There are days when I wish I could just stop blogging. That’s right…never write or publish another post. And then I remember why I blog, and I sit down and produce another post—like this one.
I’ve been blogging since about 2006. At one time, I had five active blogs. You might say I embraced blogging wholeheartedly…almost too much so.
These days, I run three active blog sites (and one that could be called dormant). Even though blogging takes up a lot of my time each week, I have no plans of closing the doors on any of my sites.
I do have trouble keeping up with my blogging schedule, which is why I use guest bloggers. They help me continue publishing a post per week on each site. (Once upon a time, I produced a lot more posts per week…a LOT…per site.)
Yes, it’s true…sometimes I wish I had one or two fewer blogs than I do, but I still love blogging. And I encourage all my [coaching clients](http://ninaamir.com/hire-author-coach/ and members of my Nonfiction Writers’ University to blog.
Let me tell you why I’m still—after all these years—such a huge advocate of blogging and becoming a blogger—especially if you consider yourself a writer.
1. Blogging Provides Creative Expression
If you want to express your thoughts and ideas or to share your knowledge and advice, a blog lets you do that. Blogging is a perfect outlet for anyone who would like a way to share creativity in a written form to a broad audience around the world. Don’t see it as a “must do” to build platform but as creative expression and means to showcase your written work.
2. Blogging Gets Your Work Read
If you don’t want to produce written work for yourself—or just because you feel you “must write,” blogging is a super way to put your work in front of readers. In fact, you might find you have more readers online than you do to your published books. Most books sell only 250 copies per year. You could have that many blog readers per day…or more! So if you want your work read, start blogging.
3. Blogging Provides a Way to Be of Service
The most successful blogs provide befit to readers. The blogger wants to be of service and does so by producing post after post filled with relevant and useful information directed to the needs of a specific audience. If you feel a sense of calling, purpose or mission you’d like to fulfill, and you want to contribute to a particular group of people, a blog is a superb way to accomplish this goal.
4. Blogging is a Publishing Platform You Control
So many writers enjoy self-publishing because they control what, when and how they publish their work. In much the same way, a blog provides you with a media outlet that you control. No one tells you what or what not to publish. No one says you when your work will be released to the world. And no one tells you how to do it. No one…but you. It’s all up to you. You’re the boss.
5. Blogging Helps You become an Author
Of course, you also can blog your way to a book deal, blog a book, or later book your blog. That takes you from writer and blogger to author, which very likely might be your ultimate goal. Your blog provides the foundation for all your platform-building efforts, it makes you an authority, and it helps you test market your ideas.
As a writer, you want to put your ideas out into the world—even though it can feel scary—and have your writing get seen by your ideal readers…and read. You can do that with a blog.
Write and publish to your heart’s content…on your very own blog.
These are a just few of the reasons I blog and encourage other writers to follow suit. If you are currently a blogger, I’d love to know why you blog. Tell me in a comment below.
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