Blogging Authentically (blogging advice from the wise words of Dr. Seuss)

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From the time I was a little girl, I have loved the writings of Dr. Seuss. As an adult today, I not only appreciate the fun rhyme and unusual story-telling, but also the incredible wisdom in simple words.

I have often used words from this favorite of children’s authors in my parenting and in general conversation with friends, but it occurred to me recently that there is plenty there for bloggers as well. In fact, I was able to find a quote from Dr. Seuss for just about everything I believe about blogging in an authentic manner.

I hope you enjoy.

Blogging Authentically - blogging advice from the wise words of Dr. Seuss

Be yourself

Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is you-er than You. (Happy Birthday to You!)

You are you. Now isn’t that pleasant?

Why fit in when you were born to stand out?

Blog about what you know, what you are passionate about, those things that make you interesting. You don’t need to feel pressure to do everything the exact same way everyone does it. Your readers want to know what YOU think, how YOU do things, what inspires YOU. If they wanted to know how everyone else does it, they’d be reading everyone else’s blog, not yours.

Be consistent

Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one! (One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish)

Your readers are reading because they enjoy and care about what you have to say. So, don’t leave them hanging for days on end without another good, fun, inspiring blog post.

Have direction

You have brains in your head, you have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. (Oh, The Places You’ll Go)

Give your blog some direction and for the most part, stick to your main topics. If you tout yourself as a homeschool blogger, most of your posts should reflect that. Randomosity is fine now and then, but blogs that are too random, have random readers, too.

Speak truth

I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. An elephant’s faithful one hundred percent. (Horton Hatches the Egg)

Mean what you say, say what you mean. Don’t inflate your stories. Don’t make up scenarios for dramatic effect. And please, don’t say things that make you or your life look more perfect than it is. Your readers will either see through it and leave, or feel bad about themselves, and leave. Either way, they’ve left. You expect your readers to be faithful to you; be faithful to them as well.

Be balanced

Step with care and great tact. And remember that life’s a great balancing act. (Oh, The Places You’ll Go)

While you should always be yourself and speak truth, remember that folks can’t always hear your intent through your words. Be careful not to purposefully or accidentally inflict pain. Balance your strong opinions with love.

Be responsive

Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.

A person’s a person no matter how small. (Horton Hears a Who)

Blogging carries a measure of responsibility with it. Whether you have 100,000 pageviews a month or 100, when you have a blog, you will appear to be an expert in your niche. And you’re going to get questions. Sometimes they’ll be tough questions, sometimes they’ll be easy. But always answer them and with kindness. Whether left as a comment or sent to you via email, take a moment to respond to your readers. Never feel that you’re too small to have a voice or too big to respond to the voice of others.

And last, but certainly not least, my favorite of all . . .

You’ll miss the best things, if you keep your eyes shut. (I Can Read with my Eyes Shut)

You’re off to great places . . . today is your day! Your mountain is waiting! So . . . get on your way! (Oh, The Places You’ll Go)

And that’s not just about blogging . . .