Once you have decided that you definitely, absolutely want to start writing a blog, there are still some questions you need to answer before you dive right in. These questions will help you formulate your Blogging Manifesto. A Blogging Manifesto is a small contract with yourself to keep you focused, committed and motivated.

1. What is my blog about?
2. OK, but what is it really about.
3. Hmm, can I be more specific?
4. How much time am I going to devote to this blog every day/week?
5. What is the reason behind starting the blog?
6. What will be the major source(s) of your content
7. Will my blog be anonymous?
8. What is my goal with this blog?

What is your blog about?
For example, the answer to the first question might be

“I am writing about the upcoming summer olympics.”

But what about them? Are you writing about the venue, the athletes, the sponsors, the viewers? Trust me, you cannot cover it all, and it wouldn’t be wise to try.

So, after some thought, you might narrow your topic down to

“I am writing about how the US athletes are preparing for the Summer olympics”

That’s the answer to question number two. Now let’s try again.

There are dozens of disciplines in the Olympics, and covering them all would be a daunting task. Plus, your readers are unlikely to be interested in every sport anyway. So what drives YOU? By now, you might decide that you are actually writing about

“How US gymnasts are preparing for the upcoming Olympics in Beijing”.

Much better.

Now, not only do you know what your focus is, but you also know who your audience is. Once you find other people who are interested in the above topic, provided your content is excellent, you should have no problem adding them to your reader list.

Now is also the time to take an honest view of whether you are qualified to write on your chosen topic. My approach to this blog is a good example: I could easily make this blog not just about how to start blogging, but also about how to make money from blogging. But I am still learning about how to monatize a blog well, and until I am confident that I can pass onto my readers something that is unique or learnt from personal experience, I choose not to write about it. At least not yet!

Time.
You should not feel pressured to blog multiple times per day, unless your blog topic is so timeous that it requires that level of input. You should also not post less than two to three times per week, to allow for consistency and growth of audience.
And you should write at least ten good posts before you start to market your blog.

Reason for writing
Now we are getting down to the nitty gritty. Are you doing this for fun? Do you want to draw attention to a topic? Do you want to market yourself? Do you want to quit your day job and rake in the money? All of these are valid reasons (yes, even the last one), but they all require a different approach to marketing and writing. It is important that you know why you are doing this, so that you can do your work justice. By the way, writing for pure ego is also OK!

Sources
This need not be written down in stone, but it is a good idea to think about where inspiration will come from once you have depleted the ideas that are in your head right now. There are various ways to fill in the blanks when you hit bloggers block, but for your pillar posts you need good sources or excellent personal thoughts based on experience.

Anonymity
At first you might be surprised at how many really are. After all, isn’t the point of blogging to boost the ego? Not always. Depending on your day job, your employer or your topic you might decide that at least for now, it is better to remain invisible. I suggest that you even if you do decide to go this route, that you at least give your first name, so that readers can put some sort of identity behind your blog. By the way, my name is Eve.

Striving to a goal
It is a good idea to set yourself realistic targets, so that you can monitor the success of your venture. You can set a goal of a specific number of readers, a range of ranking, money made per month etc. This goal should be flexible, as you need to be responsive with your expectations according to how well you market your blog.
Do not make your goals unrealistic, and remember that most number-driven goals rise exponentially. In other words, it is far more difficult to reach your first 1000 readers than it is to reach your next 1000 readers. (Kind of like making your first and second million!)

Now you are ready to create your Blog manifesto, which is a contract between you and you, regarding your blog. (Fill in the blanks)

I (your name) am responsible for (blog’s name). This blog is about ( enter blog topic) and is targeted to (describe your ideal audience). I started this blog (enter reason).
I will make new postings (write in your frequency of postings) and will add at least (enter number) pillar posts every (enter time frame).
My main sources of information for this blog will come from ( enter valid sources).
I will monitor the success of my blog regularly, but not osessively. My immediate next goal for this blog is (enter your goal).

Type this up, print it out, and leave it where you can look at it every day. It should keep you motivated and focussed.

Good luck!

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