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Before you begin to blog, it is a good idea to go look at some blogs that are out there in your area of expertise. Look at them with a critical eye and decide:

1. What do you like about the lay-out and design of the blog?

2. What would you do differently?

3. What makes their blog appeal to you?

4. What is it they have that makes you say, "Yuck!"

5. How do they present their information, ideas, etc?

Once you have a firm idea in your mind about what you dislike, form an opinion about what might work for you and your blog. Take into consideration what you will write about and what are the goals for your blog.

You will have to determine the size, structure and culture of your blog. All good blogs have a purpose...even if it is to discuss Aunt Marge's Apple Pie. So, carefully determine the focused purpose of your blog, what will be your passion that you will be able to write about over the long haul.

What will your blog accomplish?

What results are you looking to get?

Who is your audience?

Start by identifying your specific audience and the community of readers you want to appeal to and pull into your web log.

How will you determine your audience? What are their goals? What do they need to know? Figure out your target market and do a little research. Find how they like to read, what format, and then generate material that will engage them.

If you start with your audience in mind and write about topics they are interested in and use a layout that engages them, you can't help but hook them. Popularity is not a requirement for blogging successfully. Focused, pertinent content that is written with a specific audience in mind attracts readers.

Shannon Evans, senior editor and owner of http://www.mywritingmentor.com lives with her best friend Rick on Bainbridge Island in the Puget Sound just a "ferry ride from Seattle." She maintains two blogs: http://www.authormarketingtools.wordpress.com
http://www.mywritingmentor.wordpress.com

She works with her two Labrador assistant editors, Mocha and Luke, and her feline copy edit assistants, Caesar and Yoda. Shannon is widely recognized as one of the top writing coaches for non-fiction authors. With over 17 years editing for native and non-native English speaking authors she knows how to help writers make every word count.

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