Blogging: Themes and Writing Topics

So you want to start your own blog.  Over the next month or two, I'll be sharing weekly tips for beginner bloggers.  I've gotten some requests about this topic and figured this is a subject I can easily write about... and if I can help any of you out at all and make some fellow bloggy friends, then great!  If you have any questions about blogging, feel free to ask them in the comments below and I'll try to answer them in an upcoming entry.
If you have not started a blog yet, there are so many places to choose from.  Blogger is probably the most well-known.  I recommend it for new bloggers.  If you don't have a whole lot to say, Tumblr may be right for you.  WordPress, LiveJournal, and Weebly also are great places to host your blog.  I use Movable Type, which so far has been very reliable.
I've heard many people say, "I would love to start a blog, but I have no idea what I would write about."  Come on.  This is a blog.  A blog is basically a platform to say whatever you want to say about the world.  You can write about anything.  If you feel like writing poetry reviews all day, go for it.  You might not get a whole lot of followers, but it's your blog.  You can say what you want to say.
Before you start blogging, try to think of a theme.  Of course, you can write about whatever you want whenever you want, but you should probably try to set a focus towards a specific audience of readers.  If you share writing and publishing tips, your audience might be upcoming authors.  If you write book reviews, then your audience will probably consist of book lovers.  If you share dating advice, your audience will probably be teenage girls.  You'll want a theme of some sort so that a certain group of people -big or small- will see what your blog is about and want to read everything you have to say and not only one post.
I know it seems strange that this is coming from Emily the Person.  Those of you who have been following my blog for very long probably have noticed that I write about whatever I feel like writing at the moment and that usually works out great.  Music, books, writing, my life, devotions, lists, photography... I've written about nearly everything, haven't I?  However, I do have a theme, even if it might be a wide one.  My theme is written directly under "Emily is Smiling" at the top of this page.
Matthew 5:14.  That's right.  That verse is my theme.  I try to filter everything I write through this verse.  I review music for fellow believers striving to be cities on a hill.  I review books and modest trends for the same reason.  Of course, not everything I write will involve deliberately sharing the gospel or discussing my faith.  Sometimes I'll write about lighter subjects like prank wars and fun with friends.  But when I write these things, I still hope my tone and my heart shine for Jesus.  I try hard to keep things clean, hopeful, and filled with the joy I receive from the Lord, even if I'm discussing a serious or sad topic.  So in a way, all of my diverse blog posts do have something in common.
Whatever you write about, it's up to you.  This is your place to say what you want to say.  Write what you want to write.
Here are a few basic themes you can use for your blog.  Of course, there will always be more, but these are the most common ones that I've seen.
Journal-Style
If you keep a journal-style blog, you'll share stories from your own life.  For example, if you spend a weekend with your family, you might write a blog post with funny stories and pictures from that time.  You also could share struggles, victories, and personal thoughts on your blog.  Just write about anything you're personally going through in your life.  A couple of the journal-style blogs I enjoy are MckMama, Life With Emily, and It's So Much More Fun to Smile.
Devotions
When you write devotions, you'll be writing in more of an article format than a personal one.  Check out my "In Real Life" and "We Have the Same Father" posts to see what I mean.  You can share encouraging Bible verses with your readers or even write about issues that some Christians are dealing with right now.  If you want to narrow down your blog theme even more, you could write the articles for a specific group of people.  For instance, you could write about modesty and purity for teenage girls or you could share encouragements and advice for recovering addicts.  Write about your passions.  I don't think I read any blogs that purely consist of devotions, but Sarah from Sarah at True Gold writes amazing posts about God and modesty.  She doesn't post often anymore, but when she does, it's special.
Photography
I love photography blogs.  The key to making a blog like this succeed is to add personal stories in between photographs.  Most people love photography, so if you're talented at taking and editing pictures, then this may be the right kind of blog for you.  MckMama, a blog I mentioned above, is a photography blogger of sorts.  I also read an obscure blog called The Pedestrian Poet.  Monica, the author of that blog, is a phenomenal photographer.
Reviews
I have found a lot of these blogs lately.  You can review fashion, books, movies, music, kitchen appliances, and so much more.  If you keep a blog like this and it becomes successful, companies will eventually begin to send you things to review... for free.  Fun, isn't it?  I've been sent books to review on my blog and I've loved it.  Mod Style Lounge is a great place to get neat fashion reviews.  I also enjoy my friend Elanor Lawrence's blog.  She reviews a lot of great books.
Comedy
Comedy blogs are becoming very successful.  If you're funny and know how to write things that will make people laugh, then seriously consider starting a comedy blog.  You could review current news, funny bloggers, or even just share your own jokes.  I enjoy several comedy blogs, like Hyperbole and a Half, Slushpile Hell, and Cat Versus Human.
Informative
An informative blog will be less about you and more about helping others.  For example, if you started a blog about the effects of poverty on the world and how to prevent world hunger, this would be an informative blog.  This blog entry is informative because I'm helping you decide a theme for your own blog.  A very helpful blog for writers is Peace, Love, and Books, by Evie.
A Little Bit of Everything
You may have noticed that my blog contains a little bit of everything.  If you can't decide on a theme, you may want to do what I've done and write about varying topics.  Try to find one big theme so you can point towards a certain audience, but you can still write about what you want.  A blog like this is by Honey Lissa Bee.
I hope today's post has helped you out in some way.  If you've been thinking about becoming a blogger, I strongly recommend it.  Blogging is a blast.  It gives you a voice, a hobby, and a creative outlet.  I've enjoyed keeping up with my own blog and I bet you will too.