118: Why every writer should have a blog.

Blogging is a blast. Yet I believe it can be the most effective means to communicate with your audience and create meaningful community.

You desire to help each person connect on a deep level with you and your message. Blogging is an effective way for each person to hear your heart and know that you care. It also gives you an avenue to invest into each person and make each one feel special.

I cannot tell you how many people I’ve talked with who’ve been touched by something I’ve said or written on this blog. One person wrote me, “keep producing anything, really.” Just yesterday I had someone contact me and say they believe “God led me to your podcasts.”

If you’ve not started your blog, today is the day and this episode will give you all the reasons you should start your blog, today!

1. Develop a connection with your audience. People desire connection and we’re uniquely wired for communication. Have you ever spent time alone, like a considerable amount of time without any contact whatsoever? Most can honestly say, no.

We hardly go through a day without some form of communication or connection with someone. As writers, our words affect how people think, act, and dream. Your written words allow you to connect on an intimate level to your readers and help them see life from your vantage point. And who knows, you just may show them a mirror of their own lives and help them escape that life.

Your audience desires to connect with you on a personal level and utilizing this medium allows you to become accessible and attainable.

2. Become transparent so your audience can identify with you. It’s so easy, with writing, to distance yourself from the day to day grind and give readers something fresh and new. However, if all we give are ideas without a sense of vulnerability on our part, we’re not connecting with our reader on a personal level.

People long for authenticity. They want the real you! Don’t hold back. You’re full of stories, adventures, and ideas that you could fill pages of content. In fact, using life examples helps me create most of my content.

Truth to tell, this episode is because someone asked me recently if they should be less authentic and transparent. My answer to that, be as open as you want, as long as it serves the main point you’re driving home in your blog post or book.

3. How to prime the pump for a new sermon series. This is where a blog really can benefit you–or as they say, the rubber now meets the road. As writers and content producers, it’s easy to become bogged down on what to write next or what idea to pursue. Using your blog to create even more valuable content is where it’s at.

You can use a few posts to test a new book idea. Maybe you have an online course you desire to produce. Use your blog to test the waters and see if people are receptive to that course concept.

In fact, I recently did just that. Episodes 112, 113, 114, and 115 all are part of an online learning experience I’m toying with producing. But I needed to test the waters to see if it would work. Amazingly, it works like a charm.

4. How to start blogging and what to do next. The best thing is to get your own hosting account with Bluehost and install WordPress, pick your theme, choose your domain name, and begin your blog.

How?

Glad you asked. I’ve created a perfect online ebook just for you. This will give all the tools you need to make this thing work. I’ll walk you through hand in hand, step by step to creating your very own blog.

Are you ready to begin? Use the form below this post to sign up to my newsletter and get this fabulous ebook on how to blog the right way!

[reminder]Have you ever blogged? What have been your struggles and how do you plan to move forward?[/reminder]