by Rayne
Editorial Note: How to Write an Effective Post
photo: tarop via Flickr
MyFDL has a number of new community members, including folks who are writing blog posts for the first time. Let’s look at how to write an effective blog post for their benefit, and as a refresher for more seasoned bloggers among us.
How to Write a Post:
– Begin with the end in mind: what is the point you are trying to convey to your readers? It’s a good practice to scratch out a thesis statement or a nut graph in order to frame your thoughts before beginning the rest of your blog post. If you cannot articulate the point in a single paragraph, it’s likely you need to spend more time on organizing your thoughts. Don’t be afraid to draft a quick outline before starting to compose.
– Who, What, Why, When, Where, How should be answered in the course of your post. Take a recent news story and pick it apart and look for these elements; the most effective articles will cover these points very early in order to engage readers and capture their attention. For bloggers, covering these points assures that you are fully aware of the scope of the story and that you haven’t missed a detail, and that you’re fully satisfying your readers’ curiosity.
Here’s a simple exercise most of us can use: Who made you angry? What were they doing that made you angry? Why were they doing it? When and where did they do it? How did they do it? If you can answer each of these points, make a thesis statement as to why you were angry and then flesh out your rationale for being angry, you likely have a solid, interesting and classic blog post. . . . Read the rest of this entry →
