5 things i want to see on your blog.

i love blogs. i love blogging and i love reading other people's blogs. there's something about the way i can read someone else's words and feel so inspired and connected to them, without ever actually knowing them in real life.

also, i like finding new blogs to read. there are so many people out there, and with so many stories. i want to hear them all. but i can't, obviously. mostly because i haven't discovered them all. partly because i don't have the time to read them all. but also because there are just some blogs i just can't get into.

with that said, here are five things i look for when i find a new blog:

1. a clean page. lots of white. structure. a good layout and design. it doesn't have to be fancy, just keep it simple. this includes the font. keep the swirly letters to a minimum. and for the love of everything, stay away from comic sans.

2. an "about" page. more often than not, i will read this page before any of the blog content. i want to know what you have to say about yourself before i jump into what you're saying about your life, or your chosen blog topic.

3. words. i'm a words person. write me a picture. that's not to say i don't enjoy a good photo, but post too many and you've lost me. also, make sure those words are spelled correctly and are put together in sentences that are grammatical. please and thank you.

4. consistency. this is key. in how frequently you post, in your voice, in the layout and design. be consistent. if i have to figure out how to read your blog, i won't.

5. a writing style. last, but not least. (this is probably most important.) i want to hear your voice. even if you're writing about something i'm not particularly interested in, even if your blog doesn't follow any of my aforementioned rules, if you've got a good writing style, i'll want to read what you have to say.