Top Tips for Bloggers

Righto, top tips…I hope none of these present as harsh or overly opinionated, that is not my intent. In truth the following are just as much ‘notes to self’ as they are tips for others.

Hey, it’s OK to look: While copying the work of another is and always will be ‘bang out of order’, if you aren’t sure where to start, or how you’d like your blog to look and feel, checking out other, well put together blogs can be a good source of inspiration. 

 


Be your own ‘editor’: Most people agree ‘quality is better than quantity’ so aim to keep posts succinct and impactful. Read back over your posts; be honest, does it read well, or does it need pruning? On a related matter (and please excuse me while I channel my high school English teacher for a moment) Correct spelling and grammar are important. Period. Your posts represent you and your ideas so they deserve a little polish. If, (like me) this isn’t your ‘natural’ strength, fake it till you make it with spell check. Budding online journos might also like to check out Grammar Glamour via the following link www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=78&aid=142451
   

Have an objective: Being clear on what you want to achieve with your blog helps keep content focused, and useful, especially if, (like me) you are prone to wild tangents and have a writing style reminiscent of an unheld garden hose. That’s not to say you have to be boring, or limited in topic, just clear on what it is you want to get out of your blog experience, and (especially if your blog is aimed at gaining readership) what you would like to impart to others. 


Avoid gimmicks and/or being overly cute: Unless you are sure that the joke(s) won’t get stale over the life of your blog, become hard to keep up or at worst, even totally occlude your message and confuse readers (see above reference to garden hose and 5. for examples) 

 


Take Do/Don’t lists with a pinch of salt: A google search will reveal endless advice for the novice blogger; dos & don’ts, guides on etiquette, writing style, content etc etc ad infinitum. A lot of it is good stuff and well worth a read even if just to better understand the medium and its culture, but try not to get too bogged down at the expense of your own ‘voice’. Alternatively if you can’t beat them join them.. Here’s another do/don’t list… 


DO Stay informed about and on the right side of the law

DO Be ‘fearless’ and say what you think 

DO Apply basic common sense to your content

DON’T get paranoid and succumb to conventional ‘vanilla’ blogging

DO Have respect, for yourself and for anyone you may write about

DON’T try to please everyone – it’s no more possible online than it is off

DON’T Take yourself too seriously

DO Have fun with it