Want to Be a Good Blogger? Here are 5 Quick Tips I’ve Learned from Writing 90+ Blog Posts

It’s been a while since I blogged about blogging, so that’s what I’ll do today.

Here at HFE, I’ve published over 90 blog posts—some of which have seen great traffic and engagement—and I think my experience will help you if you’re new to the craft.

That’s why I’ve gathered five tips here to write stuff people actually want to read. Each tip will keep you from making the rookie mistakes I did so you can blog like an expert from the jump.

Even if you’re not a newbie though, you might still learn a thing or two. So pull up a chair, grab your notepad, and let’s dive into it all together.

Tip #1: Obey the Urge

My first tip is to write as much as possible when you do feel like it.

I’m sure that’s unexpected since most writing advice is about what to do when you can’t write, but we’ve all been told to suck it up and treat the craft like a profession enough times. Don’t get me wrong, that is good advice, but I’d rather stress how valuable the desire to write is.

Everyone knows by now that writing isn’t always fun. There will be times when you can’t think straight, and there will be times when you’re not motivated. But when you’re actually driven to write, by all means, get it done.

The flow that comes when you’re passionate about a topic is hard to reproduce. So if an idea dominates your mind at any moment, stop what you’re doing and put words on a page.

That’s what I did to write some of my favorite articles. Yeah, I have a solid routine and I stick to it, but my best stuff comes when I’m not forcing myself to write.

I know I’m writing a good one when I’m tempted to skip dinner before hitting the library. If I’m up at 6 AM on Saturday morning, I know I’ve got something special. Those times when I don’t have to set an alarm or put blinders on are when I’m the best writer I can be.

Competence and passion are what lead to excellent blogging. The competence builds up over time but passion fluctuates, so your goal is to maximize the latter whenever you can.

It’s easy to tell if people write because they have to or if they write because they enjoy it. Forced writing is bland, lifeless, and it lacks conviction. Passionate writing, however, has breath of its own.

Routines, rituals, and word count goals are great and they keep you focused, but if you need all of those all the time, blogging isn’t for you.

Tip #2: Always Write Before You Write

One of the best tips I can give about blogging—or any form of serious work—is that you should never just show up.

I touched on this in the last section, but the blogging process doesn’t start when you sit down to write:

It starts the night before when you decide to sleep early.
It starts the session before when you make an outline.
It starts the week before when you Google your topic and analyze popular posts about it.

Writing is the bare minimum—everyone with a blog writes. Not everyone is willing to prepare though. That’s extra work that isn’t their job.

In my few years of blogging though, I’ve noticed that preparation is the biggest factor in whether I write a good piece or not.

That’s why I’m always “on” these days. I’m constantly reviewing life experiences, popular culture, and reader comments to see how I can use them in my work. There’s no separation between blogging Drew and day job Drew anymore. I would miss out on too much if there was.

Likewise, the best bloggers are always reading, learning, and growing because they need raw material. They know it’s hard to write from a blank slate. It’s much easier to mold pre-existing ideas.

Gathering those ideas is extra work, but don’t you care enough about the craft to do that? Don’t you care enough about the readers who give you their valuable time?

You should always do more than the bare minimum—not just to elevate your writing, but to elevate everyone around you.

Tip #3: Make Memories with Your Words

Don’t be a blogger. Be an artist.

That’s my advice for every beginner today. The market is too big and the internet is too old to only inform these days.

Anyone can find (questionable) facts on Wikipedia, but they can’t easily find examples of how those facts relate to everyday life. They can’t find stories that make them feel like they experienced a topic firsthand. They can’t find complex ideas explained in simple ways by a friend they trust.

You know why they can’t find that stuff (even with the luxury of the internet)?

Because all of that is what art does, and art is scarce.

Art isn’t about information; it’s about an experience. It shows you new ways of seeing, hearing, and understanding things that were bland before.

That’s what your blog needs to do.

The best bloggers are much more than writers.

You want your post structure, your pictures, and your headlines to build an experience. If people finish your blog post and feel like they only read words, you failed.

Don’t just give them words. Give them an experience.

Have fun with your topics and stop reminding people of their cubicles. Write casually instead of trying to sound like a scholar. And ask yourself if you enjoy your own work before hitting publish.

“How do I inform readers while also making the experience memorable?”

That’s the question you should ask at the start.

Tip #4: Give and You Will Receive

Besides the conversational tone, the biggest difference between blogs and formal writing is their purpose.

Formal writing is about showing competence, presenting ideas, and giving thoughtful analysis to be appreciated for its own merit.

That’s not the case with blogs.

Yes, all three of those actions are present in blogging too, but they’re used for different means. While formal writing focuses more on proving value, blogging is about providing it.

That difference is subtle, for sure, but it’s impact on style is huge.

There’s no need to sound smart and babble about useless details when you blog. Instead, you want your work to be easily digestible while still showing the competence that comes through hard work and experience.

People need practical and specific tips to help them in all areas of life. And that’s where you come in as a blogger.

So instead of posting journal entries about your day, think about problems you’ve solved and how your solutions can help others. Google some questions and see if you can write better answers than what you find. And ask readers for feedback to see what they would like more of too.

Start crafting your work with the audience in mind first. Then use your unique personality and skills to help.

Doing that will make you a reliable resource for others. They’ll see that you’re different from all the clout chasers online, and in return, they’ll show you the same care you gave for free.

Tip #5: Take Absolutely Nothing for Granted

Finally, my last tip is to enjoy this blogging adventure.

Yeah, that sounds cliché, but there’s a high chance you won’t blog for the rest of your life, so you should appreciate the opportunity now.

So many people get on the web to make a name for themselves. Then they obsess over stats and even get depressed when reality doesn’t match expectations, but that’s an awful way to live.

Yes, a blog can open doors few other outlets can, but if you only see your blog as a stepping stone, you’ll be miserable.

Compare that attitude to mine for example. I don’t have a huge blog or a massive audience, but my work has been read hundreds of thousands of times by people around the globe. This feat was unthinkable to me before, yet here I am doing it.

I’ve learned to appreciate small stuff like that, and you should too.

It doesn’t matter if you have a hundred readers or a hundred thousand. Just cherish the work in front of you.

Doing that is what keeps me going after all this time. I genuinely love creating, and I have since I was a kid.

Back in my college days, I churned out YouTube videos because I had to make something, and it crushed me when I was forced to quit. But now that I have an outlet to create years later, it’s a dream come true.

It would drive me insane to work my day job and then sit on the couch all night afterwards—the boredom would set in too fast. But I have the rare opportunity now to reach people worldwide because of this site.

How could I not appreciate that?

Content creation is so much fun when you’re not obsessed with numbers. So please, take that focus, and pour it into your writing instead.