In the past I have spoke a lot about being passionate about the subject you write about. I was thinking about this the other day as a lot of you had mentioned in comments that you would love to see me write more travel related posts.
I’ve been reluctant to do this in the past but I decided to give it a try. Yesterday I published an article about my visit to see the Cristo Redentor statue in Rio last week.
There are a few reasons why I haven’t wrote much about travel related topics on this blog in the past. Firstly, I don’t want to stray too off topic. One of the mistakes I made with this blog before was that I posted about too many different subjects. It’s the reason a lot of personal blogs fail. I posted about so many random topics that it wasn’t clear who my target audience was. I do believe that personal posts are important to a blog as it helps readers to get to know you better however I am also aware that everyone doesn’t want to read about my latest travelling antics. I could be wrong (I have been before!).
Passion vs Interest
With reference to blogging, I’ve always used the terms passion and interest interchangeably. That was a mistake. I now believe there are differences between the terms.
Take travel for example. I’m passionate about travelling. Apart from a brief 2 month trip back to Scotland in the Summer, I’ve been in South America for around a year and a half (and no plans to go home until the Summer). And in the months before coming to South America I had spent a month in Vietnam, a week in Thailand and made visits to Ireland, England, Paris, Madrid and Rome too. I love travelling. I got the bug ten years ago and I’ve been travelling actively since. I don’t think this will ever change (even when I start a family).
That doesn’t mean it’s my interest though. I read a lot and what I read is a good indication of what I’m interested in at that time. For example, when I was training 10-15 hours a week in martial arts, I went through a phase of buying lots of martial arts related books.
I’ve purchased dozens of books over the last year and downloaded many free books too. Apart from a few books to help me learn Spanish, all of my books are business related. They are all related to writing, marketing, making money on the web etc. Since returning to South American in September I have been in a new place every few days yet the only travel related book I have purchased in the last few years is the South American Handbook from FootPrint.
So travel is a passion of mine but I cannot say it is an interest. I don’t read travel books actively. I don’t read travel blogs a lot. In fact, I’ve been quite an un-organised traveller over the last year. Most of the time we arrive in a city with no accommodation booked and no real idea of what we are going to do there. It’s half the fun of travelling through a continent :)
The Need to Learn
I have read fiction books in the past but I only do so rarely now. I can see me reading more fiction if I decide to write a fiction book but generally speaking, in all the books I read I am looking to learn something. I’m an information junkie. If I buy a book for $10 and I only learn one new thing, I’m content.
I think this is part of the reason why I haven’t written travel related posts on this blog. I couldn’t bare to write about basic travel related topics now. I don’t want to write about what you should pack when travelling, things to do when travelling or mistakes you should avoid. It’s really old to me. I first went backpacking to Asia and Australia 10 years ago. There were very few travel blogs at the time but I do recall reading a lot of books about travelling at the time. I know there is a market for travel related advice and I know I could help people that are going travelling for the first time; however writing about those topics would bore me.
Writing about my own travels is something that I would enjoy and something which I could integrate into this blog. My concern is, these posts wouldn’t really be helping anyone. All I would be doing is posting pictures and telling people of what I done. Which I think is fine from time to time but I don’t want to do it too much. I’d prefer to use Twitter and Facebook for most travel related updates.
Write About Something That Interests You
Do you know why I love internet marketing? Do you know why I love blogging and making money online?
It’s because I don’t know all the answers. I probably never will.
Every year my knowledge of making money online gets deeper however I know that if I stand still for too long, I’d fall behind. It’s embarrassing to admit this but I find it exciting. I’ve been working online for 13 years now and I still see advertisements for courses and books for subjects that I know little to nothing about. There is a saying in martial arts that a black belt is just beginning. The same could be same about working online. It doesn’t matter how much money you make online, you’re never going to know everything.
That’s why I am always reading books on the subject and why I’m always trying to improve. It’s why I love writing for this blog.
I enjoy writing about all the topics that I post here and that is why I know the blog will be successful. If I start to find talking about any particular topic boring then I will stop writing about it. I’d have to, because if I find a particular subject boring it will be reflected in what I write.
I encourage you all to write about subjects that really inspire you. Subjects that you really find interesting. If you are writing articles for your blog that bore you; sell the blog, move on with your life and and start writing about something that excites you.
Life is too short to spend all day writing about things that bore us.
Kevin
I firmly believe that passion will always bring you further than mere interest. Of course, if we talk only about an article, then interest is enough, at least to get an article out. But to make it a pilar article that gets shared it’ll, more often than not, have to be something that burns with passion. If you want to have a blog which is supposed to be online for years, then without passion for the subject it’s hard to imagine that one will overcome (or be willing to overcome) the obstacles that come up from time to time.
Best regards from Greece,
David
I just checked New York and it says it’s -10. Ouch.
I’m currently in Asuncion in Paraguay. It’s been between 35 and 40 degrees here everyday. Sorry!! :)
It’s the same back home in Scotland. Snow everywhere just now. I don’t miss it. I don’t like it excessively hot but I hate it being cold all the time, particularly as I have asthma. I’ve not spent Christmas at home for 2-3 years so I’ll need to try and brave a winter later this year. Not looking forward to that haha.
I didn’t get as much out of it as others did as when I read it I had been working online for 10 years. I still got some great tips through it. He’s a good author and although some people seem to get annoyed about the way he promotes himself, I think he comes across as a nice guy.
I’ve been trying to read at least 1 or 2 new books every week. It’s a good way to relax before sleeping and it always gives me new ideas for future projects.
It’s a cool 27 degrees in my room because of air-con. If that breaks, I’m gonna be sweating as it’s around 36-40 during the day here (Asuncion).
I read that a few years ago. It’s ok. You’ll get a lot from it but just don’t buy into the whole ‘I only need to work X to make Y’ type of thinking. All the top people online, including Ferriss, work really hard for what they’ve earned.
Thanks. I’m not sure I would go far as vastly more experienced. I’ve been doing this a bit longer but once you get up and running I have no doubt you will be able to make your blog a success.
Kevin, “Ouch” pretty well covers it (lol!) It is going to be this way for a couple of days, till the Jet Stream decides to move…but with each day, the daylight hours get a little bit longer, which suggests a compounding effect sometime in the future. There is a color pallet of birds, mostly small, feeding at our birdfeeders…this weather must really be tough on those little guys.
As soon as it gets a little bit warmer, I am going to take my new camera outside and begin taking pictures…just to give me the opportunity to learn all of the icons that are on the camera body. I have a lot to learn,
Bruce
Kevin, I don’t know your destination, but I just looked up “Bonnybridge” and it is H32-L25 degrees for today. Sounds like a heat wave compared to New York State (lol!).
Kevin, it will be awhile before our weather begins to moderate. It is still Winter here, and the snow can still arrive into March/April…but after that the nicer weather begins to slide in, and people begin to think about summer, school vacation, and travel. Hopefully I will be able to get away for a week (end of March/beginning of April), spend some time at the beach in North Carolina.
Bruce
Kevin, for me, reading this book is an academic exercise, a resource to relax me inbetween bouts of working on my own blogging process. Also, curiosity about his thinking. I know his writings are very popular. i also subscribed to his blog..(lol!) the more blogs I read, the more ideas I get for my own efforts.I have never worked on the basis of something for nothing. I am perfectly willing to “turn and burn”, putting the pedal to the metal, when working on something I am passionate about. Frigid night here tonight (single digits).
Bruce
Kevin, thanks for the vote of confidence. Tonight I am reading Tim Ferriss’ book “Four Hour Work Week”. In my mind I am taking a close look at the laptop lifestyle. Once I can find the formula that works for me, i will be free to really soar with the eagles.
Bruce
Seriously it’s ok. An impartial review will help me more than a purchase :)
I won’t be able to work on it for a few weeks as I’m working on the freelance blogging just now.
I’ll offer it for free via Amazon temporarily so you will all be able to get a free copy :)
Kevin
I’ve taken notes for several books to write this year but I think my next book will be aimed towards people who are new to WordPress. It’s a subject I know well so I think I could finish it in 4-5 days.
I’d stick to one blog in the short term and then launch a second blog once the first has been automated a little (e.g. 6-12 months later). If you spread yourself too thin, all your websites will suffer.
Kevin
Kevin, I am spending today, learning about the nuts and bolts of WordPress, and how to manuver within their technology. I am not a “geek”, and need all of the help I can get in this regard. BTW I think the answer to my multilevel interests, is multiple blogs. I can tie a number of interests togetner as I move forward. I agree with the notion of narrowing down, and presenting multiple aspects of the same subject, in a single blog site. The research phase is a lot of fun…stay tuned (lol!).
Briuce
Kevin, I am honored to be asked, it is my pleasure to be of service, to give you the best I have, as I go forward through unknown territory, while simply relating my observations and expieriences. It will be a hands on exercise, an opportunity for us both to learn, eventhough you are vastly more expierienced than I.
Kevin you are awesome…but when the time comes I will purchase it from you, in appreciation and grattitude.
Bruce
Kevin, with regard to your next book, I believe a book on WordPress for the “newbie”, will have a strong following, as it is central to the whole blogging effort, if the intent of the author is to create a marketable brand going forward.
Put me down for a copy, in advance, just let me know when it is ready…I am ready now.
Bruce
Can’t wait to see what you come up with. I love reading about history myself. :)
Kevin, I am taking this suggestion to heart.
Robert, sorry about the slip…in the preceeding posting. I am taking your advice hook, line and sinker, as I move forward, thanks for your commentary.
kevin and Andrew, Thanks for your responses, I am currently looking at WordPress for the expressed purpose if establishing a blogging platform. The process of picking a design, is forcing me to narrow my choices, and as I move through this distillation sequence, I am moving closer to consensus with myself. I like history, philosophy, art and architecture. Gardening, photography, sailing, traveling, are passions. Writing, painting and creative expression define me.
All is not lossed however because I am working on a compromise…
I would suggest writing about what you’re interested in or passionate about only if what you’re interested in or passionate matches what the audience or Internet public is also interested in your particular subject.
The most successful blogs always focus on one niche. It’s hard to build a readership if you bounce around topics that are unrelated to each other. I do agree you should mix it up every now and then.
Kevin
Kevin, the whole issue of what to write about is an important one, in that a following will develop of like minded individuals that ‘feed’ on your point of view, writing style, and content. So, like you, I feel that the notion of bouncing around, writing about a little of this and a little of that, while interesting to many, will not go very far in terms of establishing who you are. However, let me quickly add, that variety is the spice of life, so mixing it up once in awhile, is not a bad thing.
Bruce