Life

What I Learned From 10 Years of Blogging

10 years.

10 frickin’ years I’ve been writing on tonysbologna.com.

That number feels impossibly long when you’re starting out, and somehow impossibly short when you’re looking back.

But before I get into it, I just want to say—thank you.

Seriously.

Thank you for reading, sharing, commenting, and even silently lurking. Your support has genuinely charmed my life in the best way.

Over the years, I’ve found myself asking other people what they’ve learned from sticking with something for a long time. So now, I’m turning the question on myself:

What would I tell myself when I was  just starting out? And what do I keep telling myself now?

Let’s find out.

When I Was Starting Out

When I first started blogging, my posts had a certain freedom to them.

And by “freedom,” I mean they were kind of all over the place, but (hopefully) in the best way.

There’s a unique, creative energy you only get when you have no idea what the hell you’re doing, and I leaned into that.

I didn’t know the “rules.” I didn’t care about structure. I didn’t worry about whether something was too long, too short, or made any sense to anyone outside my own head. I just wrote because I enjoyed it.

And that ignorance? It was liberating.

That creative freedom gave my writing a kind of chaotic energy—raw, fun, and unfiltered.

But looking back, I can see how they were also kinda messy.

My early posts were basically giant, intimidating blocks of text. My grammar was suspect at best, and if I’m being real, I overwrote the crap out of everything. I was trying so hard to sound smart, clever, or deep that I often buried the actual point.

Sometimes I still do.

If I could go back and give beginner-me a little advice, I’d say:

“Keep the freedom, but clean it up a bit, buddy.”

Because while creativity matters, so does readability. Don’t make your readers fight through a jungle of words just to get to the point.

Where I’m At Now

These days, I know what works.

I know how to structure posts so they’re easier to read.

I know how to write hooks that pull people in.

And I’ve learned how to (mostly) avoid the landmines of overwriting, rambling, or trying too hard.

But here’s the catch: when you know what works, it’s easy to start playing it safe.

And safe can be boring.

The better you get at something, the easier it is to get lazy.

Not “I didn’t try” lazy—but “I know the formula so well I stopped pushing myself” lazy.

And that’s where creativity starts to die.

So if I’m giving current me advice, it’s this:

Don’t lose your freedom.

Keep experimenting. Keep getting weird with it. Keep writing things that make you slightly uncomfortable to publish—because that’s usually where the good stuff lives.

The Simple Writing Advice That Took Me a Decade to Learn

If someone asked me what I’ve learned from 10 years of writing online, I’d boil it down to this:

Be free. Be polished.

You need both.

Be Free.

Don’t just copy what everyone else is doing.

Don’t write another “10 Productivity Hacks That Will Change Your Life” post unless you actually have something different to say.

Write like you.

Say what you want to say, the way you want to say it.

That’s what people connect with—your actual voice, not some watered-down version of what you think will “perform well.”

Be Polished.

But also… don’t make your readers suffer.

Your post should have a clear point.

It should be easy to read.

Use white space. Make it look clean.

And for the love of all that is holy, proofread at least once before you hit publish. (I still screw this up regularly.)

You don’t need to be perfect—you just need to give your words the structure they deserve.

Full Circle

After 10 years of doing this, here’s what I know for sure:

Freedom is what makes writing fun.

Polish is what makes writing land.

You can’t lean too far in either direction.

You need to stand in the middle of the opposing forces. 

Be weird, but make sense.

Be real, but don’t ramble.

Let your voice come through, but don’t let your readers drown in it.

And above all: keep going and write because it’s fun. 

Thanks again for sticking with me all these years. It means more than you know.

Cheers to another 10.

—Tony

Please like, comment, share, and tell me what you think! Do you have any questions for me? Feel free to ask them. They can be about writing, me, or anything. Seriously, thank you for all of your support. 

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73 thoughts on “What I Learned From 10 Years of Blogging”

  2. Beyond the requisite anniversary compliments on your laudable ten years of blogging, well done.,Sir. It is nice to be reminded that writing is an actual craft and that you have honed and polished yours over many years. You don’t tell us so much as show us. Your blessedly brief “how-to” points notwithstanding. As a once professional writer myself, I am aghast at what passes for prose these days. To say nothing of journalism. Which i won’t. Because it leads me to suicidal ideation. I am one of the lurker and occasional comments legion who have you on their radar. My brain and heart always jump just a little when your posts come up in my feed. I don’t read them always but often. I read this one. Keep on keeping on.

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      1. Back at you. Remember the school books that told you what they were going to tell you, then told you, before reviewing what was said. This fails to follow that lesson plan, thank heavens!!!

  4. You write great posts, Tony – you’ve learned well, and it’s good that you’re sharing your experience. I came into blogging as a writer, so I’ve always tried to keep things neat and tidy with a point to them – it wouldn’t be much of an advert of me as a writer to post messy work full of typos. Right. Just need to proofread this before I hit send … 🙂

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  6. congrats Tony – i love your point about polish and readability. people here on WP are giving you their time when they visit your site. the very least you can do is to make sure your message is understood and do it in a timely way. here’s to 10 more years of writing for you. Mike

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  7. Thank you tony this is helping me a lot today particular working alone from home ! I often forget that my intention of writing is not fame and instead to connect to people.

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  8. Congratulations to TEN YEARS, sir! Also, I agree with this wholeheartedly:

    “Be Free.
    Don’t just copy what everyone else is doing.

    Don’t write another “10 Productivity Hacks That Will Change Your Life” post unless you actually have something different to say.

    Write like you.

    Say what you want to say, the way you want to say it.

    That’s what people connect with—your actual voice, not some watered-down version of what you think will “perform well.”‘

    Yes!!! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

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  9. Thank you for this line – it hit me right in the sacred, squirmy truth.

    “Keep getting weird with it… write what makes you uncomfortable…”

    Yes. That’s the edge I dance on and sometimes run from.
    But your words reminded me that the discomfort is quite often where my “truest voice” hides.

    So thank you 🙏 again for the nudge to get weirder (if that’s possible 💭), braver … and more wildly myself.
    That line gave me permission I didn’t even know I was waiting for.

    With deep gratitude 🙏
    (✨and a little glitter ✨ ),

    Jodi James

    Reply

    1. I felt simliar but then I also struggle to not push with my weirdness because it feels embaressing. but then i move towards too much professionalsim and feel absoultely nothing so maybe the goal of writing a) is none and b) to just be the wild version of self(ves)

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      1. AnnJoest, I used to enjoy finding “work-appropriate” ways to phrase things that were, frankly, less than polite.
        A while back, I came up with “test your theory, observe the outcome” as a stand-in for FAFO (you know, mess around and find out). But honestly, I think it’s fitting to test that theory, simply to embrace your authentic, unique self without worrying about seeming “normal” or proper … and discover the freedom that comes with it.
        I wish you much happiness in finding and developing your truest, unique to you, creative voice … and I pray it rings through generations upon generations 🙏
        Keep going, weirdling … 🤗

  15. Hai haaaiiii! First, wanna say thank you for visiting my blog and giving a like to one of my posts! I’m brand new to this whole ordeal, but I’m having a blast! Naturally, I am curious about anyone (it’s very few right now hehe) that swings in to see my inner monologuing. Lo and behold, you’ve been at this for TEN YEARS! Congrats!!! It’s also very refreshing getting to read what a decade-veteran blogger has to ruminate on. 💖 Here’s to another ten?! *high fives*

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  17. Congrats, Tony! And thanks for letting us peek into your blogging brilliance. As for me, I embarked on my blogging journey last September, a valiant continuation of my Blogging class. But let’s be real—I’m currently drowning in a deep sea of laziness. My blog posts appear about as frequently as a solar eclipse: once a month instead of once a week.
    During the day, I have more ideas than a brainstorming session at a caffeine-fueled startup. But do I write them down? Of course not. Instead, when I finally sit down to write, my brain pulls the ultimate vanishing act—poof! Tabula rasa. Nothing. Just an empty void where creativity used to live.
    So tell me, do you stick to a writing schedule, or do you also ride the chaotic wave of inspiration like a highly unorganized surfer?

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    1. I write around 5- 10 blog post a day, unstructured and sometimes unclear so that I get these down. when i think too long about what I write , then often times this has me not write and forget my concepts and ideas. thats of course sometimes not the best but it is helping me.

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    2. A little bit of both – I try to write for an hour most days out of the week, and whenever I am feeling inspired I write it down the idea. Most mornings I do not feel like writing but after the first 15 mins I’m glad I did

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  19. Thank you. I have always enjoyed your blogs. Good information. Lots to learn

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  21. “Keep experimenting. Keep getting weird with it. Keep writing things that make you slightly uncomfortable to publish—because that’s usually where the good stuff lives.” Love this. Thank you.

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  22. Congratulations on ten years of blogging. I couldn’t agree more with what you said: keep the freedom but polish it.
    Sometimes I forget the latter and my posts can get messy. I am working on it though 🙂 Thank you for your dedication and all the writing. xx

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  25. Congratulations on 10 years! I’m just now getting to see your blog and I love your advice! Thank you so much. This post gave me hope because I want to write for as long as I can.

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  28. This is great advice. Some of it I knew. I really like your summary at the end. What I have trouble with in this crazy world of today is what you wrote: “Keep writing things that make you slightly uncomfortable to publish—because that’s usually where the good stuff lives.” And it’s true … that’s where the good stuff lives. But so many people are so quick to take offense and I hate to offend. Maybe I should just get over that and write what I want. Most times I do. But I also don’t. (See me hanging my head in shame and sorrow?). In any case, I really like what you had to say and the way you presented it. Primo!

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  29. Lol-proofread before posting. I am guilty of skimming proof reading and even that isn’t enough. Now I give myself a few days to look it over. Fresh eyes.

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  33. Great advise! Just starting out and I’m as unpolished as a brass knob in a haunted mansion but, I am free and I do enjoy the freedom.. 🤔.. not so sure if my readers do

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  34. 4 more years than you but I’m burned out. I really no longer care to prodice or read. Sadly. I do, but not with the same enthusiam I once held. I like your blog though…it brings a smile.

    Reply

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