Top tips for blogging about mental well-being

Slideshow 8 on Biteable.

Last week we hosted our ‘Blogging about mental well-being’ workshop in Glasgow.  Our participants came from a wide range of backgrounds, with some attending on behalf of their organisation and others wishing to write in a personal capacity. It was great to hear from Community Correspondent Emma Goodlad  about the impact of blogging on her own well-being and, impressively, everyone  managed to make a start on their very own blog article during the session! Here are the top tips which this fantastic group came up with:

Just start writing…when you start you may find you have loads to say!

This is the hardest part but you will find that putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard actually generates ideas.  You might not use every single thing you write but you will have something to work with.

Done is better than perfect

Blogging is a very personal form of communication and people will visit your blog, not because the writing is pristine, but because they want to hear your own take on the world.  Indeed, one of our participants described blogging as ‘your inner voice in print’!

Self reflection can be helpful or unhelpful…share what is ‘safe’ for you

The appeal of blogs generally tend to be the human aspect.  However, this doesn’t mean that you have to share beyond a level with which you are comfortable.  Use your instincts and establish your own boundaries. Some people even choose to blog anonymously.

If you feel like nobody is listening, take it to the internet!

Providing useful content for a particular audience is important,  but the personal benefits can be just as significant! Many people blog because ‘putting something out there’ is a therapeutic way of expressing themselves.

Write about what motivates or inspires you

Your blog will only be engaging if you are  passionate about your subject matter, whether it is about a news article of global importance or something funny that happened on the bus this morning!

You can embed Youtube links in your blog

Yes, you can use videos, slides or infographics to share additional information.  This can be very useful if you have lots of information to share but don’t necessarily want readers to have to sift through a long article.

Blog about things other people have done!

If there is an article you found really interesting or a project which you find inspiring why not write about it from your own perspective?  Buidling connections can be an important part of blogging, so referencing and linking to other people’s blogs or social media platforms can build community and help you reach a wider audience.

Try to be consistent but don’t put yourself under pressure

Posting regularly can help you build a readership for your blog.  Having a regular deadline might be important if routine and structure are important for your own wellbeing.  However, it is not the end of the world if you don’t post for a while. Life happens! Or perhaps you prefer to blog only when the mood takes you.  That is perfectly fine – it is your blog to do as you please with!

Don’t let the technical stuff be a barrier

You might be struggling to decide on the best blogging platform and how to use all of the features it comes with.     However, it is better to choose the platform you feel most comfortable with, and learn as you go than to not start at all!

, , ,

No comments yet.

Leave a Reply