Confessions of a Six Figure Professional Blogger

Confessions of a Rookie Blogger

March 3, 2009 | Blogging, Feature

This is a guest post submitted by a budding blogger and he shares what he has learned so far.

It’s 6:30 a.m., just had my first cup of coffee, black. My mind is racing. It is filled to the brim with flagship content waiting to pour onto my computer screen. I type for seven hours, no break. I feel exhilarated. I produce 15 amazing blog posts. All Flagship content. Has this ever happened to you?

NYPT---im_infant blogger Of course not. It may happen after years of blogging, but I doubt it. Blogging is wonderful, hard work. What a sense of accomplishment when you get one right.

I am a rookie blogger, but I’ve learned from the finest, most generous group of bloggers on the Internet. It’s there for you to absorb, if you take the time to follow, listen and learn. You can blog.

Here’s 5 things I’ve learned from the bloggers I’ve  followed for one year before launching my blog:

Passion.

You better have it for the subject you’re writing about. Your reader will feel it. If it’s not there, she’ll go to one of the other 80 million blogs.  You can’t fake passion. It’s like a bolt of electricity comes through your computer screen. It yells out, I care about adding value to your life. I thought about my post, changed ideas, wrote and re-wrote it before I pressed the “publish” button. It’s the best I can do. I’m still worried it’s not good enough for my readers.

Practice, Practice, Practice.

Did you get behind the wheel of your first car and win the Indy 500? Did you start for UCONN at point guard the first time you played basketball? Probably not. Why do you think you can place your fingers on a keyboard and publish a blog?

The second lesson I learned was to start the process by reading other blogs. Join discussion groups. Get a feel for the ebb and flow of a conversation. Once you start feeling comfortable, begin posting comments on blogs. It takes courage to put your ideas out there. Can’t learn to swim by reading about swimming. Post comments on the famous blogs, and the not so famous blogs. Post ‘em on your bathroom wall until you learn how to write the way you speak. Your high school English teacher will roll her eyes, but it’s how you blog.

Be Nice.

I once asked a defense lawyer who I frequently came up against in court, how he was able to be so nice in the courtroom during a trial. Outside the courtroom, he wasn’t very nice. He shared with me that when he woke up on the morning of a trial, he smiled at his wife the second his eyes opened. He went into the bathroom to shower and shave and smiled in the mirror. He smiled at the gas station attendant filling his car with gas on the way to court. He said good morning to everyone he passed on the way to the courthouse. This guy had to practice being nice. It worked. The jury loved him.

As a rookie, when you think you have the skill to write something funny, be careful. The written word doesn’t come across the way the spoken word does. Instead of being funny, be nice. You earn the right to be irreverent, after you grow a reputation for being nice.

Blog frequently.

One post a week on a new blog isn’t going to do it. Even if you have a cold, blog. Your tired because you stayed up late watching Sunday Night Football, too bad. Write a blog post. Don’t mail it in. Work on it. When you were growing up, which parent corrected your English papers? Make sure your blog post passes the parent test. If Mom would send you back upstairs to re-write your blog post, don’t click the publish button.

Understand the difference between listening to your readers and hearing what they care about.

You can pretend to listen, but you can’t pretend to hear what someone says. Big difference. It’s what your readers care about hearing from you, not what you feel like blogging about on that day. Stick to your message, and the theme of your blog. If your blogging for a group of lawyers, don’t talk about math. We can’t do it, and we don’t care. That’s why accountants and adding machines were invented.

Know your audience and deliver what they want to hear from you.

My next post is about all the mistakes I made. But, I had the courage to try stuff. How about you? What’s the best lesson you learned from your blog mentor?

Lawrence Berezin . I’m an attorney, entrepreneur, and focused on all aspects of marketing. I’m passionate about my wonderful wife and children, law, my new business, blogging, copy writing, web site design, and publishing. I love learning about new stuff.

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  • Well said, Alex.

    Are you on Twitter and/or Facebook? If yes, how do you find the interactions?
  • Blogging is such a wonderful medium for connecting with others. I love keeping in touch with bloggers, it makes the world of the internet a little less isolated!
    Alex
  • Lawrence, if I wake up at 4 in the morning, it usually means I'm not going back to sleep,so I slip into the studio and work on something. I usually have several projects going at once.

    If I wake up enough to write something down and I do go back to sleep, I generally will have woken up enough for whatever it is to make sense.

    My mind is always clicking away. Unfortunately, it tends to move faster than my fingers, so sometimes I don't even get a chance to write anything coherent down. I find the most potent ideas come back, though.

    Hope that hellps.

    Jennifer Moore
    JenniferLynn Productions, LLC
  • Jennifer,

    I couldn't have said it better. Great advice. My only problem is when I wake up at 4 a.m. with a big hairy idea and write it on a piece of paper, it usually makes no sense the next day.

    Has the 4 a.m. demon ever changed your words around after you fall back to sleep?

    Thanks for sharing!
  • @Lawrence: Another thing I wanted to say about building posts: My ideas also inevitably come to me when I'm not sitting at my keyboard or when I am just unable to make that post right then. I'm big on writing things out by hand, so I carry a journal just about everywhere with me. Untimely ideas go into it, and I work on them later.

    This applies not just to my blog, but to photos, books, stories, articles, paintings, hand crafted items--anything I will need to "make later" gets written down in my Holy Journal for later reference.

    If you don't carry one or keep one by your bed, I recommmend it. It's been very helpful to me.
  • There is so much good stuff here I don't know where to start!

    Lawrence, great post. As my blog is only a part of my business, there's not much to it right now. Currently, I use it to post updates about my doings and to promote other artists (of all types.) Every once in a while, I throw in my own insights on being an artist and a Creative in general. I have not found my "flow," but I definitely have the passion.

    @Sharron: Oh, my goodness. Your comment about procrastination hit me right between the eyes. I needed to read it, because I'm a procrastinator. The idea of success is scary, and I'm trying to bust through that barrier. Thank you! ;)

    So many of you have posted such great thoughts! I have a ton of blogs to visit now. Thanks for the education and isights!

    Jennifer Moore
    JenniferLynn Productions, LLC
  • Lee,

    Thanks so much for your kind words. Love the young lady to your left. There were many days when my post fell in the forest and no one was there to say it created any buzz. That's the life of a rookie blogger, or any blogger.

    I had the most fantastic week with my rookie blogger post. David's group was just wonderful. I thought I died and went to bloggers heaven. Guess who I met in bloggers heaven. You'd be shocked. That's for another post.

    I love the way you related Pink Floyd to blogging. Fun and thought provoking. What a great combination.

    I'm looking forward to continuing the conversation. My next rookie blogger post will be about some of my mistakes (it would take 3 posts to cover all of them). I hope allows some young blogger to avoid a couple of mis-steps.

    Thanks, again.
  • An excellent, honest post. It's amazing the challenges bloggers face when starting a new blogging venture. I'm glad to see so many comments on this post - looks like you've inpired quite a few people!
  • Marlene
    Simply not ready yet - but working on it. I'll let you know when I'm in the pool.

    Thanks for your interest. You will always have people wanting to converse with you.
  • Thank you Johnny. Your comment means a lot to me.

    I remember how nervous I was as a young attorney waiting to be assigned out to trial. Those hours leading up to the trial were killers. Once the trial began, it was exhilarating.

    How do we know when the time is right to start blogging? There is no judge to say, "Counselor call your first witness". I hope Marlene will share her experience with us.
  • It was an amazing post in the spirit of the words and message. Thanks again - regardless of grammar! But Marlene is diligent!
  • Marlene,

    Thank you for your kind words and thoughtful comment. I especially appreciate your help with my "construction". My Mom says, thanks. Blogging is great, but the joy is participating in a conversation with nice, passionate people.

    I'm not going to let you off the hook...yet. Why haven't you jumped in? What's keeping you out of the pool? Your experience will be helpful to us all.
  • Marlene
    Hi Lawrence,

    I'm one of those people who hasn't jumped in....yet. Very much appreciated your post, and subsequent comments. You have that delightful ability to laugh at yourself and put people at ease. The comments you elicit show that this draws the best out of people.

    The stand-out comment you made in your post, for me, was "It's what your readers care about hearing from you, not what you feel like blogging on that day." Can't help feeling relationships of all kinds would benefit from remembering that.

    I'm not quite old enough to be your mother, 'tho I have a few years on you, but since it's obviously a while since you ran things past her, I thought I'd fill in for her on this occasion. It's "whom I frequently came up against in court", and "you're tired", "you're blogging". Corrections made in the spirit of further improving an excellent product - just like would have been the case with your mother.

    Every good wish,

    Marlene
  • Molly,

    You absolutely made my week. I think our blogs are like our homes. Someone is kind enough to pay a visit, I want to learn about my guest, and treat her as a special person. There are so many people out there with so many wonderful insights and passions to share. I love learning and sharing those passions.

    I'm on twitter. When someone is kind enough to follow me, I always visit their twitter page and website. I think this is what social media is all about. That's one of the points I tried to make in my post. Be nice. It's a wonderful way to engage the generous, fascinating people we meet in cyberspace.

    Molly, I would love to visit your website/blog. The interaction between you and Matty is terrific. Please tell me where to click.

    Thanks you!
  • Oh no -- Molly, I think you may have typed in your URL incorrectly -- a "/" instead of a "." -- I had to adjust your URL to make sure to pay your site a visit!
  • Awesome comment Molly -- PS I'm on my way over to your site to leave you a comment now, just because you were on it!
  • Molly
    Mr. Berezin,
    As a new blogger I just found out THE best way to get someone like me to comment. Visit the sites of the people who comment and let them know you did by informative and insightful comments. IMO you personify a great blogger because you're a wonderful caring person.
    Now, if I can get someone to comment on my blog so I can emulate you... No, that's not a hint. I'm working on making my blog good enough so that I don't have to resort to underhand methods to get interaction. True interaction from musicians/bands who use the knowledge I share on my blog to forward their careers is my goal.
    Again, thank you for being you.
    David, hurry back, but don't forget to have Mr. Berezin guest again, please? :-)
    Molly
  • That would be seriously helpful. Associated Content is a good source, and I'd be curious to hear more opinions on that. Article Alley was an old one I used (not sure if they're still around), Article Basement, others... Or even if people have an opinion on article directory submissions for online marketing purposes in general -- that might be valuable information
  • Matty,

    Thanks, Matty. Hopefully, we'll hear about some more experiences about article directories.
  • Yeah. I think it always comes back to interesting, quality content, regardless of the site or the niche.

    I think I've had the best results from Ezine. They seem to take care of the material the best, it's a great front end for people looking for information, and the backend for writers is very intuitive. I'd be curious to hear others weigh in on the question, though.
  • Matty,

    Thanks for some valuable advice. Your message rings true about content being well written, helpful and informative, regardless of where you publish it. Any favorite article directories? Any advice about what kind of article directories to stay away from?

    Rookie bloggers can always benefit from someone with your experience. I've learned to ask...Thanks!
  • I've used article directories in the past before, and think they can be super valuable -- especially if your content is well-written and sticky, which usually means helpful and informative. People pick it up, post it to their sites and you end up with some highly valuable inbound links and new traffic from places you never directly could have gotten to.
  • Stuart,

    Thanks for sharing your insight. I absolutely agree that learning by your(my) mistakes is essential for your growth. I have the bruises to prove it.

    Loved your website. Your tag line is great, "the web through my eyes". You are true to your message. A lot of valuable content and resources about the Internet.

    I recently traveled to Chicago to visit my daughter and son-in-law. Had a ball.

    Have you had any experience with on line article directories you can share with us?
  • Great article for starting out on blogs. While you do have to jump into it to get started it is not a good idea to jump in without being actually prepared- being used to writing AND having a topic you can write about.

    It's easy to make mistakes but the trick is to learn from them and move on as you have clearly done.
  • Thank you very much for taking the time to visit my blog. Your advice is very helpful, especially your suggestion about building the post around the question. I may be too plugged in and stepping away may allow the space for the ideas to come.

    Thanks again!
  • Dave,

    I visited your blog. I am an avid fan of Steve Martin, and I absolutely agree on your take about his role in the Pink Panther movies. Peter Sellers is the only guy that makes me roar when he says, "Does you dog bite?"

    The quality in your blog shines through. I think all of us fear publishing a stale post, or running out of ideas. Here's some thoughts in response to your question:

    1. I agree with you about quality over quantify, but every post isn't going to launch 1000 ships.

    2. I generally come up with ideas for my posts when I'm away from my desk. I let the old(really old) right brain run around, and think about the world, my day, things I care about. When an idea starts taking shape, I try to put a different slant on it. Add some type of personal touch to the subject. My best ideas seem to come right before I fall asleep (4-5 times during the day)

    3. Engage your reader by building the post around a question. Much the same way you engaged me. Sometimes the comments and responding to the comments are more fun than the post

    4. Stay true to your message, but mix up the format. Sometimes surprising your readers keeps everyone on their toes.

    I hope this has been helpful. Enjoyed the question.
  • Thank you for sharing your insight. I wish this post was around when I started blogging. Though i'm over a year into my blog, I still consider myself new to blogging.

    The one thing I have difficulty w/ is blogging everyday. Even with the subjects I'm passionate about I find it hard to fill the space. Plus I'm concerned about quality over quantity. Any advice?
  • Amazing photographer, indeed. I should get some other photographers' work up on the site as well. I always forget that you may be (re-)introducing things to readers and helping out.

    I look forward to reading your blog too!
  • Matty,

    Thanks for joining the conversation with your thoughtful comment. I'm 60 and happy to find I still love to learn about new things.

    I visited your website and found the images compelling. I loved the photograph taken from David Wojnarowicz's 1977-79 series "Rimbaud in New York. Fascinating stuff.
  • I agree with the point about loving what you are talking about, or at the very least, loving the process of LEARNING about something you don't know that much about.
  • Sharron,

    Thanks so much for sharing your experience. I hear what you're saying about procrastination, which is a horrible affliction. What really resonates with me,though, is that you had the courage to jump in and learn to swim. Blogging makes us strong.

    Another point you make that hits home is balancing dry and serious with mirth and merriment. It's not easy. I love making people laugh and feel good about themselves. But, I've learned when you communicate in writing, you don't have the benefit of facial expressions and tone of voice. I read some of my deposition transcripts and want to cry. Law makes you strong, too.

    I have a sense from reading you comment, that you are well on your way to creating a special blog. I will be a fly on your blog wall. I look forward to learning about your passion.
  • P.S. Thanks for this guest-post. I found it most inspiring.I love the bit about the smiling lawyer. Perhaps I might give it a try: For a woman and a blogger I can be overly dry and serious. I must learn not to take myself so seriously: After all nobody else does. :-)
  • Whilst, as you say, you can't learn to swim by reading about it; if you had no choice but to learn how to swim - now - 'chances are you'd do it rather than drown. I threw myself in at the deep end. I didn't have a year to wait: That would only lead to procrastination in my case, and procrastinators are the nearest thing to success you'll find anywhere: It's just that they never actually make it.

    I took the plunge - and my first blogging efforts sucked big time. Experience in the face of need is a great teacher, and although I'm still nowhere near the top 100,000 , I'm getting there - With a little help from David Risley and others I must add. :-)
  • Matt,

    Thanks for your valuable comment. Passion, living and breathing your topic is definitely what it takes to blog. Once your writing inspires a conversation, there's no feeling like it.

    I visited your website. Love the design. A lot of useful information for small business people, like myself. I'll be back
  • My advice would be to make sure you really love what you are blogging about. You just won't be able to maintain the consistency necessary to be successful unless you live and breath your topic.

    Matt
  • Johnny,

    Thank you. One early mistake I made was not to ask questions of more experienced bloggers when I hit a roadblock. I learned it's o.k. to ask for help. I'm 60 years old, and was a little rusty in the ask for help department. Professional bloggers have such a generous spirit, and are very willing to share their time and knowledge.

    I visited your blog. Very interesting. I've learned some things about land value in Arizona, which makes me want to read more.
  • Great post. Always so encouraging to hear about others' beginnings.... Looking forward to learning from your mistakes, too.
  • Mike,

    Thanks for your kind words. Means a lot to me coming from a distinguished, experienced blogger It's been quite a journey gaining the courage to publish that "first post". I learned a lot from people like David and others.

    Looking forward to visiting your blog and joining the conversation.
  • Welcome aboard to the wonderful world of blogging Lawrence! Good guest post and I look forward to chatting with you "around the place"
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