How to write a blog that people will read

The secret formula to growing an audience online

Hello, I’m Molly and I write about my slow and simple life in the Scottish Highlands. Please subscribe to support my work and to read more of my stories. You can also find me on YouTube and shop my Etsy Store and sustainable Teemill Clothing.

Blogging is where it all started for me.

I now have an audience of over 3000, half of which I’ve gained in the past 6 months, that read my writing on a weekly basis. This is how I did it.

Is blogging worth it?

Its official. Blogging is back. After the rise of social media, where short form content started to dominate, there was a real fear that blogging would disappear for good. Thankfully, this has not happened.

In fact, 77% of all internet users read blogs and blogging is still one of the preferred formats used by content marketers.

My business started as a blog back in 2020. Although my content has evolved since then, writing is still a crucial part of my business and is one of the reasons I’ve been able to make this my full time job.

Having said that, writing a blog that people will actually read takes real skill. After much trial and error, I’ve found a formula that I enjoy, keeps my readers engaged and my subscribers rising. This is what I wanted to share with you today.

Grab a cuppa, this may be a long one…

Note - I will be referring to my Blogger Notion Planner that I sell on my Etsy store throughout this post. This is something I use myself and has been a crucial part of my success. You can check it out HERE.

Some kind 5 star reviews for this planner…

‘Beautiful! We love these products.’

‘I love this planner. As a newbie blogger this has been a great help in planning my work.’

‘Great template, very easy to use’

Blog writing tips

Be prepared

Know your why

Why do you want to blog? Perhaps you want to inspire or educate others, raise awareness about a cause that is important to you, have a creative outlet, promote your business or connect with a like-minded community?

Of course, you may have multiple reasons. I certainly do. However, I believe it’s invaluable to be clear of your purpose from the start, even if this evolves over time. This will ensure you are producing high quality content and that you continue to enjoy the process.

It can also be useful to set goals. Make sure that these are realistic and personal to you, rather than generic measurements of success. I’ve included a goals and intentions section as part of my blogger planner to help you with this.

Planning is crucial

You’ve heard it before, but consistency really is key when it comes to building an audience.

The best way to achieve this is to take your planning seriously. That way you never run out of ideas or end up publishing something subpar when rushed.

I do all my blog planning in notion. I have an ever expanding list of content ideas and use a calendar database to stay on track.

If you find planning a bit more of a challenge, or you feel you want to level up your blog, then you can use my blogger planner to plan, draft and schedule all your posts. This includes an editable template to plan your blog posts, so you can ensure you don’t miss anything important out.

Research & learning

Look outwards & inwards

When I first started blogging, I essentially used it as a diary. Somewhere I could document my thoughts about my interests.

Now, if this is the sole purpose of your blog and you are not interested in growing a readership then, of course, there is nothing wrong with this.

However, if you want to grow an audience, then you need to find a way to connect with your readers. Why should they care about your story?

Looking outwards as well as inwards was one of the most important lesson’s I learnt from

Roxane Gay

’s phenomenal Skillshare class (Creative writing - crafting personal essays with impact) and I truly think it has transformed my writing.

My blogs often start with a personal experience, but then I balance this with some wider context, such as including some researched stats (such as the blogging stats at the beginning of this post).

If I’m sharing something that has added value in my life, then I will include tips and advice on how my readers could incorporate this in their life (see my post about my weekly reading routine as an example).

Getting the balance can be tricky but its something I continue to work on and I highly recommend watching Roxane’s class if you want to learn more.

Invest in your writing

One of the best tips I got when I started blogging is to act like your blog has thousands of readers from day one. If you take it seriously, then other’s will too.

This means its always worthwhile investing time to improve your writing.

I like to set aside time on a weekly basis to do this. I will either read a book (currently reading ‘Write it all down’ by Cathy Rentzenbrink), watch a YouTube video or, most often, watch a Skillshare class.

Doing this little and often means that I’ve really seen improvement in my writing. Its a significant reason for my rapid growth over the last 6 months.

I would highly recommend Skillshare to fellow writers. They are currently offering an amazing 50% discount on their annual membership until the end of November which you can check out here.

Crafting your blog

Open strong

Titles are key, so use them wisely.

I usually redraft my titles numerous times until I find one that both clearly states what the blog with be about whilst also enticing readers to open it, without resorting to click-bait!

I really like that Substack has the option of a title and subtitle. You can use this to your advantage as two opportunities to get readers to click open.

Additionally, make sure you put some real thought into your opening sentence. Like titles, a well-crafted sentence or opening paragraph will keep people reading. Remember, your story doesn’t need to start at the beginning. Often delving straight into the action has more of an impact.

This takes practise so don’t worry too much about getting it perfect. Just don’t rush it!

Make it accessible

No one likes to be faced with a wall of text.

To keep readers engaged, try to make your blogs accessible and visually appealing. Break up your text with paragraphs and subheadings and use italics and bold font to make key information stand out.

Photos are a great option. I would definitely recommend having at least one photo as this will feature in your blog cover and thumbnail. You want to make a good first impression!

Page breaks are another fun way to break up your writing. Substack offers standard line dividers, but you could also design your own to make it a little more personal (I designed the one below in Canva).

If you are less confident in graphic design, then Sara at

The Substack Soirée

offers a beautiful brand bundle that you can get for free here. She also has some great tips about growing on Substack so is well worth checking out!

Read & reflect

Read for inspiration

As Stephen King famously says

If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.

Reading is not only a pleasure, it’s crucial when it comes to honing your craft as a writer. Any reading is beneficial, but finding other blogs that write about similar subjects can be a great source of inspiration.

I find it particularly useful to store key information or favourite quotes in my digital ‘commonplace book’ which I have on my notion. I’ve included this as part of my blogger planner, so you can easily dip into this when you need some inspiration.

Reflect often

If you are writing regularly, its easy to keep working towards the next deadline and not take any time to reflect.

Reflection is crucial as it allows time to notice growth, highlight areas you would like to improve and inform what you want to write about next. This is especially important if you want to grow your readership and maybe even monetise your blog.

I schedule in this reflection at the beginning of each month. This is where I review my analytics (such as views, engagement and audience demographics) and note down what I’ve learnt from this before moving on to planning my next content.

I’ve included a template for these monthly reflections, as well as a yearly reflection, as part of my blogger planner so you can do this too. Its not only really useful, but a wonderful way to demonstrate how far you’ve come.

Make sure you reward yourself for your hard work!

Phew, well I hope that brain dump was helpful! There are so many talented writer’s here on Substack, so please do add your own tips in the comments.

Happy writing!

Until next week,

Molly