Not gonna lie, writing my first blog post is SCARY! I'm already freaking out that I let my guard down and told you that.
But sometimes you need to go for it and let things blow up. At least then you'll have something to work with.
Some of you might be wondering why I bothered to start one. At the time I'm writing this, I'm a newlywed wife. I'm still working full-time at a software company while freelancing on the side. So why on earth would I add blogging to that mix?
Don’t get me wrong. I love designing & building websites for a living. Talk about my dream job.
So think of this blog as me letting off some creative steam. I’ve got some good ideas (I hope), and now I have a platform to share them!
Without further ado, here's a couple of reasons why I created a new blog.
1 | I started a blog to build confidence
Say what?? Designing and maintaining a blog has been an idea that plagued me for years. But I never thought I would ever be good enough. And even deeper, scared that other people would think the same.
So for the longest time, the only person I disappointed was myself. And I could live with that.
But no more! *insert picture of me on top of Mount Everest planting the flag of self-confidence*
I reached a point mentally where I no longer cared if anybody ever read anything I write. At least I could be proud of myself for trying.
2 | I started a blog to improve my skills
…specifically with writing. I constantly beat myself up because I'm not a good writer. Sure, I took some required writing classes in college, but I viewed them as the enemy. Get in, pass as quickly as possible, and get out.
That was my strategy. And it worked...
...until I graduated and discovered the real world where life is full of communicating. Emails, presentations, cover letters, thank-you notes—you name it.
I found myself feeling very inadequate. So what did I do?
I wish I could say I handled this like a pro. Instead, my strategy involved avoiding writing as much as possible.
I would tell clients that I can do anything from web design, prototyping, development, SEO, you name it. But as soon as I needed to write real words, I'd balk.
So what changed? I challenged myself to grow in areas I wasn't naturally comfortable in. Hence, this blog.
Side story: my husband Jack happened to walk in while I was writing this section. I wish I could say I was super excited about sharing my words. Instead, I shut the computer and told him I wasn't ready to show him yet. Yikes!
3 | I started a blog to practice what I’ve learned
So far, I've studied marketing and learned how to improve other businesses. But in the back of my mind, I wondered what I could learn if there was a personal risk for me.
Maintaining a consistent schedule, designing promotional material, and publishing new content are all part of my client’s world.
Well, now it’s a part of my life too! Now I can pick up web illustration again, use those SEO strategies I’ve learned over the years, and put myself out there.
4 | I started a blog to teach others
Up to this point, I've only ever consumed information. I've been selfish—taking in but never giving back.
I've also made a ton of mistakes when it comes to how to handle clients and getting things done on time.
But then I got a wake-up call. My college professor asked me to teach web development at a teen summer camp. That's right—TEACH! I had to translate the information in my brain and make it understandable for high schoolers.
Boy, that pushed me out of my comfort zone. And I found I enjoy helping others do what I love (and NOT make the same mistakes I did!)
So stay tuned for a beginner web development course that teaches what you need to become a successful web developer (plus extra stuff I wish I knew at the beginning) coming end of Summer 2019.
All in all, I want to challenge myself to grow in several areas and ideally help a few people along the way!
My goals for this blog:
I went back and forth about whether I should also post my goals for this blog. Eeek! What if I crash and burn and roll over and die?
Ok, maybe that's an exaggeration...
...But seriously, setting goals allows room for improvement. How else will you know it's worth the effort?
So here are my goals for the next 6 months:
100 email subscribers
1 blog post every other week
2000 pageviews total
If I'm honest, I'd be super happy if I managed to hit even one of those goals. Fingers crossed!
My commitment to you in this blogging journey
I will never post anything I don't feel strongly about. I don't want to deceive you in any way by pretending I care when I don't.
I will only recommend items that I personally have found useful. This might come back to bite me later, but I want to stick with it.
I will respect your privacy and time. I know how busy life is, so I don't want to spam your life. This means I'll keep my emails to a minimum frequency and get right to the point.
Topics I'll cover
Before I jump into this answer, I really struggled with what my ideal audience was. Rule #1 of marketing: Find your niche. Focus your energy there.
This is even more difficult for somebody like me—somebody who never quite fit the mold.
For example, I’m a developer. And a girl. I once had a guy tell me I must be in the wrong room since I was in the computer science wing (I wasn't). Another said I couldn't possibly be a developer since my scarf matched my shoes.
But even further, I'm a developer that loves design, colors, and typography. And more recently I've been dabbling in business and marketing.
So what am I going to write about? All of those things.
If it makes you feel better, here are some categories I came up with as I was brainstorming ideas for this blog (you didn't think I'd just wing it, did you?)
Business
Marketing
Design
Development
So there you have it—why I started a blog and what I'm planning on writing. Stick around. Or don't. That's fine too.
Or even better, hit the subscribe button so we can be best pals!
