I need a kick-start!!

[Tanya]

Hi everyone!

I feel like I've read all I can about IM. Surfed the web, checked out books and just finished Rosalind Gardner's Super Affiliate Guide (which is great by the way) and I've perused ClickNewz so often I think I could be reconized as a stalker - but I just can't seem to get myself to design my site.
I've chosen what I think is a very narrow niche to start blogging but it's my hobby and it's what I know. Although when I search for my niche I don't find many that are doing a blog on that topic (maybe because it's too narrow?). I've written an e-book relating to a specialty in my niche and it's been selling very slowly on Etsy for several years so I had planned to promote it on my blog. I've had a website for my ebook which directs buyers to my Etsy shop. I've also already registered my niche name and signed up with Wordpress, but I think that WP is intimidating to me. I'm somewhat familiar with blogger so I may be resisting the change.
I've made of list of topics to blog about and have started drafting some of the posts.

But, again, I can't seem to push myself to look at the WP themes (again) and decide on one and open myself up to the www. What gives here? Have others had that paralyzing fear that stops them in their tracks?

[angienewton]

Oh yea we have all been there! But you really just need to get started. You'll learn as you go and figure it all out. And you don't have to spend so much time on a theme. You could pick a basic one for now and get a header done or if you have the funds to invest in a design I would get that done.

Happy to help with suggestions, tips, etc. if you want to share your niche and ideas. This is an open forum so whatever you share is open to the search engines. However the elite mastermind group is not indexed by the search engines so you can feel free to share openly.

[slowstarter]

Hey Tanya!

I'd thoroughly recommend you risk the first couple of months membership to the mastermind forum, let the group kick you into gear (nicely of course) and give you (private) feedback on your niche, your chosen theme, and even how you plan to go about monetising your blog etc. It is amazing how a little group accountability propels you into action! And they/we are unbelievably supportive.

As far as getting your blog launched goes, if you hang around here long enough, you'll realise you have already done the hard part:

you've chosen your niche
your niche is something you already enjoy
you have knowledge in your niche - you could be an authority already if no-one else is blogging about it
you can write knowledgeably and have already written about your niche
you already have a product to promote (and it's selling - doesn't matter how slowly!)
you have your niche domain (.com I hope)

I'd suggest you put your own wordpress blog on your own hosting rather than on wordpress.com (I think that's what you mean by "I've registered with Wordpress?) As you already have a website, you already have hosting I am assuming.

So - to recap, you have all the above ready to go - the easiest part is installing wordpress and picking a theme. Just pick any theme at all - the elite members in the forum will soon tell you if it's a disaster!

When I first joined the elite forum I was totally blown away by the incisive and focussed way that Lynn gave her feedback on the sites that the group was asked to give feedback on. She will point you in the right direction. And not some vague direction, but exactly what you should do.

What's the worst that can happen? You might have a less than perfect blog "out there" for a few days and I'd be amazed, but after a couple of months, you might decide you've wasted your membership - that will not happen!

Hope this helps.

Martin

[Lynn Terry]

Welcome Tanya!

You may find this post helpful, as it's a checklist you can work through one step at a time:

How To Start A WordPress Blog

Start there, and then let us know if you run into any questions or snags along the way!

[Tanya]

Thank you so much everyone for that little kick!! I have finally signed up with HostGator - a little unnerving since we're Seminoles in this part of FL :0 - and am now working on designing my site. Will be back in touch soon.

[angienewton]

Awesome! Let us know how we can help you.

[Lynn Terry]

Congrats on taking action, Tanya!

[erange]

Hi Tanya...
I hope you're not a Miami Hurricane?!? Go Kansas State! :-)
(...sorry, I'm a die-hard, huh? lol)

I just wanted to tell you you're in the right spot for motivation! Lynn even kept me accountable for finding a niche!!! lol

I struggle with actually 'writing' and procrastinate like crazy...ugh! I love to dabble around with websites, etc. though. So I just found that if I just dedicate 30min to just sit down and write...I wind up actually enjoying it and spend 3x that writing. I think the point it... 'just do it'. ;-)

Best of luck!

Eileen

[Tanya]

Thanks Eileen! Actually we're Seminoles here (GO 'NOLES)!!

I did go public with my site - you can check it out here: www.stainedglassantics.com

I'm a little slow on the posting side right now - we're getting ready for a wedding and that has taken up a little of my time - and I haven't monetized it yet. I was waiting until I could get more posts up and a little traffic before I started adding advertisers.

I'm assuming you found your niche and are well on your way. If so, send me your link - I would love to take a look.

Tanya

[Lynn Terry]

I haven't monetized it yet. I was waiting until I could get more posts up and a little traffic before I started adding advertisers.

Hi Tanya,

You're on the right track. It's best to publish quality content first while you are building a readership and getting inbound links to your site. I assume you have social media accounts set up for this site, specifically? If not, that's next on the list:

http://www.clicknewz.com/3038/how-to-use-social-media/

Once you have some solid content on the site, and some quality inbound links, you can start applying to affiliate programs and monetizing in other ways.