[runsonmagic]

I've been toying with the idea of starting a blog.

It's just an idea at this point - I haven't yet committed to it, because I know doing it right will require time - but the idea alone is spinning all sorts of questions through my mind. Should I blog under my real name or a pseudonym? Should I go general or pick a specific focus? Should I do video blogs or podcasting? Should I get someone else to edit or proofread for me? What's the end goal, and what can I do to set myself up for that from the start?

Since this forum is home to a lot of excellent bloggers, I'm curious what advice you'd give to someone starting the process you've already gone down. What did you wish you'd known before starting a blog? What advice would you have for someone starting now?

Edit: And before someone posts them, I have read The Private Man and Roosh's advice, and Matt Forney's book on Online Hustling.

[Beyond Borders]

An epic resource that will cover a lot of the questions you likely have and many you've never thought of:

The Advanced Guide to Content Marketing

[Private Man]

I'm flattered that you read my advice. Blogging ain't for the faint of heart. Do consider writing for Return of Kings as a way to practice and develop your writing voice.

[Andy_B]

There are basically two strategies you can follow:

1. Write really edgy articles (like Matt Forney's "female self esteem" piece) that get people mad and send tons of traffic your way.

2. Guest post on other blogs. This tends to work better for blue-pillers though because it only really works if you can get your article onto a big corporate site, the traffic from even decent sized blogs tends to be minimal at best.

[Teedub]

Sorry to not be of much help, but I read Roosh's advice and for the first time noticed this:

[OMYG]

I'm on the same boat as you OP, can't quite figure out if to make it general or find a specific niche. Nonetheless i want it to include red pill knowledge, game and so on.
Thanks for this thread the responses cleared some fog.

[delicioustacos]

(12-28-2013 09:33 PM)runsonmagic Wrote:  

Should I blog under my real name or a pseudonym?

Start with a pseudonym and see how it goes. Once you're out you can't go back.

(12-28-2013 09:33 PM)runsonmagic Wrote:  

Should I go general or pick a specific focus?

What I did was write a bunch before starting a blog. Then you start with a backlog of material. You will know what subjects move you to write well.

Write every day for six months. Try general shit, try specific shit. You will find yourself unexpectedly passionate about some topics. Unexpectedly bored by others. You'll have started to find your voice basically. Pick your theme around whatever your best shit is.

(12-28-2013 09:33 PM)runsonmagic Wrote:  

Should I do video blogs or podcasting?

I'm a million times more likely to read a post by someone new than fire up his podcast. Many great videos and podcasts out there, not much great writing. But no reason not to try both.

(12-28-2013 09:33 PM)runsonmagic Wrote:  

Should I get someone else to edit or proofread for me?

I wouldn't. Just let your new shit sit for a day and then look at it with new eyes. You'll see where the work needs to be done.

(12-28-2013 09:33 PM)runsonmagic Wrote:  

What's the end goal, and what can I do to set myself up for that from the start?

Five pieces of groupie pussy. Couple hundred manosphere dudes thinking you're a stud. Couple hundred social justice twats thinking you're a rapist. The unique thrill of refreshing your stats bar like a lab rat with an implant in the pleasure center of its brain.

No money. But-- a little ass, a little fun, a little therapy. Not bad for a hobby.

(12-28-2013 09:33 PM)runsonmagic Wrote:  

What did you wish you'd known before starting a blog?

Write shorter sentences.

[Frost]

Go for it. Whatever else happens or doesn't happen, the act of writing regularly is great for your self-awareness, "idea muscle" and of course, your ability to write effectively.

I agree with all of DT's answers except that I think the market for Red Pill video content is wide open right now. Personally, I'm also more likely to read a blog than watch a clip, but most people prefer video to words on a page. You can rail against the dumbing down of America or you can ride the wave.

Don't expect to make very much money. Don't expect to make any money at first.

Best advice I can offer for blogging/writing in general is to be conscious of who your imagined audience is. Pick a reader, real or imagined, and write your posts with him in mind. You'll always be writing "for" someone, there's no escaping it, so just be sure to choose who you're writing for. In my case it's generally an amalgam of my younger self and my younger brother.

Ignore negative comments, emails, tweets, etc. The world is full of bitter people who just want to bring others down. Ironically, the people who don't like your writing and are worthy of respect, will usually just ignore you.

[K Galt]

I saw this thread awhile ago, but didn't have the time to log in and respond...

Anyhow, for any would be blogger, I'll pass on some good advice from an old time veteran of the blogosphere, the now dearly departed Rob Fedders of No Ma'am.

I reposted the advice at my blog: http://hawaiianlibertarian.blogspot.com/...ition.html

Quote:

If you do start your own blog, here is a quick tip: don't publish all of your articles all at once. What I mean is, lots of guys start up a blog, get really excited about it, and crank out one or two articles a day - every day, and then find that within two weeks they are burnt out. What you need to do is make a post every three days or so when you first start out (later, after you are established, an article a week will keep the hits rolling in).

So, when you have all that energy at the beginning, go ahead an write your articles, but schedule them accordingly by spacing them out. You will be glad you did, I promise. It will also give you the luxury of not being under the gun to write something simply to keep your blog running, and thus, you will find that if you are writing two weeks ahead of publication, your articles will be of much higher quality.

Also, keep in mind that when you first start your blog, your hits will be minimal, no matter how many articles you write. So don't blow your brains out over articles that hardly anyone will read. Your goal should be to provide something every few days so that people will know to keep checking in, and thus, you will begin to get exposure by others linking to you.

Be sure to link to others, especially those that link to you. I check my stat-counter almost every day, and if I see that a new blog has linked to me, it will automatically get linked in my blogroll. I want them to get exposure, and further, the more exposure they get, the more I will get in return!

I'll add this piece of advice from my own perspective...when you first start out your blog, and you want to get viewers by posting comments at other people's blogs, I personally believe that you should avoid being a "hitwhore" and not just drop a comment with a link to your blog, l see this kind of thing all the time:

"Good post, I blogged about it here! *inserts hyperlink to own blog*"

This is a form of conversational narcissism and represents bad form in my book.

If you go to a "bigger" blog, at least contribute meaningful commentary to the dialogue going on in addition to linking back to your blog.

That's my $.02.