For a Better Blog Take Two: Reading and Writing.

I share articles and how-to’s on improving communication and blog writing all the time. When I comment, it’s always the same:

Want to write good blog posts?

  • Read good posts, articles and stories.
  • Look for better blogs and websites.
  • Read different posts, magazines and journals.
  • Get out of your rut and find inspiration elsewhere.

The Internet is my library and I read. Anything and everything. I have used TV shows as basis for posts, inspired by entertainment blogs I have read. I have based Follow Friday recommendations on humorous Twitter feeds.

Two Sides to Every Story

Everyone has a story right? In public relations and social media I think we sometimes forget to tell the other side of the story.

We focus on the product, the business, or the service; we use customer anecdotes and quips, but don’t always make the connections, show the stories in context with each other or what makes that story special enough to capture audience attention.

It’s supposed to be about relationships, which takes a minimum of two. One person and one brand, two people, two schools, two students, two teams; how they relate to one another. Catching my eye over the weekend were these two articles that told such stories.

A Tale of Two Students. This Wall Street Journal essay is about public education, focusing on two schools in the same area. Instead of the typical facts and figures, the writer told the story of the schools through the connecting and diverging lives of two students.

One student was fortunate enough to get into a charter school, which kicked his academic career into high gear. The other student went to a lesser public school, yet worked hard to earn a college scholarship. That human foundation made the article personal, relatable and readable.

For the Love of the Game. One of my favorite writers is Rick Reilly, now of ESPN fame. When he brings the funny, it’s always worth a read. And when he brings the real life, the serious and sentimental, it gets me right here as he did with this column. Not every game has winners and losers.

Two softball teams, one a long-running successful program, the other struggling to get started, appeared headed for a blowout. Then something amazing happened: the better team offered to forfeit. More than a mercy rule, these young women wanted to stop and help the other team get better; and the students on the other team were willing and eager to work and learn the game. These kids were about helping others, true social engagement.

Hopefully reading stories like these has made me a better writer, a better blogger, and a more engaging communicator. What helps you?

Want More? Keep Reading.

2 thoughts on “For a Better Blog Take Two: Reading and Writing.

  1. Great advice, Davina. The best writers (bloggers or otherwise) come from the more active readers, especially when you leave the safety net of your niche.

    Grow the brain, expand your mind, be open to other points of view, and you’re pretty much good to go 🙂

    Cheers!

    1. Danny, ITA about leaving the safety net, venturing out into the big, bad world. If you get stuck reading the same old articles, about the same topics.. it’ll show in your writing. Those “off topic” articles and columns may be the best inspiration you could ever find.

      Thanks so much for stopping by!

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