I’d say probably so, but your blog doesn’t have to be about writing. Having a blog demonstrates your writing skills, but that doesn’t mean your blog needs to be writing-related. I believe this blog compliments the write-from-home.com website nicely, but if I didn’t run a website for writers I wouldn’t have a “writing blog” per se.
Lots of writers do maintain writing blogs, and they succeed doing it, but with all the other writing blogs on the net, you’d better offer something really special if you expect to get a lot of regular visitors. So, if not writing, what SHOULD freelance writers blog about?
Start a blog on whatever it is you’d like to get paid to write. Want to be a travel writer? Start a travel blog. Want to write on parenting topics? Blog about parenting. Dying to be a food writer? Begin a food blog. Why?
1. When you’re first starting out as a freelance writer, you’ll need to demonstrate to editors or employers that you’re able to write well on your chosen subject. Being able to point to your blog and say “I blog about (whatever subject) at (this address)” makes you look a little more like you mean business than if you don’t have any sample work to show.
2. Blogging jobs are becoming more popular. Why not cash in on a growing market? One of the best ways to break into blogging for someone else is to blog for yourself first. Maintaining your own blog shows those hiring for blogging jobs that you’re capable of blogging and dedicated to the process.
3. A blog gives you daily writing practice. Before I started blogging, I did very little unpaid writing. Aside from the occasional personal creative writing project, I wasn’t sitting around writing just for the sake of writing. If I wasn’t earning a paycheck, I wasn’t picking up the pen — or, rather, the keyboard. Blogging gives writers a reason to write, which means more potential inspiration for paid projects, as well as good practice.
Thinking of starting your own blog?
You might be wondering which blogging platform to choose. Should you choose WordPress.com or Blogger, TypePad or LiveJournal, or should you go another way? Personally, I recommend Blogger, especially if you’re on a budget and/or aren’t tech-savvy. If you’re curious about the benefits of Blogger (in my opinion), feel free to read my post Why Blogger is the Best Blogging Platform for Beginners over at Performancing.
