I haven't set up my own blog yet, I'm stuck on a decision I have to make before I can really begin. How do I figure out what topic I should blog about? There seem to be blogs on pretty much every topic imaginable, so I know I could write about any topic, but how do I figure out what kinds of topics people would be interested in reading about? -Christopher
This is such a great question, Christopher, and one that many people have. Here’s my encouragement to you and anyone else who is considering starting a blog and wondering what topic would be good for them to choose as their focus:
Take out a sheet of paper or open up a blank page on your computer screen and answer these questions. There are no right or wrong answers. Just write exactly what comes to mind in answer to these — anything and everything you think of.
- What do you love?
- What are your interests?
- What are your hobbies?
- What words come to mind to describe you?
- What unique life perspective do you have?
- What could you talk about for hours and not get tired of?
After you’ve done this exercise, then wait a few days and take out another sheet of people or start a new page on your computer and ask a few close friends and/or family members to go through the questions with you giving their answers and input.
At the end of all of this, you should see some themes emerging and this should give you some direction for where to go with your blog.
One important note: I believe that the most successful bloggers are people who solve a problem, provide hope, and/or meet a need. When you are considering what you should focus on when you blog, make sure that you are seeking to do at least one of these things through your writing. If not, I encourage you to go back to the drawing board.
Here are a few things to consider:
1. You don’t have to pick just one topic.
While there is definitely a place for a very niche blog, I think it’s much easier to choose a focus for your blog that encompasses at least a few different topics.
This not only makes your blog more appealing to a wider audience, but it also provides you with more blogging options and it makes it less likely for you to run out of post ideas within a few months!
2. The best way to learn is to just start writing.
I’m a big fan of just jumping in and learning as you go. Yes, it’s good to have an idea in mind of where you’re headed for the first few months. And no, I don’t recommend publicly announcing your blog when you haven’t even written one post. However, don’t sit around and spend hours agonizing over a topic; just jump in and start writing posts.
Here’s the thing: it’s hard to really know what works best until you just get out there and try it. I would have never guessed that I would love writing on some of the topics I’m passionate about today. And I certainly would have never guessed that so many people would have been so wildly interested in certain topics. Had I sat and planned and brainstormed and mapped out and goal-set and analyzed and never just DONE SOMETHING, I wouldn’t have figured out what I loved to write about or what the market wanted.
So truly, just go for it. Start writing posts. Try different kinds of styles of posts. Experiment with different topic angles. Keep learning, keep tweaking, keep observing what’s hitting a nerve and what’s not. And then keep doing what works and let go of the things that don’t work.
3. It’s perfectly acceptable to change your focus down the road.
When I started my first blog, I would have never dreamed that I would someday be writing about intentional finance, intentional family, and intentional business. At the time, we were just trying to make ends meet financially, I had just had my first child, and I was trying to figure out how I could make enough money from home to keep our family afloat financially while allowing me to still be a stay-at-home mom.
I was not in a position to be blogging about intentional finances, family, or business because I had little to no life experience in those areas. In the beginning, I tried out a LOT of different topics. In fact, my blog was so eclectic that I really couldn’t tell you what the focus of it was.
I had a lot of learning to do and a lot of life to live. But honing and sharpening my writing and thinking skills by blogging about whatever I was passionate about that day was one of the best exercises for a budding blogger. Not only did I quickly discover how little I knew, I also discovered there were a lot of topics I shouldn’t be blogging on — because I had no life experience to bring to the table.
As I continued to experiment, I slowly learned things that worked, learned areas I was qualified to write on, and developed a better understanding of what kind of blogging focus was a good fit for me. It took me a few years, though, and lots of writing and trial and error to find that happy medium.
Pick some topics you think will be a good fit for you, jump out there and start writing about them, and keep learning and tweaking as you go. I’m cheering for your success!
What advice do the rest of you have for Christopher? If you’re a blogger, how did you choose the focus of your blog? I’d love to hear!
Thinking Of Starting a Blog?
Over the years, I've received many requests from folks asking for help and information on how to start a blog and how to make money blogging. I've written about this in past years, but I wanted to let you know that I recently put together a comprehensive page on How to Make Money Blogging with updated information and links. I encourage you to check it out here if you're interested in how to make money blogging.For those who already have established blogs and are looking for some encouragement and inspiration to take them to the next level, my good friend, Ruth, has opened up enrollment for her brand-new course called the Elite Blog Academy.
This course will guide you through the process of creating a successful blog and show you, step by step, exactly how to grow a loyal following, generate a sustainable income, and transform your passion into a profitable business. Find out more details here. If you're interested in purchasing, you can get $50 off by using coupon code IBLOG at checkout. Note: Course enrollment is only open through September 30, 2014.
photo credit; photo credit; photo credit
Thank you so much for your enthusiastic response to my first How I Saved Today post yesterday. I think this is going to be such a fun post to put together.
I’m going to try to get it this feature posted daily. However, I know you all will be patient and understanding if I don’t always get it done every single day. Because sometimes, well, life just happens and my best-laid blogging plans go out the window. 
I knew I could count on you all to give me great input on repairing glasses with missing screws. I should have just asked you before I tried to fix them myself! But alas, they are fixed and now I had a kit to fix them should a screw go missing again in the future.
That said, I’m hopeful maybe there will be fewer lost screws in my future, because I took the advice some of you left and secured my glasses screws with clear nail polish this morning. What a brilliant tip! And one that I would have never come up with on my own. Thank you, all!
How I Saved Today
I saved today by making some more homemade foaming hand soap. This is SO easy to do and a great way to cut down on hand soap costs.
I used a little dish liquid, water, and some Citrus Bliss essential oil for the hand soap today. For detailed instructions, see my post on How to Make Foaming Hand Soap.
How did YOU save today? Tell us in the comments!
Aldi
1 lb Butter – $3.49 (I about fell over when I saw this price; then I checked prices at Dillons and it was $5.49! I think I may have to cut back on baking this fall.) 
1 Cucumber – $0.69
1 pkg Grapes – $1.58
1 pkg Roma Tomatoes – $1.29
1 dozen Eggs – $0.88
Total with tax ($0.57): $8.59
Health Food Store
2 Grapefruit – $0.69 each
4 Navel Oranges – $0.49 each
1 Silver Hills Sprouted Grain Hot Dog Buns – Marked down to $0.99
Total with tax ($0.31): $4.64
Some friends kindly gave us all this organic meat as they had just ordered a 1/4 of a cow and wanted to share it with us. We have some of the nicest friends!
Dillons
1 Turkey Hill Ice Cream – $2.50, used $1/1 printable - $1.50 after coupon
1 gallon Milk – $3.09
2 Kroger Shredded Cheese – $1.67 each
1 Kroger Cottage Cheese – $2.29
1 Kroger Frozen Orange Juice – $1.59
1 Kroger Sour Cream – $1.69
2 Mission Soft Tortillas – $1 each (I will be freezing these, thanks to a reader’s tip last week!)
1 pkg Heritage Farms Chicken Thighs – Marked down to $3.29
2 Brawny Paper Towels – $1 each, used 2 $0.55/1 printable - $0.45 each after coupons
1 pkg Kroger Unbleached Flour – $1.79
1 Kroger Peanut Butter – $1.79
2 Kroger canned Pumpkin – $1 each
1 Kroger canned Tomatoes – $0.69
1 pkg Kroger Pudding – $0.59
1.09 lbs Bananas @ $0.59/lb – $0.64
1.30 lbs Broccoli @ $0.99/lb – $1.29
1 Romaine Lettuce – $0.99
2 Cantaloupe – $0.99 each
Total after coupons: $31.45
Total for all grocery items: $44.68
Menu Plan for this Week
Breakfasts
Cereal, Toast, Scrambled Eggs & Juice, Oatmeal, Banana Muffins & Fruit
Lunches
Leftovers, Tossed Salad, Baked Potatoes, Cheese Quesadillas, Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches
Dinners
Oven Fried Chicken, Freezer Biscuits, Steamed Broccoli, Tossed Salad
Sour Cream Enchiladas, Tortilla Chips, Steamed Peas, Cantaloupe
Lasagna Casserole, Pumpkin Crescent Rolls, Tossed Salad
Hamburger Vegetable Soup, Buttered Toasted Hot Dog Buns, Fruit Salad
Grilled Steak, 30 Minute Rolls, Tossed Salad, Sliced Oranges
French Toast, Scrambled Eggs, Cantaloupe
Out to eat
