Starting a writing blog #4.

Let me explain.

When I say ‘be real’, I mean that the emotions that you express in your writing must be true. My poems are based on my past relationships and other life experiences (I have written all sorts of poems, including poems about love, Jollof rice and Nigeria). I feel that people will always connect with what you write if you are being real with them.

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When I say ‘be emotionally detached’, I mean that you should not focus too much on the numbers or statistics when you are just starting your blog. If you do, you might stop writing after a week or a month because of the low number of views. The statistics will come in handy later on when, for instance, you want to know the best times to post on your blog.

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Closely linked to this is dealing with negative comments. There is a thin line between people giving you constructive criticism about your blog posts and people just being nasty (or worse, ‘mansplaining’). I’ve developed a thick skin over the years because I’m too busy planning what to write next to engage in weird and often hostile conversations (‘Strange guy, it’s not that serious, it’s just a poem. Stop explaining what I wrote to me in my inbox’). For me, there is no space for online bullying. The ‘delete’ and ‘block’ buttons exist for a reason; use them at your discretion.

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Note:

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Not everyone will enjoy your writing or like your blog. This is okay.

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Some people will enjoy your writing and like your blog. This is wonderful.

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Engage with your followers and people who comment on your posts.

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Ivie.