so it can be related to that? Should it be on ADD so I can help the general public gain a better understanding of what it really is and that it's not a deficiency or disease or all about hyperactivity? Should it be on my experiences as a Gen Y?
The answer (which I already knew but had conveniently continued to ignore) is that you don't need a topic or focus. Just start writing. As time passes, the blog will start to take on a life of its own and reoccurring themes will begin to stand out. Over time you can narrow your focus and set a specific objective and topic for your blog.
2. But I don't know if I should choose a pen name? And if so, what?
I debated this heavily because I have a rather odd, long, uncommon and unmemorable last name. Well I am really no expert in this area so I googled it, and lo and behold whose blog came up but none other than Penelope Trunk, author of "The Brazen Careerist" (which I highly recommend).
Here is Penelope's advice on selecting a pen name.
3. But I don't know what to name my blog?
As a former brand manager, I should know better: you can rebrand anything, so it's not the end of the world if you don't pick the perfect name for your blog. But as usual, I let myself fall into the overanalytical trap and ended up nowhere. In fact, I spent over an hour trying to come up with a snazzy name for this one, which, as you can see, didn't quite happen.
If you're experiencing the same "trauma," don't fret over small details - especially if you're not established and especially if they can be managed with the simple click of a button. Just pick a name and run with it. You can always change it later.
Starting a blog was a pseudo-new year's resolution of mine (I don't ever really make them), so I am proud to be checking off a box on my to-do list.
Share:
How did you choose a topic for your blog?
What was your experience rebranding yourself or your blog?
Comments