This blog post may initially seem like a repeat of one of my last posts (click here) in which I mentioned the importance of being yourself. Just as importantly, it is important to be honest! It seems obvious, but so many will still do anything for success, even faking it to the point of imitating someone else. I’ve been following bloggers and YouTubers for a while and noticed how so many will get to the top and as many will suddenly fall. I don’t claim to know all the background reasons, but I can see that the honest and genuine people will often take longer to reach their goals, but will also keep their spot.   

The focus of this blog isn’t to give advice to new bloggers, but I felt the need to give back what I’ve received and help others on their journey to start blogging as well. To get a better feel of my blog, I invite you to read some of my other posts!

Don’t Imitate!

Being honest is closely related to being yourself. You don’t need to imitate others nor try to repeat other formulas; you will quickly end up losing the truth and purpose of your blog! You have to be transparent with your readers and make sure they build trust in your opinions, as much as in the truth of your content. 

The internet is polluted with scammers that will offer followers income, magical success, etc. It might work for a while, but the safest road to take is that of genuine creativity. Don’t fake it! Make it happen!

Don’t Invent

What I’m about to say won’t apply if the goal of your blog is to create stories (tales or blog posts that are innovative). However, it can be easy to invent stories or want to create suspense. But faking or click bating will only work for a time. You might get a few followers, people might stay for a while, but false titles, fake suspense, will only bring disappointment with time. 

A friend of mine is an author and has already published many books. She started writing her first novel on an old iPhone with a broken glass. She tried presenting it to publishers and was refused more than once. She finally succeeded in getting her first novel published without changing her style, but simply by perfecting it. She is now a prolific writer here in Quebec and is presently working on other novels. 

That same friend managed to secure quite a following on Facebook. Her readers have become avid for her stories with her 9-year-old daughter. I mean, you only need to read a few of her experiences to fall in love with the stories of her charming daughter. I was amazed and couldn’t help sharing them with friends and family. At a certain point, I asked her if she invented those stories … because there were frankly too many. She told me that they were all genuinely true and added: “You’d have a lot of stories to tell if you paid attention to everything that happens in a day! Many parents have just as many stories with their kids; they don’t write them down and end up forgetting. The difference is that I write them all and share them with others!” 

Be the Master of Your Content! 

That is true in more ways than one! Being mindful of our journey and of those simple, yet special moments in our everyday lives can seem banal, but when shared genuinely, they can attract many readers. Be on top of your content, don’t let the content dominate you! Choose wisely what to share, but always chose with honesty and respect for your readers. 

Think of the film Marley and Me! Isn’t that the story of a columnist who was failing at his job and attracting fewer readers? He then gets a dog. He starts sharing the stories with his dog and people go wild for his columns. Same thing for other known writers and columnists. Be honest, genuinely sharing insights of your daily life, thoughts, struggles, desires, etc. People will love you for who you are!

Be Mindful!

In my last post (link here), I insisted on the importance of meditation. Mindfulness is closely related and as important. Being mindful is the capacity to live the present moment and not let your mind wander in the future or suffer in the past. Being mindful is such an important part of your ability to find genuine content for your readers. Needless to travel the world to find the content, you don’t need kids either. A book, an article, a conversation, etc. can trigger a world of thoughts and reflections that you could probably share with others.

There Are Already Too Many People Giving Answers!

That is right! There are too many people giving answers. What if you provoked reflection? Be different! Be you! I’m an eternal truth seeker … What is true for me today might not work tomorrow. What I experience tomorrow may also change my vision and understanding of certain issues. So I might as well share my journey in discovering these new understandings, rather than sharing answers that will not provide satisfaction.

That’s who I am … subscribe to my blog … you’ll see for yourself!