This is my 3rd iteration of this website, and finally I’ve started to get some traction! I did a few things along the way, some more obscure than others, that will definitely not help you if you’re trying to do the same.

Mistake #1: Go for the cheapest option

I have no web design experience, but I was ambitious and thought that I would be able to use WordPress.com to do the graphical layout that I envisioned (and that you see here). It was cheap, and supposedly functional. That didn’t really work out though, so a friend recommended using WordPress.org, and using a pre-made theme. I got a little bit closer to what I wanted, but still not quite there. Eventually, when I was trying to reconfigure the email address for the 2nd or 3rd time and having no success after wasting hours with my hosting provider, I pulled the plug and made the switch to Squarespace. More expensive, but for someone who doesn’t want to sink time into the nitty gritties, undoubtedly worth it.

The website you’re currently seeing is now in Ghost, a great alternative if you’re looking for something simple to get started.

Mistake #2: Don’t make a blog, everyone does that!

There have also been some interesting insights into my own psychology in this whole adventure. I realised that I wanted this blog to be ‘special’. I didn’t even want to call it a blog. I wanted to be on the high horse of ‘maintaining a personal website’ or some other more ridiculous sounding description of a blog.

Mistake #3: Don’t tell anyone

Putting the expectation out there will enable people to call you out on your nonsense. It’s a good way to start the process! I told a few people that I was going to start putting some of my esoteric musings on the interwebs in 2018. You’ll find a bunch of posts from this time (back-dated), when I had grand ambitions of putting metaphorical pen to paper. You’ll find some from 2019, where I momentarily picked it up again after telling a few people I met when travelling. Finally, there’s a handful from 2020 when I told the colleagues I was working with on a project. Make it public, and people will ask questions.