When I started blogging, I had a very different idea of what it would be like.

The truth is, blogging isn’t always what others perceive it to be, and is a lot more complicated than it seems.

If you’ve been blogging for a long time now, you’d probably agree with a lot of these myths. If you’re thinking about beginning a blog or are new to the blogging community, then you’ve come to the right place!

1. Myth: Blogging is Easy

Blogging, at least for your first time, is far from easy. Most beginner bloggers (including myself) will begin to realize after a month or two that there are a lot more things we need to pay attention to than we thought.

Blogging isn’t just creating a post, publishing it, and watching the views appear. There are so many little things that we have to keep in mind when we work on our blogs.

Keeping from Accidentally Stealing Images

When I first began blogging, I assumed that we could just take an image off the internet and use it for our featured image. I’ve now realized that this is far from the truth. We need to pay attention to everything we post and make sure we’re not accidentally stealing somebody else’s art, work, or photos. A way to avoid this is by using websites that allow photographers to upload free images that can be used by anyone.

Creating a Nice-Looking Website

Though WordPress gives us easy access to free templates for websites, changing them to suite our own style can be difficult. When I first began blogging, I went through so many different website designs until I settled on the one I use now. Be ready to spend hours deciding how you want your blog to look before you actually get started (though you can always change it later, too).

Coming Up With A Name

Coming up with a name took me way to long to decide on. It’s a difficult process, especially if you’re not sure what you want your niche to be just yet. I assure you though, if you take a little time to wait, a good name will pop up in your head eventually.

Constantly Thinking of New Ideas for Posts

Constantly Thinking of New Ideas for Posts: When I first began blogging, I had so many ideas for what to write about. But after a few months, these ideas were used up, and I had to spend more time thinking of new ones. This caused me to go through a slump where I didn’t feel like blogging any more, even though I was passionate about it. I felt like I didn’t have anything worth sharing. Now, however, I’m able to think of ideas quickly and easily. All it takes is practice, and letting your creativity fly free. I even have to carry a pen and paper with me wherever I go, because who knows when inspiration will strike!

2. Myth: An Audience is Gained Quickly

The truth is, growing an audience for your blog takes a lot of time. And by a lot of time, I mean a lot of time.

When beginning your blog, I recommend only doing it because you’re passionate about it for the first little while. This will let you get used to the feeling of blogging.

If, right off the bat, you want to be a famous blogger after 4 blog posts, then I’m apologize but that’s rarely ever a possibility.

Instead, you should first get to know other people in the blogging community and make yourself noticed by doing kind things like reading other people’s blogs in your niche and leaving helpful comments. Try guest posting as well, and take advantage of other social medias to make your blog more well-known.

Viewers don’t just appear, you have to make them. You may make great content, but what good is it if you never find ways to share it with others?

Be willing to put in time and effort. Even though there may be points where you want to give up, it’ll all be worth it in the long run.

3. Myth: You Don’t Need to do Research Before Starting A Blog

I’m a little bit of a freak when it comes to researching topics I’m interested in, and when I first began blogging I spent hours upon hours of searching random information about creating and running a blog.

At the time, I thought that I was just being silly, and that all the research was unnecessary, but now I’m so happy that I took the time to plan in advance and understand how blogging works.

There’s so much useful information from skilled people out there on the internet, and I recommend searching some questions you have about blogging if you need advice.

4. Myth: The Blogging Community is Competitive

Though extremely professional blogs may be competitive with each other, the blogging community is surprisingly welcoming!

It’s a little scary to publish your first ever blog post, but it’s so nice to hear all of the feedback on what you’ve written!

Almost every blogger I’ve met has been friendly, and the kindness people have shown me is what helps me feel more confident in my work.

It’s fun to be surrounded by supportive people and people in your niche, and there are so many amazing bloggers out there! When you start blogging, be sure to explore other peoples’ websites, too. Not only will you gain knowledge from their posts, but you might even meet a new friend, as well!

Photo by Kaitlyn Baker on Unsplash