Sarah Lewis has offered up to four of us the opportunity to make our voices heard on the 'Rocks' blogsite. If you reckon your typing fingers are mightier than a sword, send us your scintillating stories and we'll publish them on the Transition B&H site.
The four finest entries (as decided by our panel of professional writers and the transition network as a whole, with an arm-wrestling contest in case of a tie) will be offered the blogging spots and the awesome responsibility of inspiring and enthusing the readers of Rocks.
Here are some tips from Sarah to help you write a blindin' blog.
1. Keep it short
People come to blogs to have a quick nose around someone else's life. Attention spans on the internet generally won't stand up to a long rambling diatribe so keep your posts short and sweet, no more than 400 words is a good rule to follow.
2. Keep it relevant
Say what you did that day and why, in keeping with the theme of your blog. No one is going to be interested in Mrs Miggins having an argument with the man from number 34.
3. Entice people to read more
Make sure each sentence moves the story on from the last and offers information that people will want to read.
4. Watch punctuation
To many !!!!, (brackets), - hyphens -, CAPPED WORDS and italics makes it hard to read. Use words to express what you mean, not punctuation. Exclamation marks, especially, are hardly ever justified.
5. Watch your tenses
People want to know about things that are happening now. If you are telling an old story link it in with a current day event.
6. Get involved
Bare your heart, or the bits of it you want to, and let readers know you are prepared to entertain their voyeurism. You never know, you might find it therapeutic.
7. Interact
Invite readers to share their experiences or ask them questions.
8. Share your passion
If you are blogging about a particular topic explain why you are interested in it or why you are embarking on that particular mission and how it feels to do so.
9. Be yourself
Let your natural writing voice come through. Readers will begin to feel like they actually know you and want to come back for more.
10. Have fun
If you enjoy writing your blog, people will enjoy reading it.
Strictly come blogging
