3 pieces of advice for those planning to start a blog
TLDR: Just start writing!
I started this blog on 6 December 2022, and I think it's the most rewarding personal project I've ever done. If you're planning on starting a blog, I have advice for you:
just start writing!!!
Start writing posts. I know you have ideas. Don't worry about the platform you host it on, or how many people will read it, or whatever else your worrying mind is worrying about. Just write and publish posts, even if they're not perfect. The point is to gain momentum.
choose the right platform
Once you've started writing, it's worth it to choose a good platform. I've used Substack (0.5 years), Ghost (2.5 years), and now Eleventy (since Apr 2025) as my blog platforms. They are all great, but choose a platform based on your needs:
- substack
- ease of use: high
- customizability: low
- price: $0/month
- my review: substack is a great place to just write your thoughts when you're just starting out, and there's good opportunities for natural growth. it lacks much customization, however. so if you're looking for a distinct blog style, you're better off with another platform.
- ghost
- ease of use: medium
- customizability: high
- price: $9/month
- my review: I used ghost for a long time and really loved it. there are many more options for website customization and integrations. it does cost money, though, which might not be your cup of tea for a personal blog.
- eleventy
- ease of use: low
- customizability: almost infinite
- price: however much your hosting provider costs
- my review: I've been writing much more code recently, and have liked having complete control over all parts of my blog. however, I still sometimes break things, and adding new features can be frustrating. but overall it's worth it.
back up your posts
Make regular backups of your blog. It sucks if something happens[1] and you lose all of your posts. It's also not hard to back up your posts—I write all my posts as .md files and back them up onto a physical SSD.
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