How to be an Interesting Blogger the Remarkablogger Way
[note]This is the second post in a series of 5 posts on how to be interesting so your audience will stick around. We kick off the one-question interview with Michael Martine of Remarkablogger[/note]
Today, Michael Martine (Remarkablogger) answers my question about what we as bloggers, can do to hold the interest of our readers.
Michael is a blog consultant and coach who’s the brain behind a lot of things. The most impressive of which (for me) is WordPress SEO Secrets.
I asked Michael the vaguest question in the world and he came back with the most specific answer I could have asked for. Thank you for your time and insight Michael. You’re awesome!
What is the one thing people should change about their approach to become more interesting (to their target audience)?
Michael: The one thing people should change in their approach to become more interesting is the “voice” of their writing. Interesting writing is full of personality and the voice of the writer is unmistakable in it. Inject your personality into your writing voice.
When we write, we often write in a voice that isn’t natural to us. It’s forced. We think we have to sound a certain way, that we have to sound “professional” or “business-like.” That is complete bullshit. You must sound like YOU. Write how you talk. Write like you’re writing an email to your best friend. That doesn’t mean your spelling and grammar can suck, but even those are secondary to personality. Do this and your writing will instantly be more interesting.
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To learn more about blogging from Michael, check out the series of posts he did at Remarkablogger on how to write for your blog.
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About Samar
Samar is a freelance writer, blogger and social media enthusiast.
She's the voice behind this blog, the writer behind each post and the one responsible for all the awesomeness (and goof-ups) around here.
If you want to outsource your blogging, get web copy written or have the social media end of things handled then she's your girl!
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June 23, 2009
at 6:47 pm
Definitely good advice. We don't want to sound like robots on our blogs. Some of the best comments I've received on my blog were on articles where I let my personality really show.
John Hoff – WpBlogHost´s last blog ..WpBlogHost Domain, Blog Security, & Hosting Promotions – Get’em While Their Hot
June 23, 2009
at 8:37 pm
Same here. It took me a while to find my voice, but I think I've started croaking in the right way for people to comment more.
As weird as it may sound, twitter has helped a lot. I have a general idea of the people who will be reading the post when I tweet it there. I know what they look like, how they talk etc. So imagining talking to them when I write my post has been a great help.
Read some of my older posts to know how stilted some of them sounded
June 24, 2009
at 12:30 am
Oh heavens, finding your voice….. I read once that it will take about 50 posts for a blogger to really find their voice and personality in their posting. From my own experience I would have to agree. Ok, I didn't count how many posts I wrote that sucked in the early days…. Actually, I've deleted several of the older posts because they were so awful.
When I first started business blogging last year – not my current site – it was a dismal failure. Stilted, formal, boooooring! Totally not me. This year when I started again it was a lot easier. But yeah, some of my early posts are still very blah.
I like to think I'm improving, I'm certainly enjoying writing them a lot more!
Melinda | WAHM Biz Builder´s last blog ..On Sex, Home Business, Keywords and SEO
June 24, 2009
at 4:52 pm
Hey Samar, and Michael!!
So true that we use an unnatural, distanced voice often when writing.
injecting personality is probably the main thing i've been focusing on in my writing and i'll definitely vouch for it increasing traffic and readership.
really cool, succinct and value-offering interview.
and awesome site samar!!
keep in touch
alex – unleash reality
alex – unleash reality´s last blog ..Sound-Bite Sized Self-Help
June 24, 2009
at 8:20 pm
@ Mel – Finding our blogging voice is a lot of trial and error
I haven't deleted any of my older stuff but after reading Taylor's post on MwP about older posts I've been meaning to go through them and see what can be salvaged.
You definitely are improving! I love your blog
@ Alex – Hey Alex. Welcome! Injecting personality may be hard, but it's worth it as they reflect change for better.
Thank you for the kinds words!
June 24, 2009
at 9:07 pm
This is perfect advice, and something which I have been trying to apply in the way that I blog. The first 30-40 posts which I wrote were very 3rd person. When I hardly got any traffic, regardless of the advertising of the blog, I change my strategy and wrote more with freedom – this changed things big time.
What I have learnt over the last year or so is that I shouldnt blog for what people want to read, I should blog for what I want to say. I can't say it better than in my own words (which sometimes is random, but very often effective).
Excellent reply – you have a new fan!
Pingback: This is what they said..... | It’s as simple as putting the biscuit in the basket
June 25, 2009
at 11:22 am
@ cookie – glad you liked it. Go through Michael's blog. You'll be blown away by the helpful blogging posts he has there.
Readers want to read what you have to say. They have their own blog for writing what they want to read.
Make sense?
June 28, 2009
at 7:53 pm
@Samar
Totally Kapish!
I have bookmarked his blog to check out as soon as I have two ticks!