4 tips on blogging in English when it’s not your native language

by | Aug 27, 2018 | Guides, tips

Bloggers need to make a lot of decisions before they actually start blogging – one of them is deciding which language they will use on their blog. If your native language isn’t English, you’ll have a dilemma. On one hand, you probably won’t be able to write as good as in your own native language. There is also a much bigger competition in English than in any other language. On the other hand, it’s a much bigger market, since English is spoken and understood worldwide. And, if you somehow manage find your way to the surface, your reward will be much bigger if your blog is written in English.

So, If you choose to run a blog in English (and it’s not your native language), you might need some tips and advices.

#1 Avoid online translators

Online translators are, as technology in general, growing rapidly. Still, you simply can’t rely on them. They might be getting much better for individual words and phrases, but when you want to translate an entire sentence, often the problems appear. In order to avoid possible mistakes, try to write short and simple sentences at first. As time goes by, your skills are going to improve and your limits will broaden.

#2 Write only in English

Some people tend to write in their native language first, and then translate it to English. Our strong advice – don’t do that. Even if you’re not absolutely sure about the quality, it’s better to take your time, recheck it after a certain period of time, and then keep doing that with every text your write. You can also ask some of your friends to read what you wrote, because that could be a source of valuable feedback, and you need that in order to improve.

#3 Learn daily

This might seem logical, but people often neglect it. It’s important to improve and grow your knowledge, and sources are various. In order to learn different phrases and synonyms, read a lot, and if you’re not in the mood for that, watch movies (without subtitle)! Soon, you’ll realise that you’ve improved your vocabulary and understanding of the language.

Also, it’s really important to learn more about your niche. Read books about it, as well as different blog posts and articles. It will help you with terminology and knowledge about the topics you’re interested in, and it will make your writing even easier. The most important thing is to be tenacious, it’s a learning process and it needs to be done every day.

#4 Think about your readers

As we mentioned earlier, English is the most widespread language on planet Earth. This means that you can address yourself to a huge percentage of people worldwide. But, it also raises another question – what if most of your readers speak English as their second language? That’s another reason to write understandable and not so complicated texts. Of course, it depends on your niche – if you’re writing professional articles, you should use appropriate terms. But, if your texts are intended for “regular” people, keep it simple.