Greetings and Salutations, blog readers.

And an extra special shout out to those of you who are here nearly every day, or even every day. You guys rock. And to you, this blog is dedicated.

Why?

Because this blog is all about what blogging everyday has taught me.

This started in Preptober, prepping for NaNoWriMo and then Blogmas right after, Bloggers try to post a blog every day in October to prepare…which I did, without knowing Preptober was even a thing, which is kind of neat, I suppose.

So I wrote tons during October, and even more during November, then rolled right on into Blogmas with excitement, and I blogged every single day that month.

Since that time, I have posted at least one blog, nearly every day, minus a few breaks I gave myself….but here’s the thing…

I fucking hated those breaks.

Couldn’t stand em.

I did write, mind you, during this time, but I didn’t blog, and I missed it. I missed seeing the pings on my blog when viewer read or liked it, but I also missed the schedule of it, the process, the idea of growth, every day.

I missed the blog posts going up, I missed catching up on other blogs when I landed on the homepage, which happens every time I go to schedule a blog, some brilliant blogger catches my attention and I read their latest before posting my next one.

I missed it, so, I started just doing it every day, I write at least one blog, and I post at least one blog…and doing that for a while has given me some lessons too.

Time management, which is something I always work on, has had to be managed, and finding a way to balance daily writing and editing demands with a full time job and such has been a good exercise in time management and balance.

I have also really been finding it fun to not only pre-write some blogs, but to schedule them out, in advance.

Doing this has allowed me to view the process more like a programming for a show or channel, with overall themes and ideas, and a general flow to the blog. Rather than a collection of random topics and reviews, there is a flow present, a mix of not only styles of blogs and type of content, but also a cohesive nature to the blogs going up, despite differences.

Sure, a common theme is zombies, but this week I managed to schedule out some blogs, and have a theme of how I am dealing with a recent betrayal, along with some zombie content, and it really flowed together nicely. It left me with a good amount of space to also consider how to move forward with the blog, and to plan where it was going.

I LOVE being able to plan out like that, and really anticipate what will go onto the blog, not flying by the seat of my pants, but scheduled, organized, order.

Rather then struggling to get a new blog up in time, I could focus on the next couple I have been making notes on, because I had four blogs, the next four days, accounted for. This gave me time to put together ideas, but also not feel like I was in a mad rush to try and “crank out” the blogs. No, instead of cranking them out, I was able to focus on the next line up in the abbigrasso.com programming that is this particular “station” or “channel”…

I am sure this is something real, proper bloggers learn all about, but for me, this is a more organic lesson, because it came from life, from actually blogging every single day.

I am now one year into my blogging journey, and the lessons learned can sure, be written down and taught, but, the bulk of them must be lived…even the silly ones.

You have to pay attention to your cover art, you have to keep an eye on your edits, it is wise to write blogs ahead of time, blahblahblah.

You don’t need the million “How to make money blogging” articles and blogs online to tell you what you will learn if you simply sit down and do the damn thing. You will learn the lessons all by yourself, and you will learn it in a way that means something to you, not some stranger charging 1,000 dollars for an E-Course in blogging.

What you do need is a dedication to your craft and ownership of it.

Months ago, a year ago, it would be hard for me to brag about my blog and today I gladly will, even though it isn’t the prettiest or most popular…but it has so much of me, and my writing in it. This little ole blog has so much of my life, so soul, my work, and none of the lessons I have learned from this blog would mean anything if I hadn’t learned them myself from doing it.

Art is kind of like that though, I think. You have to do the thing to know the thing.

Other lessons I learned from blogging everyday were that just because during the big blogging months you had plenty of readers and views, doesn’t mean you will have those readers the rest of the year.

Related to this lesson is the following: You may blog everyday but people don’t always read everyday. Sad but true.

ALSO related to BOTH of these lessons, however, is the bigger one:

It really doesn’t matter if they find it and read it. You wrote it. THAT is enough.

I also learned that a list I keep adding blog topic ideas to is a great thing to have, and if you cross those items off as you finish them, you should make new lists. The items that aren’t getting written after our rewrites, should either be not done at all, or be rethought, because obviously you aren’t wanting to write it for some reason.

Lesson number…whatever number I am on is….

Journal before you write.

This little tip I will be doing a longer blog on, but for now I will say if you are having trouble writing or maybe your writing hasn’t felt good in a while…just journal a bit first.

Back up your work.

Edit often.

Don’t put off illustrating the blog posts you have in drafts.

Keep a photo list of photos you need to create or find.

Put content on other sites to direct people to your writing. Surprisingly, some people are just weirdly impressed by dedicated writers, and WILL actually support you morally…but they need to know you are doing it.

I will be doing a post with the artwork from this blog to bring awareness to the fact that I do this, and I will likely do a TikTok too. There IS something to be said for doing the content marketing for yourself, and that something is this: If you are willing to work hard for your characters to create them, shouldn’t you also do some goofy stuff to get the characters their proper audience? They deserve it, and so do you. Also, doing something OTHER than the thing you have been doing can give your brain bit of a refresh. I was exhausted mentally, so I went and did something mindless, (Made two TikToks) and then I got this huge burst of energy I was able to grab a hold of, and here I am, writing later than I should be awake, but finishing another blog.

A blog I am actually excited to put up onto the blog page.

Which is another lesson from blogging everyday.

Sure, you love all your blogs, all your writing is so special…but when you actually write and post everyday, you realize not everything you write is perfect, and that’s okay.

Because in that place you learn what you are really good at and what you really enjoy creating, and that is the creative space in which your true voice, and also your true spirit, can come through.

And when you find what excites you, you can focus on making more of that stuff, and putting out even better writing. Write what makes you happy, what excites you, what you are proud to share.

The writing can also distract from your life, in a good or bad way. If you have been following this past week or so, you know I have been going through a bit of stuff, and I have been leaning hard into my art. The distraction has been most welcomed. Sometimes you may think life is too stressful or unbearable to create, but I promise you, that is the time you should try. Even if it is just for you. Follow the rule from above and journal before you create, and it will be easier. But create. It will help you. Don’t turn away from your art in times of troubles, embrace it.

My final lesson (for now) is this.

Blogging everyday is super addictive, no matter how tricky and hard it is. Now I want to post two a day.

So, proceed with caution, you may end up loving what you are doing.

Thanks for reading!

❤️

Abbi