Thank you fellow Suls, Sulekhans or Sulekhites whatever you like to be called. I am amazed by the overwhelming response received and felt the pleasant vibe through all your comments for my previous post, What's a blog all about?(BE A TRUE BLOGGER AND NOT STEALER). Flury of comments & notes kept coming both from newbies and old timers.
I am glad you all agree some way or other that there is a need for a write-up/blog like that one to encourage every bloggers by invoking creativity and help them to deliver something better and strive for the best instead of duplicating articles by replicating from other sites.
Like every good first part, there is always a second part waiting to come. Whether its movie or books, that's the unofficial rule of thumb!! Don't you agree?! I think blog is not an exception. This is going to be a sequel or Part II of the previous one responding to some requests from newbies as well as old timers to give some clear pointers on how to start and present a blog?
I assure you, I won't bore you with the usual crap you read all the time, its fresh as Amma(mom's) idli from the cooker with chutney and sambar(side dishes) to make it interesting to all.
I assure you, I won't bore you with the usual crap you read all the time, its fresh as Amma(mom's) idli from the cooker with chutney and sambar(side dishes) to make it interesting to all.
How-to start a blog?
If you are already here and asking that question, you should know that you just boarded the train taking the first step towards an exciting journey of blogging with lot of adventure waiting for you to foresee(only for true bloggers). But you might wonder and feel like lost in a big jungle without any milestones or markers to get to the place which you don't know yet. That's what makes this journey more interesting and thrilling which is the right ticket to get you out of the boredom.
Quite frankly, when I started I really didn't know where I am going. But after a while, it just became an habit and path became so clear. Just do the right thing, by writing what I know the best.
I am neither an English pundit or a legitimate authority to instruct or lecture you anything. I am just like any of you, internet savvy with a background of computer science engg. That doesn't make me qualified to be a good blogger. It just helps me know things better and clear, thats all. I still need to know good or reasonable English to present a good write up. To tell you the truth, I never scored good marks in English grammar in my public schooling where grammar was never a favorite topic.
I am neither an English pundit or a legitimate authority to instruct or lecture you anything. I am just like any of you, internet savvy with a background of computer science engg. That doesn't make me qualified to be a good blogger. It just helps me know things better and clear, thats all. I still need to know good or reasonable English to present a good write up. To tell you the truth, I never scored good marks in English grammar in my public schooling where grammar was never a favorite topic.
Why I am telling you all this?! If I can do it, you can do it too and do better than me. All you need is Confidence, Content and Commitment(3 C's) to get good at it.
“There's a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstance permit. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.”
- By an unknown Author (thinkexists.com)
I learnt a terminology/method called CODE in my Toastmaster (A International club for public speaking) exposure.
What is CODE method?
Content - Organization - Delivery - Effectiveness
I use this method pretty much to evaluate any of own my speech or the speeches given by my fellow toastmasters. Its like a guideline to evaluate a speech. The same method very well suits to create and present a good article or blog. Lets deep dive into the specifics of them.
Content
First and foremost, you need a content/topic to make a blog. Don't jump right out immediately looking for one in Google or Internet. Hold on!! Just take a moment to look inside you, around you. Watch closely about the happenings in the world or city or in the neighborhood. You will sure to find hordes of topics like your childhood memories, your hobbies, your habits, your interest, eateria, get-together's, speciality about hometown, your feelings towards the current happenings, your career, your expertise and so forth.
Try to derive a short list, picking only those topics which you are very much passion about. I blogged more about cricket during world cup, my marathon experience, posted about the current city Houston and Texas state. If you think you can tell good stories, go for it. Are you a good thinker and work with words, create short poems and blast it out.
Once you have the ideas or list, jot it down or put it in a notepad. Since Sulekha doesn't have an option to save the draft of the post. You can create an account in blogspot.com and save your topics and put small note under each one of the topic and add-on each time you get material on those topics and save it for later. Once you are ready, just post it in Sulekha.
Organization
Every article/blog should start with a good opening to attract the audience or reader, support the topic with informative body and close with a take way points.
For example, you can open with a positive note or something which everybody is look out to read and learn more. You can add a quote borrowing it from http://www.quotationspage.com or http://www.thinkexist.com/. You can also add some practical jokes or stories which you find it interesting to support your content. You can try putting current news related to your topic as the open and drive the attention. Its nothing wrong to be finicky on choosing the right opening.
Avoid using technical jorgans and acronyms since it won't interest lot of readers.Add-on the blog with facts and factoids in the body to make it more interesting and Close the blog with a summary and call for action or welcoming comments for discussion.
Delivery
This an yet another important aspect in blogging. You should choose the right background and font color combination to make it readable. I remember a blogger(now one of my favorite) when she first started had green background with green letter font. It was really hard to read. People just don't go further after it and nobody bothered to tell you to change it. So watch out and don't send away the readers at the first attempt.
Make it look good by adding para breaks, bold main points or use different colors, underlining important facts all of it makes more interesting to read. One of my pet peeve is grammatical mistakes which I am still working on to fix it. So I am very careful to do the spell check and usage of words before I post it. Try to use different words picking from the sites like http://dictionary.reference.com/wordoftheday/ and try give different feel to your writing instead of being monotonous.
Effectiveness
You might have a good interesting and informative blog but if you don't have good title then nobody is going to knock the door to check it out. Choose a attractive title to create attention of readers tempeting to read your blog. Add pictures accordingly and relatively. Pictures speak way better than the text. Try to use your own pics if not you can get it from internet and don't forget to give credit for the site. Also you can video or audio files to make it more attractive and interesting. I will save the more technical part for the next blog.
This is just yet another way/method to create a blog and its not the only way. I hope I didn't scare you with any technical aspect. You are not compulled to follow this method. CODE method is just the guiding factor for good write-up or a blog. I always try to evaluate my blog to see whether it passes the code method before posting it. Its a good test to improve and deliver good blogs.
To conclude, just don't hesitate to throw out any interesting items you think will intrigue people to read. There are veteran bloggers who talk about various different topics which aren't so informative but they still fun read. Blogging doesn't have to be serious deal but I am sure it should atleast be merriment and interesting for both you and readers.
Blog on. Prepare and present a proper blog, to make your presence a best one in this new paradigm.
