Why Writing the First Blog Post is So Hard

I’ve been blogging for a few years now, but it seams no matter how much momentum I build during the process of launching a new blog, the first post never fails to stop me in my tracks and bring the whole process to a halt.

So, what is it about the first blog post that’s so hard?

If you’re like me, you probably find yourself approaching the first post as if it were the beginning of a story — you feel the need to give the reader the details of what’s to come by creating the setting, the characters, and the problems they need to overcome, because you think if the reader isn’t immediately interested they won’t be interested in your story … or the content and voice in the blogger’s case.

The problem with both this approach is simple — you’re not always going to know what is to come.

I publish a handful of blogs that populate different genres, so I’ve been able to experiment with a few approaches — I’d like to share two that worked for me in hope that they might work for you as well.

Write a Broad Overview

I found this most fitting for my personal blog because it enabled me to speak my mind freely and transparently without the pressure of summing it all up and promising the reader a certain style, post schedule, or content focus.

I was able to present the truth and not worry that the reader wouldn’t be interested.

I don’t think this would go over to well if attempting to include this approach on a non-personal blog, such as crackerjackblogging.com — the reader would likely frown in confusion and leave when reading “I don’t know what the focus will be here, how often we’ll be posting, or what you’ll get out of it as a reader.”

You might also want to include a picture, a link to your about page, and various other links that will help you reach your goals — they might include building an email subscriber base, a feed following, twitter following, or even a fan base on Facebook.

Write a Post Providing Value

I found this approach useful when launching one of my larger projects – ScribblePlay.com, a place to write — because I felt the readers I was writing for would be more inclined to return if I could provide the value they wanted right off the bat.

The readers wouldn’t be hooked had I merely made projections and promises in an overview-style post — in other words, I think it would have been a bit of a waste of a post. So, I opted to write a post I thought the readers in the writing community would have found helpful. You’ll also be able to see this approach at work right here at crackerjackblogging — again, I’ve opted to attempt providing some bit of value other bloggers might find helpful instead of the broad overview.

Did it work? Are you interested in returning to the blog for more? Are you interested in subscribing?

Not only did this enable me to skip the awkward introduction, but it also enabled me to focus on creating value for the reader, which is the overall goal no matter what niche you’re blogging in.

This is just my experience though — there is no right or wrong when it comes to blogging.

How Do You Approach the First Blog Post?

Do you have your own approach to writing the first post? I’d love to hear what you find works, what doesn’t work, and any tips you might be able to offer.