Musings by John Weir

It was not too long ago that blogging was all the rage. Everyone was beginning a blog and everyone was talking about this exciting new medium. Today you are more likely to hear declarations that blogs are defunct, passe, a vestige of an era that has already come and gone. I say “Stuff and nonsense!” Blogs continue to flourish. The very popularity of blogs is proof that there is a lot of room for more of them; we are a long way from the absorption point. We are a long way from the end of the blogosphere.

Today I want to tell you how I would begin a blog if I had to do it all over again. I’d do it in 6 steps.

#1. Choose a Theme

A good blog will have a defined theme and you will want to then stick with that theme, something that may be especially difficult in those early stages where your enthusiasm outstrips the site’s readership. The theme may be just about anything. It may be wide and it may be narrow; it may be niche and it may be general; it may be a hobby and it may be a vocation. When choosing a theme, there are 2 general directions to take: you can take a position of leadership or you can choose an area of interest through which you can invite other people into your journey of learning about it.

The theme you choose will help define the blog’s measure of success. Success may come through sheer volume of visitors or it may come through the authority gained within a specific niche or discipline. So choose your theme. Identify an area that is of particular interest to you or an area in which you are an expert. If that area is underserved in the blogosphere, you’ve found what you are looking for.

#2. Choose a Service

Once you have your theme, you will need to find a service to actually host the blog. There are plenty of free services out there that will do a great job of it. I tend to recommend WordPress.com. By expending just a few minutes you can be set up and ready to go; all you need is an email address. If you are concerned about a professional look and feel, you may want to go with WordPress.org, a service you host on your own (which also means that you will need to arrange web hosting).

#3. Get Writing

You have your theme and your blog is ready to go. Now comes the tough part: writing. People who read blogs tend to skim rather than read, they tend to prefer shorter to longer. As you get established you would do well to focus on shorter, punchier articles. Leave the long, drawn-out expositions for another time. Focus on interacting with the ideas people are thinking about and on answering the questions people are actually asking. Be sure to link to other blogs frequently and seek to humbly improve upon what the more prominent bloggers have written. Do not try to draw too much attention to your blog yet. At the very least wait until you’ve got 20 or 30 good articles. For now just write.

#4. Build a Network

The spread of social media has allowed people to digest the content of blogs in a variety of ways. Along with your blog you will also want to create a Facebook fan page (not a personal page) and a Twitter account. You would also do well to sign up with Feedburner, which helps broadcast your content via RSS (a way that people can subscribe to the content); be sure to activate email subscriptions via Feedburner. Every time you blog, make sure that you link to it via Facebook and Twitter and encourage people to connect with you through these means.

#5. Choose a Schedule

Right from the outset you will find it valuable to maintain some kind of schedule. There is definitely a correlation between frequency of posting and the number of readers. However, since it is not always feasible to write every day or several times a day, seek to establish some kind of a schedule. When you do this your readers can build their own reading schedule. For example, if you make it clear that you will have new content every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, you are serving me by telling me that I do not need to visit on Tuesday or Thursday. Blog traffic tends to be higher at the beginning of the week, so post your best content on Monday or Tuesday. Choose your schedule and, as much as possible, stick to it.

#6. Publicize It

By this point you have an established blog and have written at least 20 or 30 solid blog posts. You’ve proven that you can stick with blogging for a while and that you have something to say. Now you will want to get word out. To do that, put some effort into familiarizing yourself with other blogs in your niche. Interact with their posts and let the blogger know you’ve done so via Twitter. Try to interview some of the big players in your niche—substantial interviews that allow the experts to prove their expertise. Write reviews of the books or other media that are shaping the ideas in your niche. Post useful and thoughtful comments on other similar blogs. Let word get out, watch visitors come in, and seek to faithfully steward the opportunities you gain.

Benjamin Franklin had a goal of moral perfection and he set about attaining it through living his 13 virtues. Franklin, a printer, had a small book of charts made up that allowed him to keep track of his progress in living the virtues. You can get your own Benjamin Franklin virtue chart here.
Ben admitted that he was never able to live the virtues perfectly, but felt he had become a better and happier man for having made the attempt.

Today “virtue” has taken on soft and effeminate connotations. But originally, the word “virtue” was inextricably connected to what it meant to be a true man. The word comes from the Latin virtues, which in turn is derived from vir, Latin for “manliness.” These days guys excuse their lack of virtue by hiding behind the excuse of being “just a guy.” Men need to do better and strive to improve themselves each day. It’s time to restore the tie between manliness and virtue.

Temperance

Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
Franklin began his list of virtues with temperance because it was the virtue that would develop the self-discipline necessary to adhere to the other 12 virtues. Temperance calls for a man to avoid overindulgence in food or drink. By conquering your primal urges for food and drink, you’ll have the confidence to start making improvements in other areas of your life.

Silence

Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; Avoid trifling Conversation.
We live in an age of constant noise and chatter. Etiquette and polite manners have sadly not kept pace with developments in technology and our quickly changing culture. In the virtue of silence look at how a man can practice this virtue in regards to cell phone use, customer service, and the internet. A man must learn when and when not to open his mouth.

Order

Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
If a man wishes to thrive in this world, he must develop order. But the laws of physics tell us that the universe and everything in it tends towards chaos and disorganization. A man must fight against these natural laws and the path of least resistance. Yet taking on complex organization systems will only cause more imbalance in your life. Instead, make small changes by rectifying each slip into disorganization the moment it happens. Do it now.

Resolution

Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
Resolution is the firm determination to accomplish what you set out to do. There is a great story of Alexander the Great conquering the island of Tyre as an example of manly resolution. From Alexander’s conquest at Tyre, you can four ways to help improve your resolve in life.

Frugality

Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
American’s savings rate is negative. That’s right, Americans are spending more than they’re saving. With the sluggish economy and soaring gas prices, practicing frugality is quickly coming back into style. While there are countless blogs that go into detail about how to live frugally, it all comes down to one principle: spend less than you earn.

Industry

Lose no time. Be always employed in something useful. Cut off all unnecessary actions.
Hard work has been the hallmark of every manly man. However, industriousness has gone out of style. People today are looking for get rich quick schemes that will afford them a huge payout with minimum effort. In reality, honest work is a beneficial and refining endeavor that should be embraced, not disdained.

Sincerity

Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
If you frequent blogs or internet message boards, you’ve probably noticed the prevalence of gossip, sarcasm, and lying. Unfortunately, we’re starting to see the demeanor that pervades the internet rub off on people in the real world. We need to learn that gossip, sarcasm, and lying can harm you and others and practice avoiding these vices.

Justice

Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
When I look back at the men I admire most, they all had one thing in common: each of them stood up for the little guy. In a society plagued with apathy, what this world needs now more than ever are men who will stand up for justice. Look for ways you can develop the virtue of justice in your life as well as areas that you can implement the virtue.

Moderation

Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
Are you looking for more fulfillment and satisfaction in your life? Society will tell you that “more” is the answer, that more money, more stuff, more women, and more pleasure are the keys to gaining satisfaction in life. In reality the secret to a fulfilling life is moderation.

Cleanliness

Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.
While many would say cleanliness is more a sign of femininity than manliness, the reality is that developing cleanliness develops a man’s attention to detail, discipline, and order. Of all the virtues, the meaning of cleanliness has changed the most over time.

Tranquility

Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
The irritations of modern life have left many men hot under the collar. Controlling one’s anger is the mark of a cool and composed gentleman. There are many social and health benefits to controlling your anger. Look for ways you can control your anger and start living more peaceful and tranquil lives.

Chastity

Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.
Of all the virtues, chastity is probably the least popular these days. We live in a society in which that glamorizes and exploits sex. Sex is everywhere, on the internet, on T.V. and in our magazines. But the ubiquity of sex has only cheapened a once sacred act and turned it into just another consumer good to be selfishly consumed.

Humility

Imitate Jesus.
The typical image of a manly man is one who is supremely confident, bordering or arrogance. Humility doesn’t seem to fit in that manly image. However, some of the greatest men in history have been the most humble. Humility isn’t weak, submissive, or self-abasing. Humility means having the quiet confidence to allow your actions to speak for themselves.

You are who you are before God, nothing more and nothing less.

No matter what you think you are… when you come to the end of yourself, and you have nothing left to hide behind… That is all I’m saying.

Well actually, where have I gone. Obviously I have been away, or at least not here for some time. I am often amazed at how fast time flies and I really want to write more. So I started working on an article to post up here and will be finished with it tomorrow. I wanted to say hello and update the site today though.