A Blogger's Life, Part III

iTunes Highlight: AMERICAN DREAMS by the Casting Crowns

Good News: An article of mine has been published on Associated Content.

Bad News: My laptop charger broke last night so I will have limited access to the computer, but I hope to at least blog consistently throughout this week. The one thing that hurts is that I haven't sent my manuscript to my email in a few days, which means that I can't work on it as there are many different pieces that need to be pulled together. (On that note, I did not get in 8k this past weekend.)


For Part I to "A Blogger's Life," please click here.
For Part II to "A Blogger's Life," please click here.
(Continued from Tuesday and Saturday.)

I wanted to spend a little bit of time blogging about the content of blog posts. I have some suggestions on how you can help your viewers/readers with how they READ the content of your posts.


The first thing that needs to be considered is that, regardless of how your blog looks when you click the "Publish Post" button and then the "View Blog" one, multiple readers will most likely view your blog through RSS feeds such as Google Reader, where they will not have access to the background, the colors, sometimes the bolding/italicizing or even photos.

Therefore, whatever you do, take into consideration the many factors that decide how your blog will be interpreted across the 'net.

5. Break up your text.

Why?
Breaking up the text means that paragraphs are shorter and therefore easier to read. It also helps the readers scan through your post (if they have little time, for example) to see if there's anything worth spending a few precious minutes on, versus skipping your post altogether. Additionally, categorizing the topics in your posts makes it easier to follow whatever organizational logic you choose to enforce.

How?
The simplest is to double-click the "Enter" button while leaving your paragraphs short (no more than four to five sentences, on average). Another is to use images, which you can use to break up the text or to help clump it into categories. Additionally, use bold and italic to carry across a change in topic or to make a point. A change in font or color is also okay, but this is often not transferred to the various RSS feeds, so use it only when it makes sense but isn't completely necessary.

6. Add consistency.

Why?
Consistency within the blog posts is, first, a way to characterize a blog as your own and, second, a way to help readers predict how you format your musings so that they can search out whatever information is promised in your title. It keeps your blog look streamlined and professional.

How?
Consistency comes into play in numerous situations. Use an image at the beginning of every post (which can mean random images that you cite, or a particular image that you put text on--what I have started to do with my WiP Wednesdays). What I like to do most is to highlight a particular song from my iTunes library. Agent Kristin Nelson usually cites a song and then puts up a status, similar to what you could find on Facebook or Twitter. Lady Glamis tends to pose a Question of the Day. You can do a quote, a snippet from your day, a stofy about your pet, a statement of purpose for the day, whatever. Just keep in mind that you shouldn't go overboard; readers come by your blog for its concents, after all. This is just a way to help them orient themselves before they get on to the bulk of your post.

7. Maintain organizational logic.

Why?
Big posts that seek to teach a lesson or provide information are usually organized to convey the content well. However, there are numerous circumstances in which writers of blog posts are in a bad mood, are dealing with issues outside of the blogging world, or don't know what they want to blog out. In situations like those, it's important to keep a minimum of organization: Say at the beginning you think the post won't be up to par for whateve reason to give your readers a snese of what's to come next.

How?
Regardless of mood or situation, think for a minute or two about how you want the post to look in the end-- a rant, an apology, a message, and put some energy into making that come out, whether that is by not blogging at all, putting up a short hello, or writing an essay and then converting it to blog format.

Of course, I hope we all know that, in the end, blog posts have to contain something special in order for people to choose to follow it, whatever that special thing may be. I'm glad that I have my followers and I hope that, in one way or another, my combination of techniques will keep you following and help you boost your own group.

Look for a post sometime this week about how to boost your online presence. Facebook and Twitter are slowly becoming the cliches--so how do you surpass them?

Have a great week!