Do you like to write? Do you manage and run your own blog? These days, social media has empowered all of us. With just a few clicks of the mouse, we are able to set up a blog that can potentially reach tens if not hundreds of thousands of people. With this powerful voice at our fingertip also comes a desire for some bloggers to learn how to write better. A frequent question I receive from bloggers is “just how can I improve my writing skills?”. Allow me to share with you my four favorite tips for improving your blog writing in a relatively short period of time.
First, focus on your paragraphs! Paragraphs are absolutely key to your blog postings. If your paragraphs are too short, your thoughts may give the appearance of jumping around too much and not really taking a close enough look at specific points. If your paragraphs are too long, your writing can run on and quickly lose readers. It’s important to focus on the pace of your paragraphs. For paragraphs that are too long, look to see if you can split the paragraph into two separate paragraphs.
Second, use a thesaurus! When you repeatedly describe something using the same set of words, it will quickly get old to the reader. The reader will basically be reading the same set of words over and over, and you very well could lose your audience. You don’t have to have a huge vocabulary to fix this. Just take verbs and adjectives that you regularly use and look them up in the thesaurus for some alternatives.
Third, limit your negativity and criticism when you start to write. For many writers, they will fall into a habit of criticizing their own writing as they are typing their blog postings. This negativity can quickly change the pace of the article, or lead the blogger to scratch the article all together. Avoid listening to this negative voice! When you start writing, just write write write! Only after you complete your writing you can start to proofread and be critical of what you wrote. Do not become critical though until you have completely expressed your thoughts.
Finally, know your audience. When people ask me the best way to write blog posts, I can’t really give them an answer without knowing more. The biggest question I usually ask is just who exactly is your audience? Do you post on a casual blog about your life? If so, use a little humor! Humor is a great way to make a point while also showing a bit of your personality. Do you post on a blog that is political related? If so, make sure to quote lots of studies and statistics to back up any points you are arguing. Knowing your audience is crucial to becoming a better blogger.
I wish you luck in your desire to become a better writer and blogger. With blogging more popular than ever, I am so happy to see so many people who are looking to develop better writing skills. We all have a voice that should be heard in this world. By working to become a better writer, we can learn to better express this voice in a way that people all over the world will be able to learn from and relate to. To me, that is the power of writing.
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