The “No Textbook” Zone

Blogging is all about you and what you know or love, so it makes sense that you write from your heart. Many bloggers, however, just put information up without thinking about how people will react to it. This is a big problem especially if you want to create a following or have viewers actually enjoy what you have to say.

No matter what your topic is, you should write passionately rather than a dull informational IBM 701 EDPM computer. This is not to say that you shouldn’t inform readers on your topic, but rather if you incorporate your personality and passion for your topic into your blog, readers will pick up on it and be more interested in what you have to say. You want to connect with your readers without insulting their intelligence by dumbing down your language or compromising your integrity to please them.

One way to connect with readers is to write in first person, “I found that statistically”, “in my experience”, “I am pleased to announce”. First person narration isn’t necessarily non-professional, but it can turn into a rant if you’re not careful. Remember to stay on topic when writing in first person. Many readers enjoy hearing about the writers experiences whether the blog is about puppies or modern advancements in genetic engineering.

Readers don’t want to feel like they are reading a textbook or a manual on how to put something together. Readers want information, but they also want to be entertained. Your blog should be an extension of your personality and if readers don’t feel like you are a real person they can trust or connect with, they won’t be interested in what you have to say.

You don’t have to write in first person to get readers to appreciate what you have to say. If you choose to write in third person (“they found more energy”, “participants are likely”, “shoppers are happy”), then you can still add spunk and creativity to your blog by choosing which words you use and which words you avoid. Choosing the right words is critical for reader interest. Get a thesaurus and liven up your writing. Instead of saying “they found more energy” you could write “they were pleasantly surprised by the empowering effect”, or instead of “participants are likely” you could write “eager participants are highly prone”.

Although changing the way you say something doesn’t really change what you say, it does have an effect on the way your audience reacts to what they read. Descriptive language is always better than a minimalistic approach so don’t be afraid of giving details that you find interesting. When writing make sure that you describe what things are like and how they really are without repeating information to keep readers interested.

Written by Patricia Vennes from Writer's Rants
Posted on June 1st, 2009 and filed under Blogging, Writing
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