Here is how I write a blog post, which is not quite the same thing as how I should write one:
1. Choose a title. This is huge. Not only does it direct your writing and make it hang together, but it is what appears in Internet searches and is the main thing search engines look at. So short, plain titles work best. Think of what people should google to reach your post: that is your title.
2. Write the first paragraph: This has to say what your post is about. Because that is how search engines and most people will regard it – as description.
3. Write the other paragraphs in whatever order they come to your head. Just write. And write and write. Do not concern yourself with how good it is. The aim is to get all your main points down on paper in whatever form, in whatever order. Do not stop writing until you are done that. Kurt Vonnegut calls this swooping.
4. Do a word count: Less than 500 means you need to do more reading or thinking – and then write more paragraphs. Otherwise:
5. Move paragraphs so that your post reads in a reasonable fashion.
6. Rough draft: Read it through and make sure it sounds pretty good, both as a post and as English. It does not have to be perfect – thus the word “rough”.
7. Cut, cut, cut. Most of my rough drafts are between 580 to 1,000 words. Cut the post down to 480 to 500 words. This post was 748. I cut 33%. For comparison, Reader’s Digest cuts 30%, Hemingway up to 67%.
Stuff to cut:
- Less important paragraphs.
- Long-windedness: Look at paragraphs of more than four sentences and words of more than two syllables. Both are signs of possible fat.
- Opinion – prefer fact.
- Questionable facts – prefer those that are easier to prove. Prefer those you read in print over what you read on the Internet.
When you get below 550 words:
- Bolding: Put important words, phrases and points in bold. It makes skimming easier and forces you to be more direct, cutting yet more fat.
- Cut unnecessary words and less important sentences. This is the hardest part of all!
8. Final draft: Read it over and over again till it sounds good and you can read to the end without having to make a change.
9. Add pictures: Add at least one at top. Go to Google Images and put in the title and see what comes up. If there is nothing good, then think of what one picture or set of pictures would get across what your post is about. Coolness counts. Add no more than ten pictures.
10. Add links at the bottom, especially to related posts. I tend to go overboard, but it is generally bad practice to go over five links: people’s eyes will start to glaze over. Try to link to at least two of your own posts.
11. Post it.
12. Final corrections: Read it through again. If you can, read it again an hour later, later in the day and a few months later: you will find other mistakes!
– Abagond, 2011.
See also:
You’re definitely a good voice to listen to in terms of the blog game Abagond, just seeing the success of this space speaks volumes to your skill. When I guest posted that article I found that it made me change a lot about the way I go about writing myself being that 500 words is ideal and I had never put thought to that before (i am about as long-winded as they come). Chopping things down always makes it shine brighter – I’m still trying to get used to that.
Heh, your number 1 is my last step because it is so hard sometimes to find a remarkable title.
Bloggers should take heed to these steps as SEO, unique, helpful topics (I swear I am sick of the constant Obama clone articles on blogs), keeping people’s attention and getting to the point is all important to seeing those numbers rise. It’s very unselfish of you to put out a gem like this for free.
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I think this should be titled “How I write a blog post” because it’s only way to write one particular kind of blog post.
But then again, if you chose the title in order to get a lot of hits on google, you’ve probably chosen a very good title.
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@ Eurasian:
A fair point.
That was my original title, but then I thought that no one ever types that into Google, so I took out the “I”. Most people who tell you how to write a blog post are presenting their own opinions based on their own experiences anyway, but just to be fair I changed the title to “How to write a blog post (or at least how I do it)”.
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Thank you,
I am starting a blog and have been wondering how to get views and write essays. This is well appreciated. Your style is short, sweet and to the point.
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These are good tips, but like you said, people always present THEIR way of writing anyway.
Your style is sharp and somewhat unique. I guess it depends on your writing style, but also the (dreadful) word count.
I always end up writing more than I intended (not just in blogging: I can’t write short stories, they all end up being quite long). So I have to cut in revisions. I find it much easier to cut after a while, when you forgot about the exact words you used, so it’s easier to see what things can be cut without losing the point.
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Good advice for bloggers who want to have a well-defined blog. Bloggers who blog strictly for the release of these thoughts (like me), can be less structured.
I always feel bad for the people I see looking for good information on my blog and turning up with my crazy-talk. But since it’s peppered with a few good posts, I still turn up in search engines frequently.
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Great pointers, Abagond.
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Abagond,
What’s the average length of time it takes for you to complete steps 1 – 11? For me, doing steps 1 – 4 are enjoyable! Steps 5 – 12, not so much, unless I’m editing words other than my own. I find it MUCH easier to edit and proof-read someone else’s work.
BTW, thanks for doing what you do!
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good pointers. i hate cutting my work and i’m sure i need to but for some reason i’m stubborn and resistant to it atm. but you’re very right in that it makes a piece have more impact.
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I think every good blogger has their own style and method which works for them. Abagond’s method wouldn’t necessarily work for a lot of other blogs.
The strength of this blog is that it engenders interesting discussion, and is written in a fairly plain-speaking style that can be digested by a wide range of people. On the other hand, some blogs have a more creative and clever way of writing but might appeal to a narrower audience.
So it’s good for describing concepts and events, and engendering reactions from a wide range of readers. What I don’t get from this blog is a feeling of pleasure at reading Abagond’s style; some other bloggers I read have a great way with the language which is entertaining in itself.
But ultimately no blog can be all things to all people, which is why it’s good to read widely.
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Respect to those who get their point across in a compact, yet concise manner. Abagond’s style is just that. The style reminds me of a chronicler within a story of a literary work.
This blog attracts a lot of intelligence and controversy but also people who can only thrive in the safe haven of “freedom of speech” although themselves are very likely to be the very enemies of freedom of speech if they had it their way.
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Excellent outline. For a new blogger, I appreciate this, as I am still trying to find my groove.
I thoroughly enjoy your writing style and for one with self-diagnosed attention-deficit-disorder that says a lot. I try to write just around 500 words because I personally don’t want to read much more than that (with few exceptions). But then again, it’s all about style…my blog is pure opinion, an opinion on which I am an expert, but opinion nonetheless. My voice doesn’t take much more than 500 words on any particular subject.
I agree with Greg-my title usually comes in at the last minute. I don’t typically have an idea what to call the post until I’ve finished it, and even then, that may change.
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Great post.
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