Starting a Blog

Upsy_Staffordshire

Hello MSE lovelies I would love a little bit of advice/suggestions.

Around a year and a half ago, I began suffering with anxiety and agoraphobia, which has resulted in me being out of work. It's been a nightmare and I'm still battling through it but hopefully one day I may be 'normal' again - that's if I was ever normal in the first place :rotfl:

Anyway, I really enjoy writing and have recently started writing on Bubblews and thought why not have a go at creating my own blog? It would be a nice hobby and it would be great if it could make me some money too in the long run.

I was thinking about maybe writing about my anxiety/agoraphobia and how I'm trying to overcome it, plus maybe some bits about how I'm trying to manage my money while being out of work, and some feel good stuff to help others who struggle with anxiety, stress etc. Nothing deep or depressing - if anything, showing others that there are other people out there who are going through something similar, and with a feel-good, upbeat, we will get there vibe.

What does everyone think? Bad idea/good idea? Any advice about setting up a blog?

Thanks so much in advance

Kayalana99

Tbh, you are going to find it very hard pressed to get people to read (and find) a blog that is basically all about you. (Not impossible if you are that good at writing and can people interested in what you're saying)

If you want to base a blog around anxiety, might I suggest you make it more informative then 'what I did', I.e ways to over come (You'd have to get creative their but you see what I mean)

I would think anxiety / money would come on two completely different topics so again unless you are planning on making it a 'about me' I would say do one or the other.

Upsy_Staffordshire

Hi Kayalana. Thanks so much for your input

I was thinking of putting my story on there but quite briefly, and trying to make it an inspiring, ways to stop worrying etc type of thing, rather than focusing too much on me. If that makes any kind of sense whatsoever :rotfl:

amileigh

I think it's a good idea, I'd definitely want to read it as I have mild agoraphobia myself and really struggling financially as a result, let me know if you do get started and good luck!

Karmacat

I can see the sense of it - it has to be more than about you, it has to spread out to "what helps, what doesn't", sort of thing - I think it'd be a slow money earner, if at all, but it *might* do really well - there's a lot of books about anxiety and curing it, after all! Somebody's open about being a sufferer, and willing to work their way through it and help others, why not?

Paaarp

You would need to offer something useful to your readers such as ways to get better, save money etc

Then find a product to promote that meets their needs or create your own such as an ebook.

If you take a look at the leavingworkbehind.com blog its a good example as it gives free advice on how to do something, but also offers a paid product to generate income.

I think its a good model to follow if you can put in the effort to write and promote the blog posts.

DomRavioli

Hi OP,

There's thousands of anxiety and agoraphobia blogs (literally). Most have affiliations to somewhere or something, and don't give out any advice (unless they are affiliated with a clinician) - you'll need public liability insurance in case someone takes it the wrong way and ends up hurt or deceased (it happens).

There's also a couple of quite big campaigns with Mind and ReThink around anxiety, so you'll be competing with the big boys there.

As someone who has anxiety, I wouldn't personally read a blog (there's plenty on Tumblr) - I'd go to an information website (personal preference, and likely to be links to things I would like to see and interact with). Have you thought about how you're going to deal with blog writing when you're having a very bad day? It isn't easy.

Don't mean to sound like I'm putting you off, but there's a lot to overcome in order to have a "medical" blog (which it will be); as well as repercussions of those having bad days with MH who may make you feel like total poopie.