10 Lessons I’ve Learned in 10 Years of Blogging

On this day in 2016, I started this blog. It was a random decision, mainly sparked by my desire to write about all my favourite books. I wanted to share reviews, write up listicles and connect with other book lovers.

I could never have predicted what a huge impact that tiny decision would have had on my life! My blog has encouraged me to practice my writing, meet new people, share my work and even launch a career for myself.

I’ve grown my social media following, worked on collaborations and learned a lot along the way. My blog has seen me through Sixth Form, University, the pandemic and into my 20s.

To commemorate 10 whole years of blogging, I’ve put together a list of things I’ve learned along the way. I hope these lessons can help other bloggers avoid my mistakes and maybe even celebrate their 10-year anniversary one day!

10 lessons I’ve learned in 10 years of blogging

This list includes small things and big lessons that I’ve learned during the past 10 years of blogging. There are mistakes I’ve made and lessons I’ve had to learn the hard way.

Whether you’re a blogging veteran or you’re just getting started, I hope these lessons can help you enjoy everything the world of blogging has to offer…

1. Just start

Do you think 17-year-old Eleanor could have predicted where her blog would take her? If you’re not sure whether to start a blog or not, this is your sign to give it a try!

2. You need people

Your friends, family, followers and loyal readers are central to your blog’s success. It’s those people that will encourage you to keep going when it feels like no one else is reading. Unless you want to keep your blog just for you, you need your community.

3. It’s okay to ignore advice

I’ve ignored plenty of advice: some of it good, some of it bad. Sometimes, you just have to do what you want. Blogging isn’t life or death – it’s okay to try things out and see what works. Don’t be afraid to fail.

4. Be yourself

If you’re creating your own blog, it needs to be your space, so you need to be yourself. People really do respond to authenticity, especially in the age of AI. So, use your personality, humour and personal interests to connect with people.

While I occasionally get paid for sponsored content, all of my posts are 100% me. I come up with my own ideas and write all my content. It’s important to me that every single post sounds like me!

5. Practice your writing

It’s okay if you don’t know how to write a blog post when you first get started – it’s only by practising your writing that it starts to grow and improve. It’s a constant process. Each blog post will get better as you get better. Speaking of which, please don’t check my archives…

Not to be that person, but I do actually have a super short guide to writing your own blog content, if you’re interested in learning the basics. Here’s a 10% off link.

6. It’s okay to take a break

It’s important to be consistent, but it’s also important to take creative breaks. Step away from your blog for a week or even a month. You’ll come back feeling refreshed.

7. Blogging should be fun!

I love my blog. It’s a space for me to write about whatever I want, whether that’s freelance tips, recipes, book reviews or travel. However, there have been times, such as when I burned out, when my blog became a chore.

After that period, I realised my blog needed to be a space where I can take a break from paid client work and enjoy my writing, so I went back to basics and started posting for fun again. It’s my creative space, and that’s something that’s very important to me.

8. Be open to new opportunities

Working with brands and agencies wasn’t the intention behind my blog. I wanted to connect with readers and write about books. But after graduating University, I started pouring more time into my blog, and I started exploring how to make money from my blog.

It’s been a fantastic way to connect with businesses and earn a little money. Be open to any new opportunities that feel right to you – you never know where they might take you!

9. Tell people about your blog

I used to be embarrassed to tell anyone about my blog, and I waited until I used it to launch a career before I even mentioned it to friends. Apart from my family and my readers, no one knew it existed.

Now, I’m proud to tell people about my blog and what it’s done for me. It’s my baby, and it’s the reason I have the career I do. Be proud of your work!

10. Use social media wisely

I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with social media. I used to love X (in the good ol’ days of Twitter). It was a place to connect with other bloggers and share my work. I still enjoy it on there, but it’s decidedly quieter since Elon Musk’s takeover.

You need to make social media work for you. If you want to share your blog with more people, social media is a great way to do that, but don’t get bogged down in all the negativity.

How many years have you been blogging? What are the biggest lessons you’ve learned from blogging? Do you have any blogging tips?

Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below 🙂

Happy reading x