Working alongside a number of new bloggers, I’ve noticed many become sidetracked with the number of  Wordpress options. All those options are one benefit that makes building your site on WordPress a sound decision. But it can also lead to analysis paralysis.

When I find myself spending more time configuring plugins than writing, I pull out this list of tips I wrote some time ago. I find it relevant for all writers, but it’s geared to those who are just beginning to blog.

1. Just write. It’s easy to get bogged down by the number of available plugins and themes and stress over what your sidebar should look like. That’s OK to some extent, but readers won’t return to your site based on an obscure plugin. They will return in search of compelling content. So spend some time making your blog look professional. But spend far more time writing.
2. Keep your posts in the 250-450 word range. This isn’t a rule, but with RSS, many readers will search for shorter posts and come back to the longer ones. Keep your posts concise and short and you’ll find that more people actually read them.
3. Find a schedule and stick to it. Seth Godin writes once a day. I count on it and I visit his blog daily. Dooce often writes multiple times each day. Some bloggers write once a week. I write about three times a week. I don’t believe you need to write each day, but you shouldn’t  post  seven times in a week and then go three weeks without posting anything. Find a schedule that works for you and then use WordPress to schedule posts in advance, much like a comic writer does.
4. Read and comment on other blogs. Find blogs in your industry and comment on them. That allows you to get your name and blog URL out there and, you never know, they may link back to your site. It also helps your Google Page Rank if people LINK back to you. I know this can be time consuming, but it’s time well spent, especially for new bloggers. Alltop is a helpful place to start your search.
5. Don’t get frustrated over low visitor counts. In fact, ignore them for the first three months. I’d rather have 10 people visit my blog who comment and are engaged with my writing than 500 who skim and move on to the next one.  When you get discouraged, fire up Live Writer and continue writing. If your content is compelling, people will find you.