I have some exciting news! I've recently been getting a lot of requests to do a post about blogging tips and having a blog in college, so I've decided to do a little introductory post, but also write an eBook about the topic titled "College & Blogging"! The book will be available on Amazon and iBooks (and possibly a few others) before the New Year. Later this week I will be posting a poll for what I should price the book at but it will be between $5 and $10 dollars. Please reach out if there is anything specific you'd like to see in this book! I'm writing it for my readers so I want you to have a part in the writing process.

Ok, so onto the tips!

Each of the bold tips will be expanded into an entire chapter in my book.

STARTING A BLOG 101

Once you decide you want to have a blog the first thing to do is figure out where you want to fit in in the blogging community. What do you want your niche to be? Are you into fashion? Health and fitness? Academics? Maybe a combination of everything? Figure out where you think you'd fit most and build your brand around that! It's important to have a recognizable brand (logo) and a platform that you like. There are three main options: Blogger, Wordpress, and Squarespace. And the cost goes from free to $100. Personally I use Squarespace (you'll find out why in my book), but each option has it's benefits and downsides. Do a little research or visit my web design site for more information about each.

BUILDING YOUR SCHEDULE

One of the best things about college is you can design your own schedule. The first step to building your schedule is to figure out when you are the most productive: are morning or afternoon classes better for you? Personally I like to have my classes in the morning so I can focus on academics until lunch and then spend the afternoon blogging, working or writing. But each person is different, so what may work for me may be a horrible idea for somebody else. Once you know what time of day is best for classes make sure you schedule an hour or so in between classes. That way you aren't rushing from class-to-class and you can do homework in the break you have.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PLANNING

To stay on top of both school and blogging takes a lot of work. Having a rough schedule can seriously help especially in times of stress like midterms and finals. I suggest keeping a monthly calendar where you fill in seasonal posts or posts that you have a deadline for (sponsored posts). In addition to a monthly calendar I also use a weekly blog planner to help me keep myself on track and making sure I have all of my social media accounts updated. But don't just plan your blogging! Plan when you're going to do homework, or what homework your going to do each day. Planning will become your best friend because without it you'll begin to feel too overwhelmed.

(check out heart and arrow on Etsy for my favorite blog planner)

SCHOOL IS ALWAYS MORE IMPORTANT

No matter how successful your blog is becoming it's important to take a break and focus on school if you notice your grades slipping. It's worth loosing 20 readers one day rather than losing 20 points on your grade. Don't skip class or post-pone doing an assignment for blogging especially if it means it could compromise your final grade. If you need help in a particular subject don't be afraid to go to your schools help center or contact a tutor. And don't be shy, check out some of my study-tip posts.

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