My Blogging Journey: 2 years into blogging, the highs, the lows and all the glitter!

My Blogging Journey: 2 years into blogging, the highs, the lows and all the glitter!

Caution: A long, emotional yet interesting blog ahead! 😉

The blog has been a blessing to me and I never ever thought in the wildest of my dreams that hitting the publish button would make me so happy! Yes, every time I write something here, for you guys, it’s a different feeling. See, even now I am smiling like an idiot while typing this! I do not have the same face when I am working on other projects or at the office! (Sorry Boss!)

It has been around two years into starting ideasthroughwords.com, starting from scratch, not knowing a thing about blogging or about the technical aspect to now completing over 130 articles that reach thousands and, I am assuming HAS made you guys smile! 😊 Since the blog took off successfully, people have been asking questions to me about blogging. My friends, friend’s friends, my friend’s friend’s friend have asked me about the blog (not a hyperbole), then there are acquaintances, my relatives, and I still am making my parents understand about the concept. Also, a few of you have mailed me asking about the blog. I finally have something to share and probably even help some of you to start your blogging journeys in the process!

So, let’s just directly move towards the most requested questions, shall we?

Why did I start the blog?

Because I wanted to! It was suffocating to not explore my creative side, and I just wanted to pour out. I remember talking to a close friend of mine about how I want a platform where I can be me and write what I want to. I am a professional Content Writer and Editor. Also, I have been teaching school kids (and later college students) since I was in 8^th Grade. So, it feels that I have been working all my life! As a content writer, you work for many clients, cater to their needs and requirements. You have to write what they want you to write and address to their needs. You cannot be childish, crack lame jokes in your clients’ content, right? 😛 I always had this thing in me that okay but what about the things that I want to share? So, with teary eyes, I was vomiting my feelings before this person. Then I researched a bit (no, a loooot) to learn and discover WordPress, BlogSpot and a few other options.

Like how I put in my ‘About Me’ page: This blog and my writings have rendered wings to my expressions. I love to connect with positive souls on social media and get out of my introvert cocoon! Here I get to express my ideas-through-words and share all the joy with you all, my kindred spirits!

Selecting the niche?

Writing about lifestyle was not a plan but I happened to fall into this niche. I am not a fashion enthusiast but like every girl, I like to look good. I love books and I own a lot of them (My Instagram is full of it!) I am spiritual, a personal growth junkie, and am constantly thinking about growth and related stuff. I am a yoga and meditation lover and choose to live life the healthy way! Hence, this niche. 😊 People told me to narrow down and focus on just one thing, but I am multi-passionate and that’s how I like it! I may start a new blog with a narrowed subject but here, it’s gonna be like this!

PRO TIP: If you plan to start your blog, please choose a subject on which you can write at least 100 articles about. It should not be like you get bored the mid-way. Listen to everyone but do what you feel is right for you and is sustainable in the long run.

Some other important questions…

How can I start my blog?

Just start. There is no need of some Mahurat my love! If you want to check the Mahurat though, you can go ahead with that too! Research about the platform you want to start your blog on like WordPress or Blogger or WIX among others. While there are many platforms, I chose WordPress as my CMS (Content Management System) because it was easy, and most preferred for blogging. Select your niche and boom! You can go with the free version or purchase a domain name. If it’s just a hobby blog, you can go with the free version that provides you a platform with something.wordpress.com/in or something.blogspot.in/com. In the paid version you get something.com, something.in which looks a lot more appealing and professional.

Some light upon the domain name and the hosting:

This is a very important aspect which no one told me about. But, I will tell you because you are my favorite 😀 I have seen a few websites crashing and having been into damages that are hard to repair. One of my friend’s website crashed because it could not handle the extra traffic it got for two days! I was horrified and decided to invest in the best. I was okay about the costing as I had my full-time job to support me and did not expect this little one to feed me bread.

I found out Bluehost to be one of the most preferred hosting platforms. I purchased my domain and hosting both from Bluehost. Yes, websites like Godaddy and others have much cheaper plans, but they also have horrible stories! Bluehost may seem costly in the beginning because you just investing without any returns in the initial days, but it is the best choice. They provide 24/7 chat service which has helped me so many times. After sale service is a must! For two years, for all the issues I turned to bluehost, they were so helpful and co-operative! They offer some free stuff from time to time and keep mailing insightful updates.

Domain is the unique name you choose for your website and hosting is like a little space you buy on rent on this world wide web!

What should my first blog be about?

Anything that is so much of you! What this means is write about anything that interests you. You can also just introduce yourself and your blog in the first article. It can just talk about how you are planning to take things ahead. Again, there is no rule my love! Choose whatever you are comfortable sharing. If you don’t want to introduce, that’s okay also. Start with any interesting topic from your niche and have 2-3 blogs into the backup.

Love and Hate emails/comments:

I remember earlier I used to be so nervous, scared and anxious altogether before posting something but now, I am super chill. With time, it will be fine with you as well! I get emails from all kinds of people, some people appreciate, some people criticize, there are some suggestions and all sorts of things. I have got a mail from Sri Lanka, a little girl, she said how much she likes reading the content. She poured her heart in the mail and I got all emotional! 😊 Then I have a random person mailing to me and saying ‘Tu Pagal Ho Gayi Hai’ for no apparent reason! 😀 SO….#Variety!

Only you can decide what you want to focus on, right?

The highs and the lows!

During my blogging journey, I met some incredible people, celebrities, authors and spoke to hundreds of new and interesting personalities. I attended events, was invited to book meets and so many fun things which I never knew were even possible! I traveled and broke a lot of barriers on the personal level. Just learned so many new things! This was the good part. Talking about the lows, I came to know who my real friends are, who actually liked seeing me grow and who did not. Another thing is the content block, it is terrible when you don’t know what to do next. And, I don’t even want to start about the technical difficulties I faced. Damn, I have cried so much! One day I would wake up and see that the blog is not opening and there’s some error, so much and so on. There’s SEO, there’s email list, there is the analytics, back end, pop-up, theme structure and so much to take care of! Phew! It used to drive me insane initially, there have been times when have I lost my sleep over some random technical issues that the blog was facing.

But, the important thing is we survived, not just survived, we thrived 🙂 2 plus years and many more successful years to come! One request, keep coming back! :*

I am grateful to everyone who has been a constant support. Thank you for coming here, supporting the madness, mailing me, and sharing the posts, and everything that you do! I so thankful to you! 🙂 Like I said, you make all my hard work and extra hours seem worthy! Keep the suggestions coming…can’t wait to hear from you!

Now, do let me know did you find this article about my blogging journey useful? Comment below and let me know 🙂 Also, did I miss anything? Do you want to know anything else regarding blogging? Please hit me a mail and I will get back. You can subscribe to the blog for regular updates (I will be regular now :P)

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