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Success Advice

How To Write For Any Successful Blog And Get Thousands Of Shares

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It’s very easy to think that writing for a successful blog is easy and getting people to share your content is just a natural by-product of this – it’s not. In this post, I want to address the number one question I get asked, “how do I write for a successful blog and get thousands of shares?”

There is no great secret to getting involved with any successful website or blog, but there are a few things you should know before which I will address for you in this article. Before you begin pursuing this goal, you need to make sure you clearly know why you want to be a blogger first.

If you don’t address your why, then you will find that you won’t be able to achieve any of what I am going to talk about.

My journey to writing for a successful blog started when I realised that I wanted to inspire people through what I was passionate about. Initially, I had no idea how to do this. Through a series of thinking sessions, I realised that the most important thing for me was to be involved in a website that stood for exactly what I believed in.

Once I understood this concept, writing for Addicted2Success was a no-brainer, and I didn’t have to think twice about any other website. What this site stands for is my life in three words – Addicted 2 Success. I am obsessed with what it takes to be successful and ultimately how to find my purpose and fulfill it.

So I am going to share with you the ten things I did to write for a successful blog and ultimately achieve thousands of shares.

1. Find your tribe

Before beginning to write for any blog you need to find your tribe and niche first. With a bit of luck, you will already be part of some sort of online tribe through your hobby or passion. These tribes are the best one’s to write for.

At this stage, forget about whether the niche you want to write for is popular or not. You can make any niche popular, and this had been proven online so many times over the years. I saw one tribe of people the other day that is obsessed with chickens, and they have thousands of people engaged – anything is possible.

2. Publish some posts on a lesser-known site first

Once you work out which site you want to write for, I suggest writing for some lesser-known sites within the same niche first. Many of the popular sites I have found will want to know how big your current audience is and see some posts you have done before.

If you can’t demonstrate these two things, then the popular sites are unlikely to let you write for them. In my own case I was able to leap frog this requirement but generally speaking, you should start this way.

3. Nail your personal story (you will be repeating it a lot)

As you go through your journey of blogging, you will be required in your writing (and interviews later on) to be able to articulate your personal story and explain why you do what you do.

“Everything you write will probably have some element of your personal story, so it’s important to agree on what that story is”

My story is all about entrepreneurship and personal development, and there are a thousand different ways to communicate these two topics which are closely related to each other. The other crucial reason to know your story is to be able to tell people what you stand for and give them the opportunity to read someone else’s work if what you are about is not for them.

I found that as my writing has progressed, I have been asked more and more to attend events, do interviews, and write for other websites. When you do these things a lot you are constantly in front of new audiences who don’t know your story.

There is also an expectation that when you get to this level later on, that you know your personal story back to front and are able to make it compelling and engaging for the audience. So the bottom line is agree on how you want to say your story and then write it down.

4. Write professionally

There is nothing worse than when an editor of a blog get’s a proposed article, and it doesn’t have proper English or has loads of spelling and grammar errors. Writing professionally is extremely important, and if your skills are not up to scratch that’s okay, you can always take some professional writing classes to get up to speed.

One reason that grammar and spelling are so important, besides having people read your posts, is because “Search Engine Optimisation” won’t work well if the writing is full of mistakes. I won’t go too much into SEO but know that editors of blogs will care a lot about this.

One way I have improved my writing has been through a tool called Grammarly. It corrects grammar and spelling and does the best job that I have seen of any other software.

If you are like me, and you like to write longer posts, then make sure you edit your writing at the end so you can remove unnecessary things that you may have written, which are not crucial to the point of your article. The last thing to be conscious of is rambling. Try as much as possible not to ramble on.

5. Have a niche with something worth saying

Editors of blogs are looking for people that have something worth saying who represent relevant niches to their site. For example, there are loads of people that write about entrepreneurship. If you are going to cover this particular topic, then you need to have something to say that may not have been said very much.

The way I do this is through my own entrepreneur story. My story is individual and hopefully captivating. It’s all about how I started a business and why I walked away from everything.

My take on entrepreneurship is heavily fused with personal development, which is very different to a lot of other bloggers.

“Think deeply about what slant you can bring to a particular niche and then communicate that as part of your proposals to editors of blogs”

6. Contact the right person from your dream website

Once you have built up some content on a blog and you feel you are ready for the big league, then its time to reach out to one or two editors from a site you dream of blogging for. The two best ways to contact an editor are through LinkedIn or using the email address provided on the blog.

The secret here is that all blogs have a contact form, but for post submissions, there is usually a different email address. Look carefully on the blog and you will find the “contributor submissions” email address. Next, follow these guidelines when reaching out:

– Write a compelling headline as the subject of your message
– Keep it brief and ideally to know more than three short paragraphs
– Mention that you are a regular reader of the site
– Link to two posts that you have done that had the most people share it
– Try to give a rough idea as to your current blogging audience
– Suggest three topics that you can write on which are categories already on the blog

If you try all of this, and you get no reply there is one other step you can take; ask another author from the same blog for advice on how to get featured on the site.

“Most bloggers are more than happy to share how they were able to become an author for a particular blog”

7. Be like a hungry dog and never give up

The more influential the blog is that you want to write for, the harder it is to get the opportunity to be featured on the site with your writing. To inspire you, I want to share the story of Addicted2Success’s very own Carla Schesser.

Carla’s dream was to write for The Huffington Post. After weeks of emailing different contacts and trying heaps of different avenues to get her foot in the door, she finally persisted through what seemed like the impossible.

It was at this point that Carla boldly emailed the Co-Founder of the Huffington Post Arianna Huffington and asked her directly if they would feature her article. Not long after, Arinna replied and said she would love to have Carla’s post on the site.

You have to be hungry like a dog, be prepared to be bold, and to try every angle. I promise you, if you try hard enough you will be able to write for any blog you can think of. Once you get featured on one major blog, it’s quite easy to get on almost any other blog that you want.

8. Don’t be a blogging prostitute

The temptation with blogging is to prostitute yourself out to every blog who will have you write for them. This strategy, in my humble opinion, doesn’t work. When your work is everywhere, you confuse your audience. People generally expect you to be known for your work on one particular site.

This doesn’t mean you can’t write for other blogs; it just means that you need to do the majority of your writing in one or two places. The downside of being a blogging prostitute is that you can upset the owners of the blog too.

When they know that you are willing to blog for anyone and that you have no loyalty what so ever, your value quickly diminishes. Again, to reiterate, I am not saying you can only ever blog for one site, just think carefully about how you go about it and try and build some loyalty with a couple of blogs.

9. Show some loyalty mate

There is an unofficial bloggers etiquette that I urge you to consider. It’s not mandatory but will help your success skyrocket if you follow it. The advice is simple; only post an article on one site. I see many bloggers taking an article and then posting it on loads of different blogs.

This is something that upsets administrators and editors of blogs, who like articles that are written for their site, to be exclusive.

10. Sit back and be patient

Building up a repertoire of blogs posts takes time. It also takes time to hone in on your writing and find a way to deliver your message uniquely. Try to write in a way that is engaging, humorous, and entertaining for the reader.

Don’t just use generic sentences with boring facts. Add some personality, push the boundaries, and don’t be afraid to say something controversial once in a while (I know I do all the time).

Success with anything in life including blogging takes time. Don’t be surprised if you are writing for a minimum of a year with no one sharing or liking your posts. Joshua Becker told me a while back that he wrote about minimalism for years before he became a world-famous blogger and author of many books.

***Final Thought***

Blogging is one of the most rewarding things I have discovered, and it is strangely therapeutic to share your thoughts with the world and inspire others at the same time. Anyone can do it, and I encourage you to have a go and see if it’s something you like.

What do you think about blogging? Let me know in the comments section below or on my website timdenning.net or my Facebook. 
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Personal Development

These 11 Habits Will Make You More Productive, Successful, and Confident

Boost your focus, confidence, and results with 11 powerful habits successful people use every day.

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how to build self-confidence through action
Image Credit: Midjourney

Successful people love to help beginners. They have an incredible work ethic and rarely complain. As a result, others naturally look up to them and want to follow in their footsteps.

But here’s the truth: there’s no success without sacrifice. You’ll need to give up comfort, excuses, and sometimes even social approval to accomplish your goals.

Value comes from solving problems, and these 11 powerful tips will help you become more productive, successful, and confident, starting today.

1. Take Short Breaks After Finishing a Task

Psychology shows it’s important to reward positive behaviour.

After completing a big task or finishing a book, take five minutes to walk, stretch, or simply breathe. This quick reset helps your brain recharge and strengthens focus.

Many great writers swear by morning walks, solitude, and reflection can unlock creativity.

But if you refuse to take breaks, don’t be surprised when burnout hits. Your brain needs recovery time just as much as your body does.

2. Schedule Your Most Important Tasks First

Multitasking kills productivity. If you want to get more done, try time blocking, a method where you dedicate set periods for specific tasks.

Productivity expert Caitlin Hughes explains, “Time blocking involves scheduling blocks of time for your tasks throughout the day.”

For example, if you’re a writer:

  • Research your topic at night.

  • Write your first draft in the morning (don’t worry if it’s rough).

  • Edit in the afternoon, great writing comes from rewriting.

You can’t buy more time. Use it intentionally and without regret.

3. Eliminate Distractions from Your Workspace

Focus is the foundation of success.

According to Inc. Magazine, it takes an average of 23 minutes to recover from a distraction. That’s nearly half an hour of lost productivity every time you check your phone.

Put your phone away. Close unnecessary tabs. And yes, limit your Netflix binges.

Meeting deadlines consistently is one of the fastest ways to stand out and earn respect.

4. Take Full Responsibility for Your Life

Entrepreneur Derek Sivers once said, “Everything is my fault.”

This mindset doesn’t mean self-blame; it means self-ownership. Stop pointing fingers, making excuses, or waiting for others to change.

If your habits (like smoking or drinking too much) hold you back, it’s time to make better choices. Your friends can’t live your dreams for you; only you can.

5. Invest an Hour a Day in Learning New Skills

Knowledge compounds over time.

Whether you read books, take online courses, or practise a craft, consistent learning gives you a competitive edge.

I used to struggle with academic writing, but I improved by studying the work of great authors and applying what I learned.

Your past doesn’t define you; your actions do. Every new skill adds another tool to your arsenal and makes you more unstoppable.

6. Develop a Growth Mindset

Psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck introduced the concept of fixed vs. growth mindset.

  • A fixed mindset believes success is based on natural talent.

  • A growth mindset believes success comes from effort and learning.

Choose the growth mindset. Embrace challenges. See failures as feedback. In today’s fast-moving digital world, adaptability is your biggest advantage.

7. Learn Marketing to Reach People Who Need You

I once believed marketing was manipulative, until I realised it’s about helping people solve problems.

If your work provides genuine value, marketing is how you let others know it exists. Even Apple spends billions on it.

Don’t be ashamed to promote your skills or business. Without visibility, your ideas will never reach the people who need them most.

Creative professionals who understand marketing and sales have an unfair advantage.

8. Ask Your Mentor the Right Questions

Good mentors can fast-track your growth.

While mentorship often costs money, it’s one of the best investments you can make. Great mentors don’t care about titles; they care about your progress.

If you don’t have access to a mentor yet, books are your silent mentors. Read the best in your field, take notes, and apply what resonates.

9. Build Confidence Through Action, Not Affirmations

Author Ryan Holiday once said, “I don’t believe in myself. I have evidence.”

Confidence doesn’t come from shouting affirmations into the mirror; it comes from proof. Doing hard things, keeping promises to yourself, and following through.

When you consistently take action, your brain gathers evidence that you can handle whatever comes next. That’s real confidence, grounded, earned, and unshakable.

10. Focus on Your Strengths

Your strengths reveal where your greatest impact lies.

If people compliment you on something often, it’s a clue. Lean into it.

A former professor once told me I was creative, and that simple comment gave me the confidence to go all in. I studied creativity, applied it daily, and turned it into my career advantage.

Double down on your strengths. That’s how you build momentum and mastery.

11. Identify and Challenge Your Limiting Beliefs

Your beliefs shape your reality.

For years, I believed I couldn’t be a great writer because of my chronic tinnitus and astigmatism, sensory challenges that made concentration difficult. But over time, I realised those struggles made me more disciplined, observant, and empathetic.

Your limitations can become your greatest motivators if you let them.

Avoid shortcuts. Growth takes time, but it’s always worth it.

Final Thoughts

Becoming productive, successful, and confident isn’t about working harder than everyone else. It’s about working smarter, consistently, and intentionally.

You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight. Start small: take a break after your next task, schedule your priorities, or spend one hour learning something new.

Every habit you change compounds into long-term success. Remember, true change comes from practising new behaviours.

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Success Advice

Why One-Size-Fits-All Leadership Will Always Fail (and What Works Instead)

The surprising truth about leadership styles that can make or break your team’s success.

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Why one-size-fits-all leadership doesn’t work
Image Credit: Midjourney

Leadership has always been as much about people as it is about performance. Ken Blanchard, in his influential book, “The One Minute Manager”, put it simply: different strokes for different folks. (more…)

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Success Advice

What Every New CEO Must Do in Their First 100 Days (or Risk Failure)

Your first 100 days as CEO could define your entire legacy, here’s how to make every move count

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leadership tips for new CEO
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When Tim Cook took over from Steve Jobs at Apple, the world watched with bated breath. Jobs wasn’t just a CEO; he was a visionary, an icon, and a legend of innovative leadership. (more…)

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Entrepreneurs

The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025

Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

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Bridging the gap between employees and employers
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In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”

While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.

Why This Gap Exists

Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.

What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.

Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap

Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.

1. Practice Mutual Empathy

Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.

2. Maintain Professional Boundaries

Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.

3. Follow the Golden Rule

Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.

4. Avoid Micromanagement

Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.

5. Empower Employees to Grow

Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.

6. Communicate in All Directions

Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.

7. Overcome Insecurities

Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.

8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship

True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.

9. Eliminate Favoritism

Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.

10. Recognize Efforts Promptly

Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.

11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews

When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.

12. Provide Leadership Development

Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.

13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles

Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.

The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role

Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:

  • Build diverse talent pipelines

  • Embrace flexible work models

  • Design compelling career paths

  • Simplify HR processes

  • Redefine the value HR brings

The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.

Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff

When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.

Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.

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