This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.
You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.
Why do this?
- Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
- Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.
The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.
To help you get started, here are a few questions:
- Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
- What topics do you think you’ll write about?
- Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
- If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?
You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.
Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.
When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.
Published by kvalaitis
My name is Kenneth Valaitis and I am a graduate of Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center, Wilkes-Barre PA class of 1992 {Welding} and Pennsylvania College of Technology, Williamsport PA class of 1994 {A.A.S in Welding Technology}. I am the welding instructor at the Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center, Wilkes-Barre PA. I teach 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students that come from different social and economic backgrounds. I have been around welding and cutting construction operations most of my life. I am a third generation welder in my family. Both my father and grandfather were welders and have made a comfortable life long career working in the trades. I owe a lot of today's success to both of them. My father was my inspiration to apply for the welding instructor’s position that opened up at Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center back in 2015.
My interest in learning about welding and cutting started when I was around 12-years old. My father worked a full-time job welding during the week and also owned a small welding fabrication repair shop at his home were he would build or repair broken metal items. I was my father’s helper at his repair shop and from this experience my interest in welding took off. Entering first into WBACTC welding class I quickly became the student other students would ask for help. I was in VICA {Vocational Industrial Clubs of America}, today known as Skills USA and placed second in 11th grade and first in 12 grade in the state welding competitions. A injury to my right hand caused stitches two days before my next competition which was to be held out of Pennsylvania. With this hand injury I couldn't wear welding gloves which ultimately disqualified me from the competition.
Before graduating high school, I enrolled at Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport for a degree in Welding Technology. While attending college at the start of my last semester I was asked by one of my instructors if I would be interested in being a class welding tutor who would provide hands-on training assistance to new students entering the welding technology program. This short role at college working as a class welding tutor brought new meaning and purpose into my life by allowing me first-hand to experience other students failures and successes in welding. I believe all students with and without disabilities deserve a high-quality education of their choice and we as teachers need to make every attempt to reach out to every student and give them that one on one instruction to help them move forward in a career of their choice toward future employment or college after graduation.
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