Apr 24, 2008
12 Ways to Improve Your Blog by Serving Your Readers
Justin Taylor has posted an article I wrote on how to blog better by considering your readers more important than yourself.
Thoughts?
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If I had readers, these would all be valid points!
I had to laugh at the point about processed thought versus processing thought. When I sit down to write, I do process my thought as I go – as if I were journaling in a book. I then go back and straighten things out in a “pre-processed” manner. Except this one time…. I accidentally published it instead of saving as a draft and it was out there for about three hours before I can back to [what I thought was] my draft! Yikes!
Fortunately, my three readers hadn’t hit my post yet!
Have a wonderful day!
Add a period at the end of the first sentence before your mom sees this.
Very good advice. I must admit, I struggle to find the healthy tension (I think) a blog should have, somewhere between poignant and personal. Would it be more affective as either poignant or personal? Yours seems to have a good balance, but many that I read are strictly for teaching.
For me, it seems that the personal entries get more responses. This is most likely because my mother is my number one reader. I would love to be one of those bloggers who arouses great spiritual and theological and moral discussions.
I, too, love blogging, and I throughout the day I think of many things I’d love to write about. But how much is too much? Sometimes I fear that blogging too much could come across as self-absorbed.
can’t post your your own article, too many words, ha!
Whew, Jake, that was close. Thanks!
I kinda off my game today.
Quick! Add an apostrophe -m to your last comment!
;-)
I have a lot to learn about this ever-reforming part of me, so appreciate the tips.
Especially appreciated the “processing” tip, as I’ve likely posted too soon, too often, rather than giving self 24-48 hours to process more before publishing.
Liked also the tip on bite-sized posts. I’ve seen some posts that you have to scroll several screens down. Wish I had that kind of time to read, but few of us do.
good advice. I just changed my syndication options to allow full posts. Hadn’t thought about how self-serving that could be.
:)
Great post, bro! Thanks!
By the way, how do you change syndication options to show full posts? Does anybody know? I use WordPress.
I’m always challenged by your thoughts on blogging!! There were several more challenging points for me, and overall a very good challenge to all! Do you offer grace to those who weren’t brought up in the home of parents who happen to both be incredibly smart (and therefore produce very smart children!!)? ; ) I hope so!!! : )
At the Band of Bloggers you mentioned someone you read about blogging – - – what was his name again?
Denny,
You can select to syndicate your whole feed on your dashboard, go to Settings > Reading.
It’s the 4th or 5th thing down.
Brauns,
That was Seth Godin. I also recommend Problogger.
Extremely helpful, especially links and suggestions of others from which to learn. Thanks for your insight and for being practical. Sorry you didn’t win the bed from Prairie Home Companion!
Great great reminder on the purpose of blogging. I really like your last point which is my motivation for blogging; to ultimately bring glory to God. :)
That post is a good reason why I wish we had more than 35 seconds to meet and say hi. I agree with almost none of it (well, maybe almost half of it), but I this the discussion would be edifying and vigorous.
I’m curious now, Frank.
Maybe you should write a post, so I can know what you’re talking about.
But you’re right, it would’ve been better to get it all figured out over lunch.
“That post is a good reason why I wish we had more than 35 seconds to meet and say hi. I agree with almost none of it (well, maybe almost half of it),”
I agree with Frank…
While there are some good things listed, maybe this should have been written by someone who has been blogging for a bit longer time.
Frank, so when is your post coming?
Lack of experience is not an indication of lack of wisdom. Personally I find Abraham to be a very insightful blogger and one who’s advice is not quickly thrown out but is well thought through.
Keep up the good work.
A -
It was good to meet and chat a bit at T4G – keep up the good and creative work. I dig it.
z
I liked the comment about making pastors/theological blogs more women friendly. But more than that, I would prefer that people make them PRACTICAL. As an MA myself, one thing I learned quickly is that knowing somehting is nice, but if you cant do anything with it, then its useless knowledge.
Great advice… I’m changing my feed to include the entire post. You made a great point with that.
[...] HT: Abraham Piper – 22 Words [...]
Those thoughts were very helpful. I’m going to really rethink how I blog.
[...] HT: Abraham Piper – 22 Words [...]