This guest post is by Jamie Martin of Steady Mom and Simple Homeschool.
When I first began blogging over two years ago, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I started merely as a way to promote the book I had written and thought of it as another chore to squeeze in between an already full writing schedule, three young children, and loads of laundry.
Image is author's own
How wrong I was! Looking back, I stand amazed at the ways blogging not only launched my writing career, but also transformed my life. I know I’m not the only one who stumbled into the blogosphere for one reason, only to discover other blessings and benefits as well.
Here are just a handful.
1. No doubt about it: blogging improves your writing
Many of us who read ProBlogger started our blogs with the hope of growing a readership and eventually earning an income. Blogging opened doors for me I didn’t even know existed (Who knew it could be a job?), but it also has done wonders for my writing ability.
Am I the only one to inwardly cringe while rereading some of my earliest posts? Two years into this gig, I now feel much more comfortable in my blogging skin and my virtual corner. The daily act of writing cannot help but improve our skills. With each act of pressing Publish, we gain experience, insight, and feedback we didn’t have the day before. Collectively, this momentum refines and improves our abilities as encouragers and providers of information.
William Zinnser, author of the bestselling On Writing Well, said that “writing is a craft, not an art.” Craft improves with practice, practice, and more practice.
2. All that practice rubs off on your character
Just like a runner training for a marathon, we learn about endurance on the race to better writing. Fitting blogging into an already busy life has taught me both perseverance and self-discipline. It has also thrown insecurity and self-doubt my way, at the same time giving me the urge to overcome them.
Haven’t you had days when you wanted to shut your laptop and call the whole thing off? Days when the stats don’t add up or readers aren’t responding? Yet those of us in this for the long haul, sense a deep conviction—something within that pushes us to keep going. That resolve can’t help but spill over into other parts of our lives.
3. Blogging increases your life span (well, if it encourages you to change your eating habits)
I have the blogosphere to thank for introducing me to the whole foods movement. I’d always attempted to feed my family well, but had never seen nutrition presented in a simple, manageable way until I began following links from one foodie’s blog to another.
Coconut oil, brown rice syrup, tofu? These once-strange substances now feel like familiar friends. I even found the courage to make my own yogurt and become a vegan for 30 days earlier this year.
Bloggers add a personal voice to the nightly news statistics we hear about food, health, and disease. A snapshot inside someone else’s kitchen transformation serves to inspire our own.
4. An active presence in the blogosphere can transform your real-life relationships
There’s no question that I am a better parent since I started my first blog.
As a blogger who writes about motherhood, I expected to share my knowledge and experience with others. But I never imagined the depth of inspiration I would find myself. Whether it comes from a comment someone leaves, a random link that points me to a much-needed resource, or a post that reminds me of the bigger perspective in the midst of the daily grind, there’s no end to the ideas I’ve gathered. My three young kids have the blogosphere to thank for the mother I’m becoming.
On top of that, I now have a built-in community—virtual kindred spirits to approach when life gets tough or questions arise. Our fellow bloggers become friends in every sense of the word, and mentors too.
5. Blogging and social media raise your awareness of global need and give you the chance to respond
Anyone who doubts the power of the blogosophere hasn’t heard of Compassion Bloggers. Comprised of over 30 writers who have traveled to seven countries, Compassion has proven that blogging gives a personal face to massive global issues, releasing children from poverty in the process.
Or consider the example of Love146, a global charity seeking to abolish child sex trafficking and exploitation. My husband serves as CEO of this organization, whose blog and social media presence have sparked a worldwide movement of abolition. William Wilberforce didn’t have Twitter on his side when stirring up advocates against slavery; we do and we can use its power to influence the world for good.
I would never have believed that blogging would become my job, alter my eating habits, improve my relationships, and help me fuel global change. To those who think blogging is dead, let me reassure you otherwise. We’ve only just begun–to grow, to change, to influence, to become better.
Each of us reading today has been influenced in some way by the blogosphere. How has it changed you?
Jamie is mom to three cute kids born on three different continents. She serves as editor of Simple Homeschool and writes about mindful parenting at Steady Mom. Check out her book Steady Days: A Journey Toward Intentional, Professional Motherhood.
well,, that’s right Jamie,, i’m agree with that. it’s improve my writing and reading. make me feel better and know about everything,,
It’s all true balkony .. since starting, my writing has significantly been improving from post to post and I feel that my words just flow better than they used to. I also feel that my reading comprehension has rose .. who knew blogging could bring so many wonderful things?
Ya it improves writing skill.Even me had written over 400 article since last three years.English is my third language but now I can say I began from zero and now its at least 20% improvement.
Jamie,
First off, let me thank you for contributing this guest post. I appreciate your point of view.
It is great to know that you have evolved, over time, both personally and professionally.
I have not managed to start a blog of my own yet, but I have learned so much from top-notch bloggers like you. It is a joy to read the works of such bloggers, who add so much value to our working lives.
When I first started out, I was completely unfamilar with blogs, bloggers and blogging. I was a babe in the woods, a rank amateur and a newbie. Most of the information I would receive daily would come from newspapers and books. I was not computer-savvy enough to even know there were options out there.
Slowly but surely, I became more familiar with this information retreival and sharing system. I started to follow the blogs of well-known bloggers like Ali Luke, Charlie Gilkey, Mike Cliff-Jones, Srinivas Rao, Maria Brophy, Darren Rowse, Christa (in New York) and so many others out there in the blogosphere.
I can’t tell you what a difference these top-notch people have made to my life. It has been a joy and an inspiration to have been a part of their journey. These are people who are prepared to write from the heart and put their reputations on the line. There have been so many ups and downs in their own lives, both personally and professionally. So, I feel blessed by the fact that they have shared those stories with us.
In that sense, we are kindred spirits. And through that sharing, I guess, we become better human beings.
Please continue to blog. Your daily writing activity will help you especially when the chips are down.
Cheers.
Do like the positive post about blogging, it definitely makes you a better writer and is a great thing. Can’t say I agree with it increasing your lifespan though, I know I’ve put on a couple of pounds that I wouldn’t have had I not been sitting on my PC :)
Jamie Martin,
Awesome and inspiring article. I had next to “zero” writing skills when I started my blog but what I also understood was that I could improve my writing by doing it consistently and learning as I go.
Blogging has connected me with a lot of great and friendly people that I would not have met otherwise. I intend to blog until I can’t type anymore. It’s been well worth it for me.
That’s great that you and you husband are both active in the blogosphere. We can really make a positive difference in the world with our writing.
Nos. 1 and 2 really works for me.. reading good posts from other blogs and looking for awesome tips like these really makes one a better blogger and a person as well.
The most important one for me is that blogging inculcates discipline, patience & dedication in an individual since these are the core qualities a blogger needs to possess in order to be successful.
And then there are the other obvious benefits : Improved skills, better relations etc.
Love this! I know that sinking feeling when you revisit some of the early posts. Blogging has most definitely improved my writing and it’s an ongoing process.
I agree that blogging is far from dead, it’s just going to be weeded out a bit as it moves forward. There’s nothing wrong with that. In every part of life the strong carry on and the weak fall off, so it is with blogging. I keep striving to reach the top and hope for the best.
Thanks for a great post!
I really like the practice that I get networking socially with bliogees, on my own blog and on theirs. It’s a great way to strengthen online relationships as well as practice those skills for the offline world too.
Oops that should read “bloggers” of course :)
I completely agree what you said in your blog that blogging does make one a better person. It contributed to an increase in self-confidence for me as I became more comfortable writing, sharing my views and experiences as well as interacting with readers. It also transformed me into a wide reader myself because I now enjoy reading other people’s blogs and learn from them too.
Great list! Blogging is only my hobby, but it truly has enriched my life so much! It’s a way for me to focus on the positive in my life and share and inspire others. I love learning and growing on a daily basis. Like you, there are so many foods I would have never tried were it not for blogging. Plus, my network of online friends has helped me through some really tough times. Finally, I love your point about becoming a better writer. I teach writing at the college level, and having students keep a blog is a great teaching tool!
Jamie,
I love this post a lot! I love your point of view on blogging.
As a video-blogger (vlogger) and host of an online video-channel, I would say that vlogging has opened me up to an amazing number of brilliant people who mentor my audience and the best part is that I get to soak in those lessons as well.
Vlogging has allowed me to interview people in Australia, Poland, the UK, the US and Canada and I’m sure in time I’ll interview people living in far out countries.
Blogging has the powerf of creating this global playing field – which I LOVE!
Krizia
I like to think blogging helps writing. It’s funny that you referenced the Zinsser book. I haven’t read books in ages – thanks to my job I’ve just had no time. But I recently started grad school, and dove right in to Graduate Research and Writing. That book was on the ‘highly suggested’ list. It’s a great read, it definitely helped me in my class. And the interaction of all three, the book, the class, and constant writing on my sites has helped me get my writing back to a better level than what was previously apparent on my twitter feed, those short blurbs can make you lazy! Thanks for the read, I don’t often click out of google reader to leave many comments!
I know this might sound vain but blogging makes you feel special because you are able to do something many consider impossible.
I, too, have seen an improvement in my writing and even a desire to write more. It’s sort of like feeding the flames of a fire because the more you write, the more you want to write. Blogging has certainly helped my confidence because as a stay-at-home mom I now have a creative outlet to feed my soul. And as you said, there is a wonderful community of bloggers to get to know. Another positive aspect of blogging that I’ve found is how it keeps your brain alive and growing because there is so much to learn. I started my blog, http://thirftygirlvintage.blogspot.com in January and it’s now a growing and vital part of my life and my day. Thanks for sharing all these positives about blogging!
You are not the only one who cringes at earlier posts! I think we all do.
But, that’s an awesome sign of growth and refinement, and that keeps me feeling ok while I’m in that mode where I want to delete the posts that I’m not to thrilled with!
I think you make some really powerful points here, Jamie. I love when people are able to look deeper into the link between online engagement of any kind, and the positive effects it has on your life, especially in your relationships.
I agree with this post, I blog on http://www.csquaredtrading.com as my finance blog website that show people how to invest. I would like to focus on being more informative in my posts! This is where writing becomes difficult.
What a treat to see you here friend.
I love blogging and how I’ve grown because of it, for all the reasons you’ve listed and more.
Here’s problogger in its entirety: you need these things, then you can make money with it…
Blogging certainly makes you more aware of what is happening around, it certainly broadens your vision and makes you appreciate life in general. Thanks for sharing
Thank you for the great post, Jaime!
I love your first point, especially about how blogging makes you feel more confident in your own skin. For several years, I worked in jobs that were behind the scenes, supporting others and only working with a few people at any time. As I’ve become more successful, though, I’ve found myself more and more frequently pushed into the spotlight. For a natural wallflower, it was uncomfortable stepping outside of my comfort zone, having to take a position and own it. It’s been very freeing, though, in a way very similar to blogging – you learn about yourself, you discover who you are, and it gives you a firm foundation for further success at every point in your life. Great insight!
And so it has came to be that May 14th is Bloggers Day.
Thank you for your great post.
Great post! Blogging really has had a very positive impact on me…scratch of number 3 for me…I’m a food blogger and since I can’t say I’m part of the whole foods movement…blogging has probably knocked a couple years off my life.
So far blogging has helped me improve my self-discipline a lot.
When you try to create something, giving all you best creativity, intellect and passion & compassion, you become more caring and responsible for that. It is something you are afraid to lose.
And that makes you see other things in life through that light. You even become aware what other people cherish something like that.
Hay Steady Mom, What a lovely surprise to find you over here… blogging is indeed life changing and more rewarding than I ever imagined it would be!!!
As an ex distance runner I could identify with your blog – marathon analogy; Something for me to think about as I go through the early stages of trying to learn how to blog well.
Blogging has helped my writing and also helped me realize some of my weaknesses; like how bad I’am at describing things and telling stories.
Hey, Jamie
I definately agree that blogging is some how changes your life for the better. Since i started blogging awhile back i noticed my blood pressure reducing. I know that someday blogging will open some doors to a whole new life for me.
Thanks, for sharing Jamie
Kind Regards
Todd Dowell
Jamie, I totally agree with you. Those five ways you mentions also happened on me or is still going on me. Blogging is not a medium for earning money or traffic- these are just secondary. The only thing matters is -what blogging given to us. Thanks for the great post.
I am a corporate woman turned stay-at-home mom / online business owner / blogger. The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world. I would put “lol” but it really is the truth ;-)
I know what you mean when you say you discover things you never knew existed until blogging came along. It DOES open a new world of opportunity both online and offline. I could really relate to what you said.
Though I am not a full-time blogger yet t has changed me as a person. I feel more aware, knowlegeable & confident. It’s a beautiful journey :)
I constantly read your posts in ProBlogger. Actually, it had inspired my way of writing — note that Im not a walking dictionary. :)
From the day I started my blog just this month, Im so proud and honored to have 25 followers on my blog. If without you it would have been nothing.
Personally, comments form others also really inspired me to do such thing. :)
I agree with first 2 points, but the last 3 didn’t work for me yet! May be in due course of time it might work :)
Nice post mate, cheers !
When I started blogging in October 2010………Problogger.net helped me a lot!!!!!!!!!
Every post of this site encourages me…
I agree – I am struggling with the concept of family safety however. I have a family/mothering blog and I LOVE the connection that it has brought me with people around the world, communication with distant family and friends, personal reflection, and hobby/creative outlet. I am very careful not to reveal every detail about my life, but I feel there would be opportunity for threatened safety by an internet “predator” for my children or family. Any advice?
Jaime,
This was a good post. You’re right, a blogger does learn a thing or two along the way. I think a blogger learns more about themself as they continue blogging.
I think I learned a valuable lesson two blogs ago. Just be yourself. If a blogging style works well for someone else, it may not work for you.
I hope I didn’t lose my followers because of my blunt article but we’ll see how this week goes.
Thomas
Hi Jamie,
I’m somewhat conflicted about the impact of blogging on my life. When I’m in an expansive mood, I view it as a wonderful vehicle for personal growth (I have a missionary zeal about understanding and helping others realize their potential) but when frustrated I view another another despised addiction. I really enjoyed your post (so I guess that means I’m currently in a good mood LOL).
Riley
Hi Jamie
I totally loved your post, and I absolutely agree with everything you said. I am very new to blogging, just a few month’s to be exact. But in these few month’s I began to change as a person, just as you said we learn every day. I feel like every day I am developing this character in my self that I didn’t know existed.
Thank you for this post :)
It’s so true! Blogging turns out to be a journey–one you almost didn’t know you were embarking on. I know what you mean about cringing at beginning posts.
Great to see you over here Jamie!
Great post and I really enjoyed blogging and all the tips mentioned in this post. Must bookmark this blog so that I could come back for more future articles. Thanks for sharing…
While I agree with 1, 2, 4 and 5, number 3 is subjective and even ridiculous.
Wow…You touched me tremendously and truly made be feel like “I am not by myself” I can relate completely. I too have grown and continue to grow which is what I love most. For me I finally know what my niche is and what it should be, so now I have to change my focus towards that or shall I say enhance what I am already doing. I did a challenge last month for blogging that really opened me up personally and professionally. Of course, now I have even more work to fit in. Thank you so much for your wonderful post.
Great post Jamie. Blogging definitely stretches us to be better. I have gained so much in my writing, I have connected with so many people online that I never would have before. And I have learned a lot about a lot of different things. I have several online friends whose children are autistic. Not having any “real life” friends with autistic children, I have learned about the joys and struggles of this group of great people. And this is just one example!
Thanks so much for sharing!
Bernice
Have you outgrown your pot?
I could not agree more. Blogging certainly does improve our writing. And, because we are giving valuable advice on our blogs, it means we are internalizing the things we tell others and improving ourselves at the same time.
I have to agree, I actually wrote a book a few years back and after a year of blogging I went back through my book before sending it to a publisher and couldn’t believe how bad and boring my writing was back then.
I am now rewriting it and lets see if blogging has helped improved my writing skills enough to get it published!!
Love146 is an awesome cause and they are truly utilizing their social media and online presence to make the world a better place. I hope to build my social presence that much and aid in their cause and also help to make a difference in the world.
Awesome Post.
Well said, Jamie, and I concur wholeheartedly. I loved all of your points, especially the part about discovering the real food movement. =)
You’re right, there is no doubt that blogging can improve your writing. In fact, running your own blog for a few years before acquiring paid gigs for other blogs can drastically improve your chances of being hired by said blogs.
All kinds of cool stuff happens. You get faster at typing, you get a better grip on grammar, you get a better idea of how people read, and you can actually move from not liking writing to really enjoying it.
after always suffering the guilt from sitting in front of the computer, it’s so nice to hear the positive side of blogging! it’s so true… there are so many things to learn and so many places to grow from this community. i started blogging awhile ago, but just within the past month or so started to get more motivated and dedicated… and with that, have seen how much more motivated and dedicated i am to do the things i want to blog about! things like crafting with my son, crafting for my son, exploring new ways of parenting… and the list goes on and on. that’s not to say that i wouldn’t do these things without blogging, but it does give me a motivator that otherwise didn’t exist!
thank you for the positive list!
blogging also have its cons too. I am a fresher and I have been spending much time on blogging instead on searching job.