Going through a hard divorce takes a toe on us on so many levels. We feel physically tired and mentally and creatively drained. If we decide to just go with the flow and let things happen without our control, we may never find a way out of this state of body and mind. However, we need to be strong and find the energy within us to get back on our feet and regain control over our lives. One of the best ways to do this is to start a new hobby. Blogging is a beautiful, creative form of writing which can be such a breath of fresh air after a hard, tiring divorce. If you’re curious to find out more about starting a personal blog after divorce, make sure to read the tips provided below.
Here’s what you need to know about starting a personal blog after divorce.
Choose Your Blog Topic
You may feel like there’s nothing you could write about, but the truth is, you can write about anything you want.
You just have to ensure that your passionate about the topic that you’ve chosen.
If you have a passion for anything, don’t be afraid to share it with others. Your content will find its audience so don’t just go for it!
You can write about:
- cooking
- music
- hair & makeup
- books
- animals
- gardening
- travel
- divorce
You name it!
If you love it, your readers will love it as well.
Choose a Blog Name
Now that you know what you’re going to be writing about, it’s time to choose a name for your blog.
You want the name of your blog to sound appealing and entertaining, but to give potential readers a hint about the content.
For example, if you’re choosing to write about traveling, you don’t have to name your blog something like “Traveling with Sonia”. You can omit the word traveling, but use other words to help the readers guess what the blog is about.
For instance, the words “globetrotter”, “world”, “exploring”, “destination” all shed light on your blog’s topic.
Check Your Domain
Before you land on a name, you need to check domain availability online and see if the name is not already taken.
Remember, if the name of your blog is going to be “Sonia Wandering the World”, the domain you’re going to check is soniawanderingtheworld.com or .org.
If the domain name is available, it’s time for the next big step.
Or, if you don’t want to buy a domain name there are free blogging platforms you can take advantage of. You can check out WordPress.com or Blogger.com if you don’t want to incur the expense of owning a domain name.
Setting Up Your Blog After Divorce
Now we’ve come to a more technical part, which most bloggers-to-be find intimidating and scary. However, we’ll guide you through the process and help you learn about getting your blog online easily and without much fuss.
There are two things you’ll need in order to get your blog up and running:
- Blog Hosting
- Blogging Platform
Let’s break it down and see what it’s all about.
The WordPress platform is currently the most widely used and most popular blogging software out there. However, there are two types of WordPress you need to learn about, and make a choice which one to go for:
- org
This is a self-hosted version. You have to pay for hosting and a subdomain. You have more control but need to choose the right plugins and extensions on your own. - com
You have free hosting. You are limited in plugins and extensions, as well as customization options. You get a subdomain assigned in the form of myblog.wordpress.com.
If you do go with the first version, most people recommend using BlueHost or Godaddy as your blog host, since they offer good deals. They also:
- register your blog name for you
- install your WordPress blogging software
- have a 24/7 customer service available
They have different plans for different customers, and you might as well start with their basic $2.95 a month plan for beginners.
Once you chose a host and install WordPress, your blog will be set up and ready for customization.
Customizing Your Blog
It’s time to choose what your blog is going to look like, what colors are going to be predominant and how your readers will feel once they open it.
The easiest way to customize your blog, when you’re a beginner, is to choose one of the Themes WordPress is offering, and you already have installed.
What are themes?
Themes are pre-designed layouts of your blog, which change the design of the entire blog in just a few clicks.
In other words, by using one of the themes, you’re going for a design made by others, but you don’t have to struggle with customizing the blog yourself. Go to the Appearance tab, choose a theme and activate it.
It’s that simple.
You can also find and install other free themes, and explore more options. Go to Add New, choose your filters such as colors and layout, and see what you get as a result. Once you find what you like, just click Install.
Themes are definitely the simplest and fastest way to customize your bog and give it a fantastic look with o trouble at all. You can go to more in-depth customization once you gain more experience and have a more clear vision of your blog’s appearance.
Writing Blog Posts
Now that the technical part is finally over, it’s time for us to review the blog post writing process, and see what the best way to do it is.
You’ve already chosen a blog topic, and now you need an idea for your first ever blog post.
Before even starting to write you need to define your audience in terms of:
- age
- sex
- interests
- cultural background
- location
If you want to ensure people are going to read it make sure it’s:
- something currently trending
- entertaining
- informative and valuable for the reader
- offering a unique point of view
- engaging
Once you have an idea what to write about, start
- outlining
- a catchy headline
- a simple and easy-to-read structure
- an introduction, body, and a conclusion
- bullet points and lists to help the reader
Now that your outline is ready, start
- expanding
- write whole paragraphs
- review your ideas
- link paragraphs together
This will take you to your initial draft. It’s best if you let it rest for a day, come back to it tomorrow and make the additional changes.
Once you know you’re satisfied with the content, make sure you check its accuracy using a tool like Grammarly.
In case you need a bit of help with writing your first blog post, go to Trust My Paper for assistance.
Once you finish writing, all you have to do is publish your post, share it on social media and with friends and family and see what happens.
Final Thoughts
Starting your own personal blog after divorce is a great idea. It will help you regain your creativity, motivation, and self-confidence. You’ll be able to enjoy the time you spend alone more and feel inspired each new morning.
Melanie Sovann, born in 1990 in the greater LA area, is a seasoned writer and blogger, passionate about a broad spectrum of topics, ranging from technology to sociology. She is an avid contributor at 3to5marketing.com, a blog that has amassed a sizable following over the years. www.3to5marketing.com
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