Scared To Start A Blog? Here’s How To Overcome and Get Started!


Congratulations! You are interested in starting a blog and that is really exciting! I know there can be a lot of fear and doubt surrounding getting started on your blogging journey. As someone who has been blogging for nearly a decade (since 2012), I can tell you that putting in the hard work and sticking with it really is worth off it and pays off - both monetarily and in other ways! 


The blogging world can feel really big and overwhelming because at this point there is just so much information out there on the topic. If you don’t want to go the journey alone, I would love to help you out! Just today I launched personalized coaching calls! I can help you get started, grow, shift gears, get monetized and more - wherever you are on your journey, let me help fast track your success. Right now I am offering my services at a very introductory price, so don’t wait! Interested or want to learn more? Just send me a DM on Instagram or shoot me an email (sugarspiceandsparkle [at] gmail [dot] com) with the subject line COACHING.


I often get questions about blogging/Instagram/YouTube so I wanted to find a way to help! I know the biggest hurdle is getting started, so I asked my friends on Instagram what was holding them back from beginning their blogging/influencing journey. I know this will be helpful for many so I decided to turn my responses into a blog post that will live on longer than a 24hr story slide. Let’s dive in!


I don’t know where to begin!

There can definitely be a lot of overwhelm when you’re thinking about blogging and social media. I experience it every day. You just have to start with baby steps. Try to complete one task that will move you towards your goal each day. 


The first step is coming up with your why. What is it that you are wanting to share with the world? Once you figure that out, move on to the work of actually setting up your blog site. All of these are things I can help with, it is very hard to speak generally on these things without getting into the nitty gritty of it all!



I don’t know what to blog about.

Here’s the cold hard truth about blogging - it is not as easy as it looks. I think it can look easy at times, you just share your life and that’s it, right? Nope! A lot of time and intention goes into what I share - on here, my Instagram, my YouTube... it’s a lot, but if you love it it doesn’t feel like work! 


My point is that no one knows what to blog about on a whim - you have to sit down and allow yourself the time to brainstorm ideas, research others in the same niche, think through possible content ideas, etc. 


Every one of you has one, probably more, gifts to share with the world! You just have to hone in on it and figure out the best format to present yourself on! You got this!



I don’t know what topic to talk about first. 

Ah the multi-passionate dilemma! Some people don’t have an idea while others have too many, either way can delay the start of the process. I definitely feel this - I’ve been a craft blogger, fashion blogger, wedding blogger, mommy blogger, small business owner, vlogger... I feel like I have tried it all. And honestly that is my downfall in some ways. The best thing you can do is niche down. Just pick a topic and run with it, it should be specific but with enough depth to give you enough content ideas. 


If you focus all your content on one area, you will be seen as a subject matter expert, and your audience will always think of you when they need help with toddler meals, homeschooling, affordable fashion, or whatever niche it is that you choose. 


A lot of blogging is trial and error, so whatever you pick doesn’t have to stick forever necessarily. Just get started or you will never know what you’ll enjoy blogging about most!



I’m a private person, I’m scared to put myself out there.

I totally get this. Even though I have been doing this for many many years, I still struggle with putting myself out there! Look at the Instagram reel I posted yesterday - that was not easy to share! But you have to keep up with the times or you’ll get left behind. The only constant is change. The hardest part is getting started and you grow from there!


In terms of privacy, you don’t have to blog about your life! There are about 10 million other topics you could share about that don’t include your personal life. But even if you are more interested in lifestyle blogging, you don’t have to share every single thing. If I share 10 stories throughout the day, that equates to 2.5 minutes of my day. I think you guys would be surprised how much of my life is NOT on Instagram. Of course my goal here is to keep it real, so I try to share a mix of everything, but there are plenty of things that are my/my family’s personal business that do not get shared.


I’m worried about sharing my house and my spouse’s job.

Do you mean your location or the look of your house? Location is easy to keep private - just never show the outside of your house, your neighborhood, etc. The look - have y’all seen my house? It is a disaster zone 24/7! And any time it looks put together, that just means I shoved the mess aside. Trust me that is one of those things that you may worry a lot about but no one else will even notice. We are our own worst critics!


Like I said above - you don’t have to share everything! None of y’all know what my husband does, do you? That is intentional. You never knew where I worked before becoming a SAHM... also intentional. Obviously all of YOU are not the ones I want to hide from - its the creeps and trolls (which honestly I don’t experience many of) so I just have to keep some things under wraps for privacy reasons. You can still share vulnerable content without sharing every single thing in your life. 



I’m camera shy (specific to Instagram/YouTube) and struggle with analysis paralysis.


I totally get this! But remember we are our hardest critics. I feel awkward talking to my phone too, but as the viewer you probably (hopefully) don’t sit there thinking “Omg she is so awkward! What a weirdo she’s just home with her kids talking to her phone! Ew I hate the sound of her voice.” Do you guys think that? I’m gonna go with no since you’re still here - and if you do think that well then you just skip to the next story and your day moves on and I’m forgotten. Sounds harsh but it’s true.


Our negative self-talk is way harsher than 99% of the actual people who will see your content!


As for analysis paralysis, I feel that too! My best advice is just START. No one knows what they’re doing on day one. You learn as you go! Look back at my old blog posts #cringe! But they got me to where I am today. It is a process!



Content creation is harder than I expected. 

Yes, it is not easy! I kind of love when people realize this because I always hear “Oh I wish I could just get stuff for free” or “Oh just snap a pic and people pay you?!” LOL!! No, there is more to it than that.


The good news is that while it isn’t easy, it is doable! Seriously! I truly believe anyone who is willing to put in the work can do this. For content creation it really helps a lot if you have a plan. Batching content helps a lot too if you don’t have much time to create! This is definitely something I can work with you on and help you to create a content calendar.


Pinterest and following accounts you admire helps with inspiration too! You never want to copy someone of course, and always give credit where credit is due, but gaining inspiration and seeing what else is out there that people are liking is super helpful to your own creative process. 



What if no one reads my blog?

You’ll never know until you try! It does take time to grow a following (and anyone who tells you otherwise is cheating the system). But if you create valuable content and market it well, people will find you! 


That said, I would plan to blog on a topic you’re passionate about and enjoy writing about because growing an audience is a journey. So if you’re only in it for the numbers its going to be a tough ride. Pinterest and SEO are great ways to get your content out there without having any following!



So what is holding you back? Feel free to reach out and I can help shift your mindset! I’m here to help you not only with the steps to take but also to cheer you on! I can’t wait to read your blog :) 


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