I mentioned in my last blog that there is nothing stopping you from writing right away, and how important it is to have examples of previous poker articles. What I often get in response to this from plucky new poker writers is a reply of 'how can I get previous examples of work when I can't get work' - which is complete bullshit.
Anyone can create an impressive portfolio of work and learn a great deal at the same time by creating a blog. It only takes a few minutes to create a blog, and from that point on you can start publishing work and letting the poker media world see your stuff.
My own blog goes through long periods of inactivity, followed by weeks of non-stop content. For me, the biggest single reason for my blog is as a business card. I want this to be the first thing people see when they google my name.
Lots of people have contacted me through my blog, I have got plenty of work as a result, and I even have made a (small) amount of money directly from it.
A blog is great practice for a new poker writer. You get instant feedback on your poker articles and it gets you in the habit of writing regularly even if you can't find much work.
Even more importantly these days, it is great practice for when you get web based content work. If you work hard on your blog, you will learn html, how to format articles in an attractive way, and SEO - three of the most vital skills for people creating web based poker content.
In fact, one of the rising new places for poker writers to make money is for blogs for poker rooms, so experience of the back-office of a blog is very important.
If you work hard enough, you can even monetise it. You can get paid to put advertising banners on it, or use it the promote something you are selling. I use my own blog to promote my book and the poker articles I write on PokerStrategy.com, and in the past have been paid to put banners and links on (Don't do that anymore, personal preference).
If you want some good advice on starting a blog, look no further than this site by my friend Marko Saric's excellent blog www.howtomakemyblog.com - which really is the only place to go to learn how to make a compelling blog.
More to come soon......
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1 comments:
So true - I started my poker website 3 years ago www.cardplayerlifestyle.com pretty much "just loving poker" and knowing how to write. In those 3 years I can't even begin to say how much I've learned about HTML, widgets, plugins, wordpress, SEO, affiliate marketing, writing for the Web, Google Analytics...an increibly rewarding learning experience!
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