how to write an awesome blog post
TRANSCRIPT
How to Write an Awesome Blog Post
Most of you don’t write because
You don’t know what to write about. You want to publish something
awesome, and that is hard. You don’t have time.
Most of you don’t write because
You don’t know what to write about. You want to publish something
awesome, and that is hard. You don’t have time.
Today, you’ll learn how to eliminate these roadblocks and
write an awesome blog.
What to write about
finish a project.
Write when you
Write when youlook for a good resource
and find NOTHING helpful.
learn something new.
Write when you
develop a strong opinion.
Write when you
create order out of chaos.
Write when you
have an idea that fascinates you.
Write when you
keep asking you to help with something.
Write when people
Now that you have your idea,
how to make it awesome.
1. Audience 2. Structure 3. Style 4. Process
1. Audience
Before you start writing, pick your audience.
How much do they already know about this topic? What do they care about? Why is this topic interesting to them?
ANSWER
Beginners understand different vocabulary and require different
levels of explanation than experts.
FOR EXAMPLE
Know who you’re writing for from the start.
This will help you decide word choice, how deeply
to explain topics, and how you frame them.
2. Structure
I. INTRO pique
interest
III. CONCLUSION
broaden argument
II. BODY
defend thesis
Each section has a job.
Pique interest in the topic.
Quickly share what the reader should expect from the post.
State your thesis, or your main argument, in one sentence.
INTROI.
Make sure every part ties back to the thesis.
Choose a logical order for arguments (chronological, strength 2-1-3).
Support arguments with other research, linking to similar articles.
BODYII.
Don’t just summarize; offer a new idea.
Discuss nuance and caveats.
Broaden the argument, and leave the reader with something to think about.
CONCLUSIONIII.
Keep in mind, great blog posts are
OPINIONATED
HELPFUL
SPECIFIC
Share a view of the world and defend it.
OPINIONATED
Show exactly how to do something you’ve seen work.
SPECIFIC
Make sure readers can apply your ideas to their own situation.
HELPFUL
3. Style
Style Tips
I. PARAGRAPHS
Vary length from 1 to 4 sentences.
III. WORDS
Don’t get fancy. You’ll sound
like an asshat.
II. SENTENCES
Keep them short, with 1
idea each.
Remember, reading on the web is different from reading print.
Think like a designer.
Does the shape make you want to read it or scare you away?
PARAGRAPHSI.
is easier to read than
SENTENCESII.
Because Mary had three little lambs, she had to build an irrigation system to make sure her grass was watered and green to feed them, which was super expensive due to the drought.
SENTENCESII.
Too Many Ideas in One Sentence!
Because Mary had three little lambs, she had to build an irrigation system to make sure her grass was watered and green to feed them, which was super expensive due to the drought.
Mary had three little lambs, but she had trouble feeding them.
The drought had dried up her farm, leaving no green grass for the lambs to nosh on.
Mary looked into buying an irrigation system, but they were expensive due to the high demand in dry conditions.
One Idea Per Sentence.
Don’t get too stuffy.
Write how you’d explain it to a friend.
Read it out loud.
WORDS3
Calvin FO.FTW!
4. Process
Process Tips
I. IDEATING
Start with a conversation, an email, or an
outline.
III. EDITING
Edit first for structure, then
for grammar and style.
II. DRAFTING
Write a horrible first
draft as quickly as possible.
Don’t make writing a big deal. You’ll psyche yourself out!
At the start, it’s just an idea of an idea. No pressure!
IDEATINGI.
Here are some helpful techniques for overcoming
writer’s inertia.
Start with an EMAIL.
Start with a CONVERSATION.
Start with a PROTOTYPE.
Thanks to Kevin Wofsy from Keen.io for this idea.
Next, write an outline.
Don’t think of your outline as an outline. Just quickly jot
down a list of points you want to make in the article.
Block off 3 hours.
DRAFTINGII.
Crank out the shittiest first draft ever. Just get your
thoughts on the page.
Keep your outline at the top, and don’t try to edit while
you write.
Work on the title last.
Don’t pick one. List a bunch of options.
Let it sit for a day.
Block off 1 hour.
Edit for structure: order of arguments, what should be
there or not.
EDITINGIII.
Send to someone for 20% feedback.
We got this idea from 42Floors. Ask for the right level of feedback for the place you’re at in a project. 20 percent feedback should focus on structure of
ideas and merits of arguments. 80 percent feedback is for style and polish.
Block off 1-2 hours. Refine your ideas.
Send to someone for 80% feedback.
Block off 1-2 hours. Refine your ideas.
Check that it’s
OPINIONATED
HELPFUL
SPECIFIC
PUBLISH!!!!
See, that wasn’t that hard.
You can do it!
Let’s get started. BRAINSTORM TIME!
Think of 1-3 ideas you might want to write about.
finished a project? learned something new? created order out of chaos? looked for a resource but couldn’t find a good one? been asked the same question? developed a strong opinion? been fascinated by something?
Have you
Break into pairs, and discuss your ideas with a friend.
Pick one.
Quickly write down the points you want to make in your article.
GO TO YOUR CALENDAR RIGHT NOW.
BLOCK OFF THREE HOURS FOR THE FIRST DRAFT.
And there you have it folks, you’re on your way to writing
an awesome blog post!
I created this deck to inspire and motivate our team to share what they learn through writing.
I hope you find it helpful, too!
If you have any ideas, tips, or suggestions to add, hit me up at @dianahsmith or [email protected].
I’d love to hear them!
Hello there!