What differentiates a blog from a website is: Your blog is a reflection of what you are. And No matter how well you try, with every single word said, your blog reflects the mismatch (if there’s any) between what you said, how you said; and what you actually stand for, and how you stand for.

But unfortunately, this simple thing is not understood by most bloggers. The result: You’ll find multitudes of blogs which seem dishonest and fame hungry. Dishonest, for saying things which they don’t believe in and fame hungry, for choosing that stuff which they think will be more popular among the readers.

But, like real world, the above dichotomy is easily visible. Any mismatch between what you say and what you really believe in, becomes visible all the time.

People most of the time highlight dichotomy related with the field of expertise—One should blog about only those things in which one has expertise at. But I think, when it comes to blogging, which is basically sharing information with your readers (who eventually become your friends), the dichotomy which should be taken care of is the one that I mentioned at the beginning.

Why?

As expertise comes with time and hardwork, spiced with your true self;

Time and hard work are easy to understand; but how "spiced with your true self" really brings expertise ? -- As  when a person is true to itself, he/she says things he/she really believes in (irrespective of subject) and that broadens the wisdom related to the subject. And having wisdom related to any subject, is EXPERTISE.

So when a person chooses to blog about a field he/she doesn’t have expertise at; with honest (making your true self visible) prolonged engagement with the subject, the expertise is bound to come.

Now. Even if, for some reasons, a person fails to get expertise in his/her chosen subject (though a remote possibility); what will utmost happen: the blog will not have perfect posts or the blog will stagnate. But even at this possibility, if the person is aware of  “his/her true self” readers will not consider him/her as some shady person. People can call him/her dumb or unintelligent, but not someone who tried to be someone else.

And to succeed at blogging showing your true self is more important than being considered intelligent with a sarcastic bend. All the benefits of blogging come with the degree to which you show your true self, when you blog (and also when you don't).

More on this, on the next article of this series.

Please have your say on this.