Just Keep Writing: Why Nothing Else Matters
I read a lot of blogs and I talk to a lot of bloggers and one thing that always comes up, in conversation or just mentioned on social media and Facebook groups is changing blog name, changing theme or tweaking their header.
There are things on a blog that will make or break it – some names an easily be outgrown – like my old Redhead Babyled, a name I didn’t think about at all before I chose it. A theme can get bogged down and sluggish and difficult to navigate. Header images can date, with many bloggers now opting for simple text headers for more longevity.
But, if your blog name is fine, your theme is fine and your header works – why keep changing things? Why keep tweaking? Instead, that time could be used elsewhere, to do that ever growing to-do list or to create more content. To write posts that you love to write about, things you want to share and add photos that really illustrate your writing and help readers engage with your posts.
If a blog is hard to read, slow to load, and never has a photo on it then I would, personally, find it hard to read no matter how amazing the content is. But, on the other hand, your blog may look amazing and be really slick and professional but if it’s full of fluff and nothing of substance then I would find it hard to find something worth reading.
Blogging has always been about writing and I always stress to people that if they have something to write about – start a blog. But, that blog doesn’t have to be the most professional looking blog to have dedicated readers – it just has to have posts that say something – and that people love to read.
So, make your blog a space you are happy with. Find a theme that works and then focus on the writing. You may want to change your header every few months or change your colour scheme but if you find that you’re tweaking your blog every week then maybe your efforts could be better used elsewhere.
Some of my favourite blogs – Going on an Adventure, Mummy Adventure, The Brick Castle, Twinderelmo – have had the same theme and branding for literally years and whether they are the right theme for them, and whether they are happy with them or not – they work. They’re easy to read and they are perfectly fine for the majority of readers. Brands work with them, people read what they write and they just keep writing.
If it isn’t broke – don’t fix it and instead focus on the writing. If you’re new to blogging – get a theme that works, at least for now – and write. Then, a few months in, a year in, whenever, make the theme something that you love and then just keep writing. Nothing else really matters.
Totally agree – especially with keeping things simple 🙂 that said, I just changed my template ha ha! But it was the first time in 4 years 🙂 x x
I couldn’t agree more with you! I don’t often change things. I made a few tweaks last year (thanks for the critique!) and I’m happy to just spend that time working on content, social media, engaging with people etc. I do what I enjoy and I don’t worry so much about the rest. Maybe I’d be more successful if I did but I’m pretty happy!
I agree, I’ve changed mine about three times in nearly five years and I won’t be doing it again for a while, although I do need a new profile picture but I keep putting that off! A few friends of mine have started blogging and I pretty much told them the same as this, as long as the theme is easy to navigate just get on with the writing, I think that’s what people want to see, to get to know the blogger! xx
Thank you for mentioning me and saying such lovely things! Every now and again I think “I should probably change that”, and then don’t get round to it 😀
I did make the background smaller and lighter, but that is it. I don’t think I have enough time to actually write as it is! 😀
Its so easy to get caught up in all the other stuff and then completely forget why you started blogging – to use your voice! Thanks for the reminder. x
You see I get really bored with looking at the same screen and then I know that I need to change it up a bit but that wouldn’t be more often than every few years and no major changes. I think people need to know that they’re coming to the same space, probably partly why they follow a certain blog. I always say to people – write good content and people will come back. They won’t come back for a pretty header! xx
That is so true! x
I love this, you’re so right. I spent ages feeling that my blog design wasn’t quite right but now I’m happy with it so it can stay. I do find it easier to just get on and write now I’m happy with the blog design. That said, as a reader I just like things that don’t take ages to load and that I enjoy reading. I only read the blogs I like and I definitely read for the words rather than the aesthetics.
Nat.x
I agree with this. Until you’ve been blogging a while, you never know what you want or what your readers want, so just write then change down the line when you’ve seen other blogs that have the bits you like them wise.
I changed my theme a couple of years ago, but I can’t be bothered to go through it again. It works for me, it’s not the fastest, but it’s faster than some others I read, and I like the way I have it. I want to spend my time writing (and doing the courses I paid for last year and never got round to doing!)