You’re no English major, but you know you’ve got writing talent. It’s your natural born gift! Why not share it with the world?
Blogging is the perfect tool for delivery. But, the number of blog posts written in a single day is over 2 million! How do you stand out from the crowd?
You learn to be a better blog writer.
Blogging isn’t like writing in college. Nor is it like writing a novel. Trying to post anything written like that would be a death sentence for your blog.
It has its own set of rules and style. And, there’s more to it than churning out content.
Here’s how to become a better blogger. Not only for yourself, but for your readers, too!
8 Tips to Boost Your Blog Writer Skills
Think more original, less ordinary. Don’t write dry, formal content for your blog. Take your writing style up a notch!
Use these 8 tips to take your blog writing skills to the next level.
1. Use an Outline
Sure, outlining is the key to formal organization in any writing piece. But, it’s the content that speaks from the page, not the outline.
Think of your outline as a loose plan for what your writing, not a formula. Keep it simple. Use short phrases or groups of words, rather than full sentences.
An outline helps you decide where to put headings and break for paragraphs. It keeps you on track instead of rambling from thought to thought.
Use it to organize your ideas into a well thought out structure. Then let the words take it from there.
2. Keep a Notebook at Hand
Why? So you can write down any topic ideas that come to you!
In the shower. At the Gym. After waking from a dream.
Our most original ideas come to us at the strangest times. You’re a professional writer, now. You can’t afford to lose your most useful material.
Be ready to write it down when it happens.
3. Use Simple Language
This isn’t a Lit paper, and your readers don’t want it to sound that way. If they did, they’d be reading a book!
Use words that deliver your message in simple terms. There are two reasons for this.
First, the average adult reading level is below 8th grade. If you write anywhere above that, you may not reach your readers at all. It’s best to keep your writing somewhere between 4th and 6th grade.
Second, people are busy. They don’t invest more than 5 minutes reading anything. If you write too many words, people will go away.
That’s not good for your blog, and it doesn’t pay the bills.
Choose the most important, direct words to make your point. Use transition words to make it flow. That’s it.
4. Form an Opinion
Not any ole opinion. A good one you can write about.
I’m not talking about waging social media war. You’re not trying to enrage people. You’re trying to engage them, instead.
Choose a topic that you have feelings about. Then, get people thinking! Look at it from another perspective, and then pose a question.
Once people start talking, engage with them in the comments. Be respectful and enjoy the conversation!
5. Be Conversational
Speaking of conversation, you should be having one in your writing!
You’re not trying to tell people what to think so much as persuade them. That’s a different skill. It taps into your emotions and values.
This is where you can add some personality to your writing. Let your conversational voice leak into your post. Throw in some slang and contractions to soften it up!
Conversational writing is easier to read and a lot more fun. It helps your readers feel relaxed and interested in what you have to say.
6. Share Your Story
Who are you? Your readers want to know!
In blogging, you have an opportunity to connect with your readers. Share yourself with them. Here are some ways to do it.
- Personal Experiences
- Your Opinions
- Your Back Story
- Professional Experiences
- Education and Knowledge
- Places You’ve Been
- People You Know
A great place to start is in your introduction. Pull these things into your writing. It helps your readers understand where you’re coming from.
7. Read to Write Better
The best writers are avid readers. It’s time to pick up a book, a magazine, or anything you’re willing to read.
What do you gain from reading? A lot, in fact.
You’ll develop a better, more varied vocabulary. The more words you read, the more words you know. Look up the ones you don’t know, too.
Reading expands your knowledge about sentence structure. No one wants to read a post that uses short, choppy sentences over and over. That’s boring.
Instead, learn to sprinkle different sentence structures throughout your writing. Use a variety of transitional words, sentences, and punctuation to give it life.
You also gain knowledge from reading. Educate yourself about a variety of topics, even if they’re different from your blog niche. Look for ways that they intersect with what you already know!
A well-read person makes a better writer because they can relate to many things.
8. Get a Second Opinion
At the end of the day, it’s never a bad idea to get a second opinion. Even if only to reassure you that you’re headed in the right direction! Learning what works and doesn’t work is part of growing as a blog writer.
Be selective about this. Pick only someone you trust. Let them read your blog post or article before you put it out there for the world to see.
Ask your trusted reader to give you constructive feedback. Specifics work best. Have some questions ready to ask them, too.
Use Your New Blogging Skills, Today!
It’s like writing a second draft. Revise your blog writing with these tips. It’ll be more interesting, readable and personal.
You’ll grow as a blog writer and impress your readers, too!
Need to talk about improving your writing? I’d love to help! Connect with me, here.
