My Blog: It’s like those piano lessons I took as a kid – I want to learn faster

Week 1 in developing my blog…

A Steep Learning Curve

When I decided I wanted to start writing more and set my sights on creating a blog on a web site, I knew there was a steep learning curve.

But I’m so impatient!

I remember when I was a little girl in St. John’s Newfoundland and my Dad enrolled me in piano lessons. With no understanding of notes and just a keen ear I had taught myself a few songs on the piano. On Tuesday afternoons I’d walk to the old white house where the teacher lived, and wait for my turn, sitting down on the wooden bench in her hallway. Listening to the smooth, flowing musical notes through the living room door, all I wanted was to be able to play just like that!

When it was my turn, I’d rush to the piano and eagerly wait for instructions. I always left disappointed. I wanted to be able to play the piano, but I wanted to know everything, and right away!

That is how I feel now. It has taken me years (probably most of my life) to finally get serious about writing and now that I’ve finally made that decision, I just want to friggin’ get going!

I know myself well including that little voice that likes to chip away at my dreams and tell me I can’t do something. It’s easy to get frustrated, discouraged and to give up something that takes time to learn (like I did with piano when I was nine years old). I expect to feel this way many times over the course of …god knows how long!

After all, I don’t know:

• how to build a web site (currently, I am writing this during my free trial on squarespace and my site is so disorganized and incomplete, that, in itself, is making me crazy),
• the ins and outs of blogging,
• how to maximize social media to get people to visit my site and keep coming back, and
• what affiliate marketing is or how people are making it work for them in the online world.

But I want to know. I have grand plans!

Here is my short term plan (for the next 1-2 months) so far, which may not be the “best” way, but is the only way I know right now. In no particular order:

1. Define my brand and develop a plan – strategize for the next 1-3 years (fun)
2. Create content – write, write, write! (fun)
3. Learn how to build a web site, use squarespace and its features (hard and scary)
4. Read and attend webinars/training to learn more (fun and scary)
5. Find a mentor / an expert (fun and inspiring)
6. Create a project plan to guide and spur me on (fun)

It’s an overwhelming list but I’m seeing that learning how to build my site is the scariest, so that’s the one I’ll conquer first.

Wish me luck.