I am delighted to host the below guest post by Margaux of Margaux’s Pen, http://margo187.wordpress.com/. I always enjoy reading Margaux’s “word of the day” together with her short stories.

This week I also hoped to be hosting a guest post by Jade Reyner,author of “12 Days the Beginning”. However this will now appear next week due to me requiring assistance to upload the photographs kindly provided by Jade to accompany her post.

Five Reasons to Start Blogging

A little less than a year ago, I started blogging. At first, I was cautious about the new endeavor – posting sparsely, sharing photos like I would on Instagram,

and a few short observational pieces. With time, I started posting more, following more interesting people, reading their post, and interacting with them.

I didn’t realize, until later, however, how much blogging has helped me in my writing journey. So, if you are a writer, a professional in any field, an

amateur, or a mere hobbyist, and you haven’t sunk your teeth into the blogging world, yet, here are five reasons why you should.

It’s Good Practice

One of the most important advantages of blogging is that it provides a medium for practice. Don’t underestimate the power of an extra 100 written words

a day. The more you write, the better you get at writing. Use blogging as an excuse to write more. Remember: Practice makes perfect!

Also, if you’re writing a book, articles, any other form of prose, or poetry, blogging can help you take your mind off the work. It sets you free, as it

allows you to write about anything you have in mind; it makes you practice being concise – and if you love to ramble on your own blog, who’s to judge;

and it alleviates the stress accompanied with the foreseen critique of an editor.

Professionals, amateurs and hobbyists can benefit from practice, just as well as writers. Talking about your products, interests, services… can improve

your marketing skills and, probably, even point out some marketing errors.

It Helps you Build an Audience

We all know that building a customer base is the main step in selling. Whether you are marketing a book, a product, a service, or yourself, blogging can

be a great way to do it. Blogging takes away the official feel between the writer and the reader; because of that, the reader becomes more connected and

thus is more inclined to listen to what the writer has to say.

This is especially true when the blogger is someone who is well known in his or her community. With a few words posted on a blog the readers feel that they

have received a customized message, and, thereby, feel more connected to the messenger. Besides, it’s free publicity! Building a loyal customer base is

incremental for increasing your profits. Bloggers, especially the ones who connect with their followers, can build a strong and potentially loyal audience.

It Surrounds you with the Right People

We all know that the people we surround ourselves with have a great impact on how we behave, on our decisions, and , therefore, the course of our lives.

Connecting with people of the same interests – whether writing, reading, fitness, politics, or collecting Happy Meal toys – is a major step toward achieving

your goals.

For instance, I feel obliged to learn new words, habitually, because I want to add new words to the Word of the Day section on my blog. For the same reason,

I feel compelled to finish reading new books – for the Bookworm section of my blog. Reading more and learning new words has not only given me topics to

blog about, it has also made me a better writer.

Giving your audience something to look forward to, gives you a new task to accomplish. Who’s to say social media can’t make us productive?

It’s Lucrative

Although, your personal blog may not generate revenues on its own – unless you have thousands of followers and interesting products to sell; there are ways

blogging can make you money. Many companies hire freelance bloggers to generate posts for them. In spite of the fact that not all bloggers are highly paid,

giving professional blogging a swirl could add a few bucks into your pocket at the end of the month.

Most companies may hire you to write about specific topics: like their products and services, or the industry in which they operate. Find a company which

operates in a medium you’re interested in; and if they need a blogger, Chiching!

Of course, keep in mind, that most blogging jobs require high speed and productivity. Some of the prolific bloggers generate over 50 posts a month. If you

feel you’re not up to the job, don’t take the unnecessary risk.

It’s Fun

Say what you want about blogging, but I think one of the best things about it is that it’s fun. I, personally, love to meet people from different walks

of life, diverse backgrounds, and opposite perspectives.

Blogging is a medium of self-expression. You can talk about anything you want, and reveal your true self. The more you reveal your true self, the better

you blog, and the better your followers will like you.

So there you have it, the five reasons you need to start blogging more – starting today. What in your opinion are the best things about blogging?

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