If you’re about to get started on, or are at the beginning of your blogging journey, you should just assume that your first 100 articles don’t matter. Don’t write anything that you don’t believe in, or that you think is too over the top. But seriously, the writing you do at the beginning just isn’t important. As of writing this post, my blog (Rising Current) is sitting at about 153 posts. It’s been a grueling year, and I’ve written with more consistency and precision than I ever have. I can confidently say that my first 100 articles were not my best work, and they won’t be my best work in the future. This isn’t my first blog, but it’s impossible not to outdo myself as time goes on. If you’re starting an online publication, I would venture to say that the first 100 articles you write simply do not matter. I did everything wrong when doing mine, and yet my blog is still getting traffic.
I didn’t pick a niche
I always knew I was going to write a self-improvement blog. But I didn’t really know what I was going to be writing. I just knew I could write, and that if I covered a variety of topics, I would be able to get some traction and commentary. I was correct. I’ve now found a focus: helping people find freedom and well-being in life. Hopefully I can do a good job.
I was brash
I wrote a lot of my first posts when I was broke and angry. That stuff was therapeautic to create, but I’m not sure how lucrative it was. I’m focused on making money while helping others earn a living and improve their lives nowadays. No outrage content.
I had unrealistic expectations
It’s a good thing a didn’t set an out-of-this-world valuation for my time when I set the intention of writing online. If I had “decided” that my time was really worth the $50 per hour that I thought it was, I would not have produced so much content. It’s worth about $7.5 by the way, will probably hit $15 soon.
I just wasn’t as good a writer
I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t have momentum. My blog didn’t have a vibe. It takes everyone time to get into a flow state with a new writing project. You’re almost certainly no different.
Write without worrying
The average blog is jammed packed with information. For the foreseeable future, you’re going to be looking at 50–100 posts in order to get in the game. And that’s just to run a small-time operation. If you want to make real money, you’re going to need to either be really committed or have a team. There’s no way around it. On the bright side, each article is really valuable in the long run.
The first 100 articles go by like a blur. They are terrible to write. Especially when you get past article 55, it’s a long way to 100, a milestone to nowhere. 150 is equally useless. But one day, you’ll wake up, and realize you have more traffic than average, and that’s what makes it all worthwhile.
Thanks for paying attention.
By Rising Current on .
Exported from Medium on November 8, 2024.
