If you are a non-native English speaker, you may think it is too hard to blog in English or that your English isn’t good enough. But there are two powerful reasons why blogging in English may not be as difficult as you think.

The value of standing out

While you must always aim to write well, writing in a slightly unusual way may actually help your blog stand-out. I once had a teacher who was from Israel. I remembered everything she said because I could hear her accent in my head.

You don’t have to be a grammar or vocabulary expert to blog well

The most successful blogs use simple language and structures, for example, subject-verb-object sentences such as ‘I write a blog’.

Blog writing is more conversational than other forms of writing. The best blogs read as if the blogger is talking to us, like having a chat with a friend.

Some of the successful bloggers actually use incorrect grammar as a tool. They start sentences with ’but’ and ‘and’. They write one sentence paragraphs. They address their audience in the second person. It works very well. Their writing reads like a conversation. You can imagine the blogger’s voice in your head.

They also use short and simple words. They want to make it as easy as possible for readers to understand what they have to say. Readers who understand a blogger’s message will do what the blogger’s wants: whether that is sign-up to a newsletter, comment on a blog, or buy a product or service.

People want to read interesting stories. They want to find out how to fix problems they have in their lives. If your writing informs and educates your readers, or if you have an alternative point of view to offer — share it with the world. Don’t let a lack of confidence in your writing skills stop you.

I’m not saying that you shouldn’t try to improve your English or that the basic rules of grammar aren’t important, but don’t let the fear of making mistakes stop you writing. Use simple sentence structures and words. As you become more confident, you’ll learn to write more complex sentences and widen your vocabulary.

Go for it!

There are many very successful non-native English speaker bloggers. For example, Bamidele Onibalusi from Nigeria, who has written for Forbes magazine and blogs at Writers in Charge.

While you have to be reasonably confident in your writing ability to start a blog, don’t wait until you are a grammar or vocabulary expert — you’ll be waiting a long time. Start today. We need to hear what you have to say.