Why You Should Always Write About What Inspires You

Not so long ago, I found myself in the depths of my worst ever blogging rut. It's a situation that most bloggers will be familiar with: I grew more and more reluctant to write and photograph, and became increasingly convinced that I wasn't good enough, creative enough or talented enough to be blogging at all.

The answer was of course a simple one... My concerns about "branding" and "fitting in" meant that I was rushing to hit publish on posts that didn't resonate with me. Instead of being excited to write and share my content, I was left feeling flat and drained, unable to think of a way forward.

If this is where you are now, today's post is just a friendly reminder that we all end up here. Blog for long enough and you are bound to hit a low; it's just part and parcel of being creative. To help get you moving forwards, here is my very best advice for finding the posts you love to write...

TAKE A STEP BACK

I ended up not blogging for around 3 months, but this lull ended up being exactly what I needed. Removed from the pressure of sticking to a schedule and meeting readers' expectations, I could clearly see that the problem was not that I was lazy or stupid: I was simply no longer in love with the content I was sharing.

By Her Mirror was a beauty blog at the time, and the step back gave me a chance to realise that beauty posts weren't the ones that satisfied me most. Lifestyle and photography pieces were the ones I was excited to share, and that felt authentically me. I realised that for By Her Mirror, this meant a shift in focus was needed; I said goodbye to beauty content and I haven't looked back.

Holly SuttonJanuary 14, 2016blogging, bloggers, writing, blogging breakthrough challengeComment

Author Interview: Ryan Casey

Ryan Casey is taking the publishing world by storm. But he’s still a normal Northern boy at heart.

Ryan Casey is good at giving advice

“Do you want a tip? Not a personal tip or a money tip, I can’t give those.” He takes his time and is thoughtful, searching for the words. “We’re our own harshest critic. It’s okay to think that everything we write isn't so good or that we’re wasting our time. If you really believe in something you should go for it.”

These are wise words coming from an author, fresh out of university. He’s comfortable, laid back and honest, making him seem like he’s been in this world for a lot longer than his 21 years. “I do everything an average 21 year old does. I hang out with friends, I get up late, I procrastinate, I drink. So probably everything I shouldn’t do really.”