I couldn't pass up this opportunity to present a double dose of Tips and Take Aways this week. I'd planned to delve into blogging itself in the coming weeks. I decided to do a pre-view today, because I definitely wanted to participate in Darren Rowse's call to his readers. I hope you find the following helpful.
Although blogging can be viewed very simply as the next step in our ever evolving modes of communication, the nature of blogging makes it a uniquely enriching format for writers. With blogging, the written word can be enhanced with moving pictures and sound. Blogging is one of the few activities where visual imagery, aural presentation and the written word can be effectively and fairly easily presented together by a single author. There's an immediate audience when blogging. Blogging also provides a sense of community via comments and linking. The solitary nature of writing is somewhat diffused by these qualities. Because of these things, I greatly enjoy blogging.
I'm convinced that writers should try their hand at blogging as a form of writing practice and a source of revenue. This week, Darren Rowse of problogger.net sent out an invite to his readers asking them to share what they believe to be the key qualities of effective blogger. I've come up with ten.
1. Great writers are also great readers. I believe that the same can be said of bloggers. They read other blogs and actively engage other bloggers via comments and links or activities like this one :-).
2. Effective bloggers are consistent. They post consistently, daily, monthly, or weekly and stick to the theme of their content as presented to their readership.
3. They are willing to take risks by placing their writing, photos, thoughts--sometimes their day to day lives under the lens of the blogosphere and face the feedback good or bad. They are also willing to try new things on their blog and in their posts from formatting to subject matter.
4. They are flexible. If something is not working, hitting delete is an option.
5. They acknowledge their readers. They say thank you when they receive comments and acknowledge linkbacks or other forms of recommendation by their readers.
6. They follow trends and are able to keep a big picture perspective of their content which gives them a broad appeal within their niche, but they are not copycats.
7. They provide a resource to their readers.
8. They acknowledge their sources.
9. They apply the rules of writing--spelling, grammar and punctuation.
10. They enjoy blogging! Nobody volunteers to wake up early or work into the wee hours to do something that they don't enjoy.
3 comments:
This spoke directly to the writer in me. Good stuff. Looks like you got yourself a new reader.
So simply written - and yet profound. A great list. I've used one little bit in an article on my own blog. Thanks.
Some excellent points for writers who are blogging, expecially point nine. It seems easy for some bloggers to forget about basic rules.
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