Starting an adoption blog can feel a little overwhelming at the beginning. It is hard to decide what to include. Blogging is incredibly therapeutic, but what do you want your readers to see? Who are you writing for? What is the aim of your blog?
For me, my blog is as much for my readers as it is for myself. I have too many words stuck inside my brain about the adoption and infertility world not to write them out. Although sometimes I write a blog just to get to the bottom of my thoughts, all of my posts strive to connect to my readers in some way.
One of the first things to include in your blog is your story. Your readers want to put a face to a blog and know where you are coming from. For instance, reading about the perspective of an adoptive parent from an adoptive parent is doubly valuable. It helps them to connect with you as a real person, not just some random words on a screen.
In sharing your story, don’t be afraid to discuss your struggles. Encourage your readers with how you overcame them if you can. Adoption is not all roses. Revealing your challenges gives comradery to any of your readers going through the same thing. Sharing with them some ideas as to how to fight through the struggle gives them something to walk away with in the end. Even if your readers have not been through the same things, being honest with your challenges lets them see that your blog is honest and transparent.
Offer inspirational points along the way in your posts. Making your readers feel something is a gift you can give them. Adoption brings a myriad of emotions to the table. Spending some time discussing the high points of your journey encourages your readers through the low points. Think about what inspired you along the way. It gives them hope that comes from a genuine place.
Lastly, one of the big outcomes of your blog will be the education that people will take away from it in the end. Sometimes your posts will set out to intentionally educate. Other times, the education will be inadvertently sprinkled in along the way. Consider the things you wish you had known before you started the journey. There is a good chance that your readers could use your insight. Is there something you want to learn? Research and post about it. You’ll be educating yourself while teaching others. Education comes in many forms and will be immensely helpful for your readers. It gives them a nugget of information to take home.
Beginning an adoption blog is often overwhelming. There is so much information that you could share. Knowing where to start gives you a boost in the right direction. Weaving together your story, with its high and low points, along with being aware of the education you are providing, will give you the information that adds value to your readers’ lives. In the end, there is much reward in the words that you write.
