How do you write an outstanding post?
You know, the type that people come back to months after you’ve written it. The ones that make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside when you reflect on how much of you went into the post.
Blogging is life only different
For me it is an expression of life. The things that I’m thinking about, the things that I’m dealing with, the things that I’m talking with others about, and the problems I’m facing.
So here is my bullet list of profundities to help you write outstanding posts. (not necessarily in chronological order)
- live: Blogging is life. Don’t forget it! Write what you live not what someone else lives. Write as if it’s your life. Content makes more sense when it comes from your life, unless you run a news blog.
- feel: If it doesn’t move you, it won’t move your reader. Forget the facts for a moment. Tell your audience what you feel. Use your feelings to colour your language and shape your prose. Real people have emotions. Zombies are devoid of feelings. Use emotional language.
- think: A great post should cause you to think and feel. Give ‘em something to think about after they’ve finished reading. Leave me pondering the implications in my own life. Ask a question.
- write: Start writing.Record your thoughts as they come. The beauty of a computer is the ability to edit. Don’t worry about grammer or sentences until later. Get the flow of ideas down and edit later.
- edit: Fine tune what you are saying. Read it out loud to make sure it flows. Add words to clarify. Remove words…every word….that doesn’t communicate something.
Here’s a question.
How do you write a good story? Or letter to a friend?
Click the “bloggy tag button” to see who tagged me!
How do you write an outstanding blog post?
I bloggy tag Rory, Jonathan, Ben, Alex and Tammy. Here’s the rules for this non-meme.
Comments (11)
Thanks for the bloggy tag, Dave. I think I’ll enjoy this one!
Tammy, I’m really looking forward to what you have to say.
Read about this at Ben’s blog. I’m going to enjoy reading these!
Kathie,
Hi and thanks for stopping in. Ben really had a great post. I’ve already added it to my favourites.
Thanks for saying hi.
[...] favorite piece of advice has to come from Dave Olson – live, feel, think, write and edit. It’s simple. It’s sweet. It’s [...]
[...] at DAVEOLSON.ca wrote about how he writes an outstanding post that people keep going back to, to read over and over [...]
i’m in for the bloggy tag!
(wow, my schedule has been hectic lately, had to click on “previous posts” hehe, maybe i should read the “productivity posts” a little more 
)
By the number of great posts showing up on your site, I’d say you’re plenty productive. Just over worked and underpaid.
Thanks for taking the tag Jon.
[...] Dave Olson wrote a really interesting list of ways you can write an outstanding post, the idea started from Liz at Successful-Blog, and she usually gets an incredible response from her readers, so she must be doing something right hehe, so i thought i could join in this “bloggy tag” [...]
[...] writing to make it stand out, my 8 attempts to take it closer to captivating works of those who do know how to write an outstanding [...]
[...] Dave Olson wrote a really interesting list of ways you can write an outstanding post, the idea started from Liz at Successful-Blog, and she usually gets an incredible response from her readers, so she must be doing something right hehe, so i thought i could join in this “bloggy tag”
[...]