Helpful Hints

Hi Folks,

Wow! Already over 40 blogs are up and ready to go. Most interns are on their way or leaving shortly so expect the first blog assignment early next week. In the meantime, I want to share with you some helpful hints on writing an effective blog from our friends at the Institute for Research and Innovation in Sustainability. For many of you, this is your first time blogging so I thought it might be of use.

Hi, welcome to the IRIS blogging tutorial! Whether you are new to the blogging sphere or are looking to sharpen your skills, I hope this guide will provide you with some helpful guidelines that can enrich your writing and reach out to a growing audience.

ANATOMY OF AN EFFECTIVE ENTRY

1. A snappy title

Think of newspaper headlines. Your title should capture the reader’s attention as well as the topic and argument of the entry.

2. Main-point appetizer

Put your main point in the first paragraph. Following your eye-catching title, this acts as the “hook” that sustains your reader’s interest in reading on.

3. Simple and informative body

Provide details on your topic in the following paragraphs. To avoid overwhelming your reader (and yourself), try to stick to the point and get it across with just an adequate amount of words.

4. Background in closing

Give the background information in the last part of your post.

STREAMLINING YOUR POST

• Lists

Information in lists is much more easily digested than a large wall of text. However, remember the mantra of “quality over quantity”; too many points or lists may prove to be counterproductive.

• Keywords

Think about the keywords that would be used to search for your post and include them in your headers and body text. Make sure they are placed naturally and are consistent with the flow of your entry.

• Links

Support your post with links to relevant web sites that provide the context of or further information on your topic.

ENGAGING YOUR READER

• Use first person “I” and feel free to refer to your personal opinions and experiences.
• Describe, rather than tell.
• Provoke thought and elicit responses by questioning the reader.
• Try to be consistent once you have settled on a style in your writing.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST…

• Make your opinion known.
• Respect other contexts and perspectives.
• Edit before submitting.
• Find inspiration
• What issues have given you food for thought?
• What articles, books or websites have you come across that you’d like to recommend or discuss?
• How have you been progressing in your current projects? Is there anything you would change in your approach thus far or from here on?
• What useful tips or activities can you share with others?
• Explain something that you learned recently. What new insights have you gained (if any)? How would you incorporate this in your thinking and/or work?

FOR REFERENCE

• Ten tips for writing a blog post

http://www.problogger.net/archives/2005/12/30/tens-tips-for-writing-a-blog-post/

• How to write a good blog

http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/help/how-to-write-a-good-blog