Articles in the Blogs and Blogging Category
I’ve been in danger lately of getting overwhelmed with blogging work. I have all my ideas on my editorial calendar, but with so many topics in so many niches, I often sit down to write and still don’t know where to start.
Which blog? They’re all priority. Which idea? Each one tugs at my attention, begging to be released onto the page. Which client? They all pay well and on time — no favoritism here.
I decided to take a unique approach last evening, almost like freewriting with purpose. I couldn’t find paper or pen so I grabbed my calendar and a blue, fine point Sharpie. (So blame any grammatical errors on the fumes please… and the fact that I often have trouble reading my handwriting the next day.)
I started writing. I had no topics or even a particular blog in mind. I let the words come, in the messy, haphazard way I write hand-written first drafts on the rare occasions I choose to.
First, I wrote a post about types of blog posts for business owners. One Long Island Exchange column done.
Then I decided to blog about the entire experience here at WRA. In an odd way, the juxtaposition of the Sharpie, the calendar, sitting in my daughter’s room as she played for a bit before bed, took all pressure off me as a “professional writer with too much work.” (Is there such a thing as too much work?)
I completed my first post in record time. It is only now that I stop to think about what I’m writing, and, at this point the magic, the flurry, begins to vanish. The moment is gone.
Now I’m wondering about word count, graphics, linkback opportunities. (I know Rebecca and some of WRA’s other contributors have written about freewriting in the past.) I’m no longer writing. I’m “working” again.
And that’s not a bad thing. After all, those of us who love what we do everyday hesitate to even call it work. I am grateful every day to be blessed with this career path.
But for a brief time, it was nice to immerse myself in that “zone” — a writer, a pen (of sorts), paper… it’s cozy. It reminded me of a time when I thought of all writing as a hobby, not a vocation.
Writers, what do you do when you want to get back to basics — either to beat writer’s block, jumpstart a project or to simply begin enjoying the act of writing again and forget that you do it for a living?
There. It’s out. Fifteen-plus years as a magazine editor and freelance writer, and I still feel like I can’t write a good headline to save my life. (I also like to toss a cliché into my lead every so often — call me a rebel.)
Take a look at some of the headlines our host, Rebecca Laffar-Smith, comes up with. She’s an SEO genius, but her headlines would rock any print publication off bookstore shelves, too.
I know what to do. But inspiration rarely strikes when I need it. I can, however, tell you how not to write a good headline, especially for the Web.
How NOT to write a good headline
- Get punny. Puns are just bad SEO, plain and simple – unless you can make a pun in such a way that you’re actually using one of your keywords and telling readers what your article is about. If you’re changing one of the key terms – forget it. Go for the straightforward over the obscure.
- Use “is” as your verb. Ugh. I can’t think of anything duller. You want a headline that will excite people, make them want to read what you have to say. Speaking of verbs, it’s an old writing convention that headlines must have a verb. When you get to my last tip, you’ll see why.
Admittedly, “suck” may not be the best verb for a headline (I don’t want to know what people who find this article were really searching for.) But at least there’s some action involved. (I’m just digging myself deeper, aren’t I?)
- Don’t offer any benefit to the reader. A benefit, even a tongue-in-cheek benefit like “How NOT to write a good headline” will help readers. People are smart enough to know they can look at the opposite of these tips and follow the advice to write a good headline. When you write a benefit-oriented headline, you’ll naturally include a verb.
Here are some examples of benefits, with the verbs highlighted:
- Lose weight
- Get rich
- Hook readers
- Live longer
A few bonus words about benefits
Unless you’re writing a news story, your headline should offer a benefit. What is a benefit? A benefit is what your reader will get from reading your article. Some examples of benefit-oriented headlines include:
- Seven Ways to Slim Down After Thanksgiving
- Use the Law of Attraction to Make More Money
- Write Benefit-Oriented Headlines to Hook Your Readers
What will the reader get out of reading your article? Presumably, the headline to this article lets you know that you’ll discover how not to write a good headline. One would hope I won’t just rant for 400-sum-odd words about how I suck at writing headlines, hate writing them, wish someone would offer me three easy tips to write better headlines. But I’m taking a chance here – a leap of faith that you’ll get my sense of humor. And that the headline itself is shocking and out of place enough that you’ll read what I have to say.
A better headline might be the example I used above: Write Benefit-Oriented Headlines to Hook Your Readers. Even better would be…
I Suck at Writing Headlines… But You Don’t Have To.
If you’ve reached this point, I guess my headline worked. Thank you for your time.
P.S. If you’d like, post some of your favorite headlines below, or maybe some that need a little work. We can brainstorm and help each other.
On Monday, James of Men With Pens, challenged the idea that bloggers ‘must’ post their content for free. He asked, “Are Bloggers Creating Their Own Sweatshop?” Well? Are we devaluing ourselves? Why aren’t we charging readers to read our blog posts?
I left a detailed comment expressing my thoughts in the moment, but there is so much more to this topic than surface opinion. James isn’t the first or the last to question “Free” as a business model. Let’s face it, as a statement toward the financial viability of a business it doesn’t seem particularly sound.
Why “Free” Works
Over hundreds of years, society has been opening the door to free thought. Now, more than ever before, every person is invited to express their opinion, to have their say, to participate in an expanding global community. This exchange of thought has always been free. Every man, woman, and child is allowed to share openly. The only bar to communication is an unwillingness to “give”.
Freelance writers, and professional bloggers, put a new slant on the freedom of self expression. The difference, primarily, is motive. Everyone could blog, that is hobby blogging. Professional writers/bloggers write with an intent to earn. They may still write because they love to write, in fact, it is almost a pre-requisite in this industry, but they don’t write to be heard.
Professional writers write for the dollar. Freelance writing is a business. (If you don’t acknowledge that you’re in for a hard haul toward profit just like in any other business.)
So, why does “free” still work for freelancers? Because…
Let me stress that again, blogs are a “platform“, NOT a product. Your blog is a showcase, a portfolio. It is your business card, the company logo on your car, the mass mail campaign fliers, the t.v. commercial, the full page newspaper ad, the press release, etc. Your blog is your advert, the quarter inch of niche you’ve carved out where you can say whatever you want.
How are you using your Ad space?
The real question is, “How are you using your ad space?” Choosing to blog is not the only way you could fill your ad space, but it is one of the most effective. Each post puts your ad into a fresh print run with a potential circulation in the millions. What is more, many of your readers WANT to read your ad. They’ve subscribed or searched specifically for you or the information you’re offering.
You have the opportunity to run as many ads as you have time to write, or funds to outsource. But you must make good use of your content. Remember, each post is an ad space; an opportunity to reach your target audience with an offer they truly want or need.
Your content is free because it is not your product. Your blog is your commercial and blogging is one of the most cost-effective ways to advertise. The great thing about your blog, from a business perspective, is that it is a jumping off point for your products and services.
The Blog As A Marketing Funnel
Have you ever heard of the term upsell? It’s a marketing term. Let me describe it with a story.
One day, you decide to go to your local bedding store to buy a new quilt set for the master bedroom. The store has a broad range of products that seem daunting so you approach a salesman for assistance. The salesman is a friendly bloke (man to the non-Aussies), he is happy to help you find what you need, but to get there you have to walk past the king and queen bed frames. He ignores those, you asked about linens not frames and that need is his focus.
As you walk to a far wall where the bed linens are arrayed, this salesman, lets call him Bob, talks with you about the linens you’ve had in the past. Bob asks how you have been recently, he asks you about your favorite materials and fabrics, he asks you about the colors you love and the other decor in your home. He asks you about the bed, it’s size, etc.
When you reach the bed linens, Bob knows exactly which quilt sets to recommend, that you suffer heart-burn and back ache, that your mattress is sagging to the left, your queen-sized bed is several years old, you prefer 100% cotton sheets in shades of purple, your bedroom has apricot tones, twin bedside tables, a large recliner in one corner, and that your name is Jill. But, you came looking for linens so that is what he pitches you. He knows what to show you because he’s canvased your preferences so what he shows you on the shelf is exactly what you’re after. You’ve had a pleasant experience and found exactly what you wanted so you grab the quilt set and head for the counter.
Then comes the first upsell. “You know,” Bob says, “from time to time beautiful 100% cotton sheets in a range of purple colors and patterns are marked down. I could send you an email/letter or give you a call when we have something you’ll love if you leave your contact details with me.” Snag, ‘the list’, the right to contact you in the future.
Next month, you get an email, “Special deal, today only, purple 100% cotton bed sheets for your queen mattress. Buy two and get one free.” Upsell! Now you’re interested in paying for two bed linen sets to get one free.
A month later, “Did you know, aged mattresses can cause heartburn and backache?” (Remember, you mentioned suffering those symptoms to Bob.) “Improve your health and get a better night’s sleep with any of our wide range of circulation support queen-sized mattresses.” Upsell! Now, instead of linens you’re considering buying a new mattress.
This upsell action is one of the true powers of blogging. You’re blog is that first salesman. Blog Bob greets your potential customer, finds out why they came to you, and gives them exactly what they want, regardless of the depth of their pocket. That initial salesperson offers to give the customer more of what they want by leaving contact details (subscribing). It is then the platform for an upsell and can be combined with other promotional tools for maximum effect.
The most important thing is to provide the service that discovers what the customer initially wanted, delivers that, convinces them to subscribe, and continues to target their individual needs over time.
Is your blog your sweatshop or your sales representative? How could your blog more effectively showcase your products or services? Do you think this method is effective or could blogs be used in other ways to return a profit?
My writing career has crossed over – I’m now making close to a full-time living as a blogger. That doesn’t mean I’ve given up other writing (not at all!) But I’m making as much blogging as I did as an editorial assistant back in the day — enough for some people to live on, but not me.
With 12 blogs to write each week, I have almost-daily deadlines, creating the frenetic pace of a newspaper for me some mornings.
How do I keep track of it all?
I took a tip from my magazine editing days and created an editorial calendar. Some publishing houses call it a map, others an outline. Whatever you call it, an editorial calendar is a list of topics to be covered.
An editorial calendar for a monthly publication tells editors what to assign; it tells the sales department how they can best sell ads for each issue; and it helps all departments keep everything straight. For instance, my editorial calendar for RECON: The Magazine of Woods Paintball may have included an article on using handheld radios on the paintball field. Our sales department would want to call Motorola and give them a heads-up about it.
How do you keep an editorial calendar for blogging?
My calendar, right now, goes three months out. On my calendar for each day, I write the name of the blog and the topic to be covered. A typical entry for Monday, then, when I write for Freelance Writing Jobs and Babies Online, may look like this:
Monday: FWJ: The Cat Ate My Laptop: How to Kill Your Freelance Career
Babies Online: Whiskey: The Best Way to Get Baby to Sleep through the Night
(Note: These are not really blog titles!)
On Wednesday, I do my writing for AllReviews.com, which includes four blogs about baby gear and one about paintball products, so I won’t bore you with titles.
On Thursday, it’s FWJ and BOL again. Then, on Friday, I write for Long Island Exchange. Again, I always jot down a particular title or idea. For instance, with the holidays coming, I have scheduled a few techie gift guides for Long Island Exchange and suggestions for shopping on Cyber Monday.
On my hard-copy calendar page or in the Google Calendar, I include any links to resources I may have found. One day I will upload a productivity app on my iPod Touch and be totally mobile.
If a lead or cool sentence pops into my head, I jot it down as a prompt on either calendar. Eventually (again), I’ll have a whiteboard hung in my office where I can keep all my ideas in front of me all month long.
With ideas scheduled through February, I no longer have to worry about what I’m going to write. Because I have a loose outline, I’ll frequently come across resources that will help me, and I can write them down as I find them.
Keep it flexible
A blogging editorial calendar offers flexibility you may not get with print magazines. With print publications, your editorial calendar will often be printed and distributed to advertisers. To go back to my original example, if I decided to drop that handheld radio story at the last minute, I’d have a very angry sales department on my hands.
In most cases, blogs make money in other ways and sales people don’t pound the pavement to sell ad pages based on upcoming content. If news of a big research study involving babies and travel breaks on Monday morning, I can postpone my original Babies Online idea and cover the late-breaking news. If I come across a grammatical error that really gets me peeved, I can write about what inspires me and save the idea on the calendar for another day. Maybe I’ll even write both posts and schedule one to publish later in the week. Ah, the freedom of blogging for a living!
Have you ever wished you could let your friends and followers know when you’ve published a new post without having to traverse your several favored social networks? It usually takes me about 10 minutes to cross post quick updates to my SocNets whenever I want to let people know a new post has gone up on WRA. But what happens when a new post goes up that was scheduled? I’m not sitting at my computer ready to spread the word!
That’s where Shorten2Ping comes in.
This nifty Wordpress plugin says, “Hey Ping.fm got something for you!” It uses your settings to tell Ping.fm (Michele Tune told us all about Ping.FM and why you will love it!) exactly what you’d like to say and then Ping.fm does the work of letting all your friends know. The greatest thing is it does it automatically. Now you’ve got no excuse for forgetting to let me know you’ve updated your blog.
Once you’ve got Shorten2Ping set up correctly you can save yourself those precious 10 minutes and let Shorten2Ping and Ping.fm do the hard work. Every time a post is published on your blog it’ll ping itself through your social networks automatically and you can get on with the important things, like writing MORE new posts.
Have you ever wanted to do something with your Wordpress blog but don’t know how? Feel free to ask and I’ll dig up a solution for you. Do you use or prefer a different plugin to update your social networks? I’d love to explore other options too so share, shout, and keep on spreading the word.
Oh! By the way, if you want to know whenever Writer’s Round-About is updated (or I have something at least semi-interesting to say) you can follow @laffarsmith on Twitter and if you Subscribe via RSS you’ll never miss a post.
Earlier this week Michele joined me to share her thoughts on Social Networking Success. Social Networking is just one aspect of business success in today’s technological world. Blogging is another new medium that is radically changing the way freelance writing business succeed.
Today, Michele shares with us her insights into the Business of Blogging.
Rebecca: In our industry, many writers are creating success as professional bloggers. Blogs have the potential to make significant and residual income for skilled writers who can find their way into their niche and provide quality content for active readers.
Michele: Wow. A professional blogger? Hmmmm… I suppose I do and I don’t. Here’s why: While I do put a LOT of my heart, soul, time, and best efforts into my blogs (especially Healing With (Raw) Juices), I don’t consider myself to really be a PRO Blogger like Darren Rowse. I’m not that big of an influence in the blogosphere.
Michele: No, my personal blogging projects don’t provide a full-time income (yet). That is a goal of mine, but I’m still trudging along, trying to make that happen. I do earn from various affiliates like Google AdSense and Amazon, as well as some other affiliates I’ve recently added (such as Amazing Grass). I do know my health blog has huge potential and it is growing by leaps and bounds, but I’m just enjoying the journey for now. I also receive a lot of free products to review, and I get to keep them all so that’s definitely a bonus!
Michele: I have plans for E-books as well. It’s my desire to have several available as a package deal or for individual sale if someone was just interested in one or two of them. That’s in my future—hopefully sooner than later!
Michele: I do promote my blogs (on Social Media networks, by adding the URL in my email signature, and even by passing out my business cards when I’m out at a festival with my Mom, or even at the grocery store). I try to always be aware of opportunities to promote!
Michele: Honestly? My attitude, I think. I’ve had editors, clients, and even readers email me and tell me I’m the nicest, most inspiring person they’ve dealt with all day. That’s a wonderful feeling!
Michele: That, and the fact that I’ve had fun along the way. People know I’m sincere, too. They know I don’t claim to be perfect. They know I’m just a country girl with a big heart and that I’m true to myself, and them. They know I’m not a liar or deceiver. I just am who I am—simple, yet effective.
Rebecca: Healing with Raw Juices seems to always have a great new contest with prizes galore. You’re constantly coming up with fresh ideas to give more to your readers.
Michele: Here’s the story behind my contests:- I noticed every time I visited other health blogs, contests were going on. They were giving away everything from food to books to exercise accessories. I thought to myself, “I want to make this happen for my readers!” How did I make it happen? I asked. Yes, that’s right. I started emailing companies I felt represented products, books, or foods that would benefit my readers, and that I’d feel good about promoting.
Michele: I was mortified when I started writing that first request. It just happened to be for a review copy of Matt Monarch’s latest book, Raw Success. If I remember correctly, it was within just a day or so that he responded with a sweet “yes”. I was astounded.
Michele: His “yes” fueled my motivation for contacting other companies. I went a little crazy, though, and ended up being overwhelmed when almost every company responded with a resounding YES. I was shocked, elated, and beside myself with pride.
Michele: Most people who have followed me and my writing know that I barely escaped domestic violence, have lost over 100 pounds, and have had a long, long journey to better health. I couldn’t believe after all those times of hearing my abuser say I’d never accomplish anything, and that I was so unworthy, that so many people felt I was worthy enough to be a reviewer and host a contest for their company. I was humbled to tears and left speechless.
Michele: So, I definitely didn’t have as much confidence as some may think when I started my contests; however, as time has gone by and I’ve written more and more reviews and hosted numerous contests (with LOTS more reviews and contests coming up!) I’ve grown in so many ways. My confidence is increasing, and companies are even contacting me now and/or sending me stuff I didn’t even have to ask for—which is A-OK with me!
Michele: And, yes, I definitely think it’s something other bloggers could do. Have a freelance site (like WRA *winks*)? Think: software to enhance your business, reference books, printers, laptops, business cards, USB flash drives, digital cameras… The list is really only as short as your imagination. There are soooooo many tools, gadgets, and items freelancers can use. The sky really is the limit!
Rebecca: Wow! Michele is a fountain of information and inspiration. I love the way the things she does are so simple and yet have profound impact on her success and the potential for other freelance writers to gain success following the same formula is incredible!
Rebecca: Thank you, Michele! For sharing your time with me today and you thoughts on the Business of Blogging. We’ve only begun to scratch the surface but already you’ve give us all an abundance of information and ideas we can put into action within our own businesses.
Rebecca: I wonder if our readers have anything to share on the Business of Blogging?
Want to get involved in our collaborative blogging project? It’s very easy to get started!
- First, Register Your Account.
- Fill In Your Profile Details.
- Write your content.
- The WRA-Writer’s Mailing List
If you’re not already registered with Writer’s Round-About you’ll have options in the navigation bar at the top of each page and in the footer of every page to register your account. Once you’ve registered you’ll already be able to contribute posts to the site but you won’t be automatically subscribed to our WRA-Writer’s Mailing List and we may not approve your post until you have completed the following steps.
While registering your account is the first step we want to give you the opportunity to promote yourself and let readers know who you are. This is a fantastic opportunity to discuss your qualifications and experience as a writer. Your profile is your portfolio. You need to fill in your first and last name, set this as your display name, add a website URL, and a short bio. Your biography should be approximately three paragraphs long and can include up to three links (such as a link to your contact details, another place you blog, or your social media profiles). Remember to keep your profile up to date!
Now that you’ve registered your account and filled in your profile details you can write your first post. Remember, we encourage WRA-Writer’s to keep their word count between 400 and 800 words and you have the freedom to choose your topic so long as it suits our freelance or fiction writing niche. You can save as many articles as you like in your drafts but once you are happy with a post you must “save as pending”.
When you save your post as pending I know you consider it ready to publish. I will then review your post, add any SEO or HTML tweaks to maximize it’s web effectiveness, and schedule the content so that it is ready to publish. Once you’ve set a post to pending you are no longer able to edit it but you are welcome to contact me if you realize there are still changes you need to make. Most of the time posts are scheduled to go live within two weeks of being set to pending without any additional rewrites or major edits needed.
We want to maintain the standard of excellence for which WRA has become know and respected. Writer’s Round-About has always been, first and foremost, about what readers want. I believe our readers deserve quality and I will only accept well-written content. While I will do general editing there are occasions when I may feel a post is not quite ready for publishing. When this happens I will return the post to draft and email you directly with more information so you can make any changes or improvements. I want to give our writer’s an opportunity to continue to learn and grow in a professional atmosphere and I hope you’ll support our dedication to offering everyone involved in the Writer’s Round-About’s Collaborative Blogging Project education and experience.
Please also remember that Writer’s Round-About is a niche blog. We have a relatively broad niche that includes all writing genres and skill, web specific content and writing, work-at-home or freelancing, and web design and technology. We do not have a category for dogs (unless you can find a way to tie the topic to writing like I did with the Dog Train Your Writing Skills series). While we encourage free thinking and invite you to write based on your personal inspirations we want you to keep our broader topic in mind. As yourself, “What makes this important to writers?”
Beyond those two specific ‘rules’ I like to give writers a great deal of freedom. Take chances and experiment. Do what works for you. Explore your experiences and harvest from the compost of your life, your successes, your failures, and those of the people around you.
Once your first post has been published you may qualify to join the WRA-Writer’s Mailing List. At least once a month I send out a newsletter highlighting ideas, topics, titles, and keywords that inspire writer’s and help give Writer’s Round-About a focal point for the coming month’s content. These newsletters are a valuable resource for writer’s so I feel it is important to give a sense of exclusivity to WRA’s writers while we plan ahead for topics we can share with readers. If you’ve already contributed to Writer’s Round-About but have not been invited to join the mailing list you can contact me for an invitation. If you’d like to join the mailing list you must first join us as a WRA Contributor.
Finally, feel free to contact me at any time for any reason. I am always happy to help fellow writers, hear about special events, answer any questions you might have, review writing related products, and meet new friends in our industry.
Register as a contributor right now!
To tie into my recent headline post, “Have you considered collaborative blogging? I wanted to talk directly you guys, the readers. What brings you to Writer’s Round-About? What do you want from this blog?
If you’ve already read the collaborative blogging post you’ll know that I’ve been thinking about transforming Writer’s Round-About into a collaborative blog project, but before I make any significant changes I need your feedback.
Now is your chance to guide the direction of Writer’s Round-About so that we’re giving you exactly what you want.
Put your hand up if you have a blog you rarely update? *raises hand* If you’re like me then guilt weighs heavily on your shoulders. You’ve got the ’shoulds’. I SHOULD update more frequently, readers want to read, but we don’t.
I know I’m not the only one because I’m subscribed to a few blogs myself that are sporadically updated. Some of my favorite writers have fantastic blogs but, they’re busy writing the copy that pays. Time is not infinite and sometimes our personal projects get lost in the pipeline of priorities.
Have you got a blog like that? Why? Have you ever considered doing away with your blog and joining other writers in a collaborative blogging project?
Recently I started thinking about transforming Writer’s Round-About into just such a project. Fellow writer’s would be invited to post as it suits them. They would each have their own author page, a full bio, and sidebar blurb with photo and every time they post they get a link to their portfolio website. So they get the promotion of blogging without the pressure of having to update regularly.
Another advantage is the power to reach a larger audience. Writer’s Round-About already has a solid subscriber base and fairly significant traffic. In fact, the support of my existing readers is why I feel so guilty only updating once a week. What if we could bring readers new content more frequently? What if your content could reach an ever increasing readership?
What do you think? Would you be interested in a project like this? As a WRA reader would you like to see posts from a collection of talented freelance writers? As a writer would you like to put aside your solo blog, the guilt of not having a posting schedule, and the loneliness of blogging into emptiness?
Blog writing requires a different tool set. A blog entry is not a magazine article or a newspaper clipping. To connect with readers we have to break some freelancing rules and discover that what is right and acceptable from one medium will not work in this one.
When I started my blog just over a year ago I knew about writing. After all, I’d written hundreds of articles. I was making money from my writing. I was complimented, rewarded, praised, and touted. I wrote articles all about ‘you’, because freelance markets focus on their readers. I knew how to write captivating titles. I knew how to keep my points sharp and posts short. I even knew how to optimize content for the internet.
What I didn’t know was one fundamental element of a successful blog. I didn’t know “ME”.
Over the past year I’ve written some great posts about “you”. They were jazzy and informative. They would make excellent magazine articles. But Writer’s Round-About isn’t a magazine, it’s a blog. Month after month I created new magazine content and grew more and more deflated by the lack of response and the shallowness of growth. I didn’t understand that blog readers do not just want to know new information that can help them, they want to know real people have walked their path before them. Blog readers don’t come to Writer’s Round-About to know about themselves, they come because they want to know about me.
The First Clue: My All Time, Most Popular Post
Do you know what my all time, most popular post, on Writer’s Round-About is? It is a short, reflective post that is 100% about me and A Sax outside My Window.
I’ve often gazed at my site stats wondering, “What nugget of truth does this post hold? Why is it so popular? Why does it still get new hits every single day while other posts wither from loneliness in my archives?” The secret is, “me”.
The Second Clue: Following The Trend
Other posts in my statistics show similar trends. Reflecting on An Australian Writer’s Australia Day brought a wave of readers. The post has nothing to do with ‘you’, it’s all “me”. But enthralled readers were captivated by the story, the truth, the heart.
The Third Clue: Comments Say It All
I might have started to catch on by now but perhaps my inner child was calling out for acceptance because it took another element before I caught on. Your comments! When I talk about myself, you interact with me. Of course! Why would you interact with yourself, you don’t want to talk to you, you want to talk to others!
Why Freelance Writing Isn’t Blog Writing
In the end it comes down to this. A blog has a different audience, a different expectation, than a magazine. The writing needs a different perspective, a different depth and integrity. When I read a blog I want to meet a person. I want to know them. I want to walk a mile in their shoes and learn from their mistakes. I want to make a friend, to pat a back, to smile at a memory. I bet you want that from the blogs you read as well.
From now on I’m going to make more effort to share myself, my experiences, my thoughts, my heart. I hope you’ll respond in kind and remember, do not be afraid to talk about yourself. Blogging has created a new social acceptance. Ego is no longer taboo. Build your confidence and your voice. Be yourself!
