Week One: The First Post

Hello to the world of blogging.
This is my first ever blog, so I hope you'll be patient with me this semester as I learn the ropes of this new tool I have at my finger tips. *smiles*

As I've never blogged before, I struggled with the first task. I don't have any tips from experience with blogging, and so I sought some help from other websites. I stumbled across one brilliant site "www.dailyblogtips.com", and so my 5 tips for blogging have come from this website, and common sense.

The tips:
1. Outline
Like writing an essay, or any other piece of work, an outline to kick things off helps. Even planning your outline in your head will do (but if your like me you're better off writing it down). The outline is something I use to direct my thoughts, and keep to the point. I like to think that it also helps increase the chances of actually writing something readable (one can hope).

2. Relax
It never helps to stress. You get flustered, and have a mental block. If you relax when you're finding things a little difficult, then you're probably doing your mind and body a world of good. There's nothing more frustrating than getting a stress headache when you're trying to finish your work. If times are stressful then take a break and come back to it in 10 minutes time. That break is often quite refreshing for your brain, so let it reboot and do what it needs to do.

3. Redirect your thoughts
When you're frustrated, stumped and can't think of how to write something, try to think of questions to ask yourself to provoke different answers. Going over questions which you don't know the answer to will usually increase your frustration. Take a break and re-approach your work from another angle.

4. Be Consistent
This is one I think I'll struggle with, but by being consistent you can train yourself to write and work better. Yes, breaks help, and I believe a well timed break can often be better for you than 'plugging' through but you don't want to drop the ball either.

5. Proofread
Don't you hate it when you write an essay, hand it in, and then realise all the mistakes you've made? Luckily blogging allows you to edit your work, but a good proofread before you publish is always wise if you want to avoid that embarrassment.


I hope those 5 tips help (thanks dailyblogtips.com).

~ Veronica