Learning to blog better -- 5 tips for the aspiring blogger

Last week I attended a day-long workshop put on by School House Craft, a Seattle outfit that teaches artists and crafters how to make a business out of their passion. I loved hearing from seasoned bloggers and meeting my fellow crafters. The snacks were terrific, too. 

I left feeling 5 years younger and much hipper. Here are 5 lessons I learned. 


1) Get personal -- but not too personal. Let your personality shine through and share relevant stories from your own life. But don't publicize your address or kids' faces. I shared a more than usual in my recent post about reading a Hardy Boys story with my friend's 9-year-old son. (I included a photo of him, but he's in disguise.)

Personal enough for you?

2) Use Social Media wisely. I have a Facebook page for my business, but until this workshop, it was like a houseplant forgotten in the corner, droopy and starved for attention. I've started posting updates daily and asked some of my FB friends to like the page. I still have a long way to go, but I'm starting to understand what goes on FB and what goes on the blog. But no way am I ready for Twitter! And Insta-what?

The new cover for my business's Facebook Page. Retro but cool.

3) Be real. I learned that many successful bloggers (who make a living off their blog) contract with companies and ad networks to write about specific products or topics. These are called "sponsored posts." 

The advice here was to only endorse things you really, truly believe in. I don't know if sponsored posts make sense for my blog -- upcycling is, by its nature, kind of anti-capitalist. Maybe I could write for some anarchists from my home town? (Just kidding!)

Eugene anarchist?

4) Spread the love. Read other people's blogs and comment when you have something to say. Or at least share the link on your own Facebook page. Here's some love for other bloggers at the workshop:

• Rake and Make -- Lily is a former roller derby gal who writes about gardening, cooking, and crafting. I love her logo and her honest writing. She wrote about the blogging workshop here.
• Craft Hoard -- Jenn is an artist and mother. I love her fun and wry attitude. Her art is beautiful, too. 
• Kate Hailey -- She's a professional photographer, so most of her posts are about cameras and technical stuff. I just admire her gorgeous photos.

5) Be visual. Good photographs can make a blog compelling (see Kate's blog above). Bad ones -- or worse, no photos, just walls of text -- are like a bad smell at a restaurant. You won't go back.

A nice photo

I'll try to keep these lessons in mind in future blogs. Feel free to tell me what you'd like to see here.