Facebook and MySpace provide ample evidence that lots of people enjoy voicing their opinions. However the format does not allow for much more than a few sentences per entry. Sometimes people need several consecutive entries to complete their thought.
Considering the above, I thought it would be fun to invite people to expand on nearly any topic of their choosing, and then post their articles, as guest writers, on one of my blogs. Several of them have asked me about the structure or limits of the project.
Toward that end, I have listed below some simple guidelines for writing good blog articles. However, my guest writers are not required, or even encouraged, to abide by any of them. That would be like inviting somebody to a party and then requiring them to drive a particular car to the event. This exercise is about the party, not the car.
But, for those who do want to fit within typical blog structure, here are a few pointers.
• Your primary objective is simply to make a statement that is important or interesting to you. Pick a topic that you feel passionate about. Jot down 2-5 points that will best help you to develop your thought.
• Have an introduction, a body and a conclusion. Put another way: Tell them what you are going to tell them; Then tell them; Then tell them what you told them.
• Facts are fine, but opinions are better because there is room for debate and discussion. So, a sentence such as “All children are imperfect” is not as thought-provoking as “It is time to teach the kids of today some old fashioned manners.” In the second sentence, a reader might want to argue that kids are no worse today than some other time, or old-fashioned manners were unnecessarily stern.
• It helps search engines to know what the article is about if you use a brief but complete thought in your Headline– Examples: Vegetarians are Happier; or, Michael Jackson: Singer, Dancer; or, Seniors Entitlement Attitude: Selfish.
• The less you say, the more likely someone will read it. A good blog article contains 100-500 words. (A typed page is about 300 words). If it is much longer than that, it is generally better to split the information into multiple articles.
• Link, link, link. Identify other blogs or websites which offer supporting, contradictory, background, or qualifying arguments. A good rule of thumb is one link per 100 words, but not less than three links for the entire article. You cannot have too many links.
• If you are having difficulty getting started, try writing your article as if it is a letter to a friend. Then search the web for information that will support or add to the content, and that provides your links.
• After you have finished your article, set it aside for at least two hours (over night is better) and then proof read it when you have a fresh mind. There is a good likelihood you will discover some ways to spruce up your work.
• Comment and participate with other bloggers. The object of a blog is to engage others and discuss the topic. So if you have an opinion, blogs afford a great environment to develop your thoughts; but, don’t take it too seriously if somebody else disagrees with you. That is the point.
Other good sources for information on how to write effective blog articles include Frugal Marketing, Pro Blogger, and Copy Blogger (see how easy that was).
Frugal marketing: http://www.frugalmarketing.com/dtb/killer-blog-posts.shtml
Pro Blogger: http://www.problogger.net/archives/2005/12/30/tens-tips-for-writing-a-blog-post/
Copy Blogger: http://www.copyblogger.com/write-article-fast/
If you know somebody who would like to write a guest article, I would love to discuss it.
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