A blog is defined as “a regularly updated website or web page, typically one run by an individual or small group, that is written in an informal or conversational style.” It’s pretty simple - you just write as you talk. (Which is why I am a little long-winded sometimes.)

There are two of us who are regular contributors to this blog. You may see the odd guest contributor. But mostly it is up to us to come up with ideas to write about.

So, we come to the first of the “things I wish I’d known when I started blogging”: Sometimes it’s incredibly difficult to come up with fresh ideas. We want everything we post to be relevant to what we do here, so I can’t just go off on a tangent about what I had for Easter dinner to fill the space. After doing this for years, it can be hard to think of topics we haven’t already covered or to come up with fresh angles to keep you interested. (In fact, this entire post might be pushing it. Thanks for being a good sport!)

When I started blogging for Ranch Ehrlo, I underestimated how much help I would need from other employees – whether it be basic fact checking or doing a full-on interview, I almost always need to talk to someone about the topic du jour. It’s not much different than news writing in that sense.

Which brings us to the second thing I wish I’d known: it can be incredibly difficult to coordinate schedules with such a vast employee base. I work in the office with very little deviation in my hours, but most of our employees are shift workers. I constantly check my emails, because I’m sitting in front of the computer all day. But most of our employees are direct care workers and are doing anything but. So, if I find myself waiting on a reply before I can start writing – I’d better find something else to do in the meantime.

Don’t get me wrong – I love writing blogs. They are one of my favourite mediums. But, like anything in life, blog writing isn’t without its challenges!