How do I stay creative, consistent, and motivated to blog?

When you work full time, attend graduate school, and have a
blog as a side hustle, it can be challenging to stay creative, consistent, and
motivated. I’ve been juggling all three professions (graduate student,
aerospace project manager, and blogger) for the last two years. Originally, I
thought I would cut back on blogging. But in reality, I actually became more
dedicated to my blog Emma’s Edition.

So, how do I stay creative, consistent, and motivated to blog?

I get this question at least every other week. So I wanted to give a shout out to Natalie @nataliemariee09 and Amber @amberplaster for sending this question in! I sat down last night to think about why I haven’t given up on blogging, social media, and the online community I’ve built.

I started my blog in 2014 in my senior year of college. I knew I was going to either work in aerospace or the consumer package goods industry so I wanted a creative outlet. I wanted a space where I could share my outfits, trends to watch out for, and fashion tips.

Over the years I realized that I could help others not just with fashion, but also aspiring bloggers and influencers out there learn how to pose like a fashion blogger and where to find the most Instagram worthy places in Portland or Seattle. The last 5 years have been an incredible blogging journey and I’ve found that I get more excited about each year.

Here are the 5 reasons that help me creative, consistent, and motivated to blog:

Reason #1: Creating
content is so much FUN.

My day job as project manager at Boeing feels like work.
While I do enjoy working with people and implementing new projects and technologies,
my job definitely feels like work. Additionally, graduate school feels like
school. Homework feels like homework. And midterms feel like midterms.

Blogging doesn’t feel like work or feel like school. Blogging
for me is fun. I love taking photos with Holly and Karya. I love
styling outfits and playing dress up. I love finding new places to take photos
at and thinking about new ways and angles to create a unique shot.

When something like blogging feels like fun, it doesn’t feel
like a challenge to stay consistent and motivated to blog. I continue to create
content because it’s my idea of having fun.

Reason #2: I’ve set
clear blogging goals for myself and I’m working towards them.

I know that I’m goal oriented. I also know that I’m
motivated to achieve and grow. I love to work towards learning new skills and
goals because it’s fun for me.

At the beginning of this year, I set a goal to drive 30,000
page views a month to Emma’s Edition. I hit that goal in March. So I set a new
goal to drive 50,000 page views a month before the end of 2019. I’ve really
enjoyed setting new blogging goals and figuring out how to get to those goals.
While I’ve had times where I’ve been frustrated with my growth, I know it’s all
a part of the journey.

Blog Tip:

Have you taken the time to set annual, quarterly, or monthly goals? When you define the finish line, you know what steps you need to take to get there. You’ll be way more motivated to blog if you’re feeling like you know what you’re working towards.  

Reason #3: Writing
has always been a passion of mine.

People are usually shocked when I tell them I’m writing 2 blog posts a week and posting on Instagram every day.

But writing for me has been a passion of mine since high
school. I write to reflect. I write to escape. I write to teach. I write
poetry. If I didn’t blog, I’d would still write. Writing doesn’t feel like a
chore. Sometimes writing can feel like work – especially if I’m working on
a brand collaboration. But for the most part, I don’t fear or dread the writing
process, I embrace it.

Blog Tip:

Reflect on your passions and incorporate them into your blog, Youtube, or side hustle. If writing feels like a chore, maybe you should choose a different medium like podcasting or videos. If creating videos sounds like work, maybe you should choose writing and blogging.

I see too many people talk about how much they dread writing
but are trying to push themselves into a blog. You don’t have to create a blog
if it doesn’t feel write for you!

Reason #4:  I enjoy teaching and coaching others.

Being an older sister is a part of who I am. I grew up
thinking about how I could help or lead my little sister and I know this has
impacted my perspective and teaching style. I find myself sharing life lessons
and experiences in hopes of helping others figure their paths out.

I do this not only on the blog but also in real life. I listen and share my perspective and advice to people I meet at conferences, at coffee meet ups, with friends and of course, my little sister. I like being helpful to others, being able to provide tips, and share a new perspective. I would teach and coach even if I didn’t have a blog.

Reason #5: I write
down all my ideas and I’m always brainstorming.

Would you be surprised if I told you that I have 10-12 blog post ideas for May? I wrote down my ideas for May in the middle of April. While I haven’t written all of the posts, I’ve outlined a few them. I’ll outline and type out the rest as the month goes on.

I’m able to stay consistent motivated to blog because I
always have a list of ideas to pull from. I always have a list of ideas
to pull from because I’m always brainstorming. And if I’m
not brainstorming and an idea pops in my head, I make sure to write it down in
my notes folder in my phone.

Blog Tip:

If you’re trying to be more consistent, I’d recommend scheduling time to brainstorm at least once a week. If you need to find inspiration, make a Pinterest board, ask your followers on Instagram what they want to see next, or watch a TED video for new ideas. Write down all of your ideas and don’t cross any out. If there’s an idea that excites you, you should write about it!

Personally, I had the idea to create How to Pose with Flowers in my head a full month before Holly and I actually shot these photos. I was so excited to write this blog post!

There you have it friends! How do you stay creative, consistent, and motivated to blog?

Thank you for reading!

Love,

Emma

Photos: Karya Schanilec