Blog Writing For Beginners: The Creative Process - Part 1

Before I became a professional writer, I was a reader, and it’s so much easier to read blogs and feel like ‘I can do this, anyone can do this’. The truth is, there’s so much that goes into writing for a blog that readers don’t see.

Allow me to take you on my journey as a writer, and show you some of my most trusted methods of staying inspired, helping you through your writing process.

Choosing blog topics

How I choose topics depends on two of the most important things to me - method and relevance. Let me explain.

Method:

My method is to start by finding out what’s required of me. Then, I’ll ask the critical questions - these are usually about timelines (when the article is needed and when it’ll be posted). From there, I’ll find a theme that works for the given dates or what I think my audience need to know in that moment- this helps me gain a sense of direction.

Once that’s done, I spend a lot of time doing research and adding new insights to what’s already been written. A unique and different perspective is always a breath of fresh air for readers.

Relevance:

Choosing topics based on how relevant they are at the time of publishing will make your blog posts much more relatable to the reader. Who doesn’t want to read a blog post and feel like ‘wow! This writer gets it’?

Finding what works for me

Sometimes, as a writer, I’m given the daunting task of writing a blog post that doesn’t resonate with me, and to be honest, not being able to write from my perspective can be a challenge.

That’s why it’s essential to find what works for me. Not all articles will require solely my opinion (even though I have great opinions if I should say so myself). Some will need an extensive amount of research, and my first and most important rule when it comes to this is to make sure that my sources are reliable.

Thankfully, it’s 2021, so I have a plethora of information sources right at my fingertips. Although misinformation is a human error, the available resources leave very little room ever to use that as an excuse. After all, being a credible writer instils trust and confidence in my readers, which is something you need if you want them to return to your blog.

Staying inspired

There are going to be times during blog writing where you run dry, this is normal. Writer’s block affects professional writers, too, unfortunately. The only difference is, we have to try and stay inspired.

I usually work outdoors. There’s something about getting fresh air that awakens inspiration in me, and it might be different for you as a writer. I’ve gotten into the habit of writing and stopping when I feel stuck, then returning to that specific piece when the inspiration hits me again. If this sounds appealing to you, then you’ll need to have impeccable time management skills to pull it off.

I also have random moments where inspiration hits me out of nowhere. So, I’ve mastered the art of randomly pulling out my phone and making notes. I’ve come to understand that inspiration can be drawn from all kinds of things, and so I’ve learnt to let it happen and embrace it when it comes. When you’ve had writer’s block, you learn to appreciate being inspired by some of the smallest and simplest things.

We’re different as writers, but I think giving these tips a try might be worth it. You only have one job, and that’s to believe in your work. You can always revisit this article when you feel like your work isn’t coming together how you’d hoped it would.

Oh, and one last thing, feeling uninspired is normal. It happens to the best of us, but don’t ever give up on your writing on days when the words don’t come together with the way that they usually do. Instead, give yourself time to regain your inspiration and enthusiasm.

If your marketing efforts need a much more creative and practical touch than what you have currently, get in touch with us by sending an email to hello@arcinteractive.co.

You can also follow Arc Interactive on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.

About the author

Oratilwe Moneoang is a Copywriter and Community Manager who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism, from the University of Johannesburg. She’s pro-education and empowering young women to be the best versions of themselves.

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If you enjoyed this post and have a little extra time to dive deeper down the rabbit hole, why not check out the following posts on content writing.

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Tags: Content Writing , Blogging , Guest Post