Writing is an art. Like any art, the more you practice, the better you’ll become. The technical side of setting up your blog was hard, but now it’s time to create content!
Writing blog posts can seem daunting when a blank white page glares at you. You need to write content that interests you and your readers and makes them want to return to your site for more. Improving your writing skills and creating a cohesive blog post is easier than you think.
Read below for my tips to take your blog to the next level and keep your readers returning for more!
1. Streamline Your Process
Take time to write a list of blog ideas. I like to have a list of 10-20 potential ideas so that when I’m ready to start writing, I can refer to my list and not have to brainstorm new ideas at that moment.
Having a file of images already downloaded and organized is also helpful. I download a variety of images from sites such as Shutterstock. Keep those images saved so they are easy to add to a blog when you’re ready for them. I also keep my favorite blog-ready personal travel photos organized and ready to add to my blog posts.
2. Create an Outline
A blank page can be overwhelming! Start with an outline to help create structure and streamline your process.
Begin by adding the title, subheadings, and some notes so that when you sit down to write, you just need to fill in the rest. An outline can help to organize your thoughts so that your end result is smooth-flowing and cohesive.
As you begin to write, consider using bullet points and bolded words for easy readability and to make your ideas stand out.
3. Batch Write Your Content
Batch writing means taking time to focus on writing only blog posts. This could be a few hours or a few days. This is not the time to multitask! Trying to do too much at once makes you lose focus.
Take time to focus on writing and only writing. At this time, don’t worry about social media posts, which words you’d like to bold, affiliate ads you’d like to use, or images to add. Don’t even worry about editing at this point.
Think how much content you can produce when you don’t allow yourself to get distracted!
4. Edit Your Blog Post
Your blog post is written! Now, ensure your content is free from spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors. Your readers will notice if your post is filled with errors!
There have been many times I’ve given up reading a blog or self-published book because the content is unpolished and hard to read.
Using a free online tool is an easy way to edit your work. Grammarly is a free tool to find grammar mistakes and flag awkward sentences.
Here are a few more quick editing tips:
- Don’t edit your post immediately. Take a day or two after writing before you go back and edit. Looking at your content with fresh eyes can help you to spot any errors.
- Read your content out loud or record yourself reading. This can help you ensure your work flows well. It also helps to catch those small words like it, if, in, etc., that your eye tends to skip over.
- Print out your work. For some reason, this helps me spot errors I’ve missed or areas that don’t flow well. Errors tend to stand out more on paper.
5. Avoid Punctuation That You Aren’t Sure How to Use Correctly
This includes ellipses, em/en dashes, colons, and semicolons. Many people don’t know how to use these correctly. Not sure? Best to avoid them!
6. Check for Common Mistakes
As an editor, there are some mistakes I see repeatedly. They are mistakes that spell checker often misses.
Keep an eye out for:
- It’s/Its
- There/Their/They’re
- Than/Then
- Your/You’re/You
- Affect/Effect
7. Check for Subject/Verb Agreement and Correct Usage of Tense
- Check that your subject/verb agreement is correct. For example, writing “There’s four rules” in error instead of the correct way, “There are four rules.”
- Correct usage of tense is another common mistake. For example, “I walk to the store and bought a book” Walk is present tense, and bought is past tense. “Bought” should be “buy,” or “walked” should be “walk” because these events occur at the same time.
8. Don’t Complicate Things
- Stay away from jargon and slang. Only some of your readers will understand this language. Use real words and keep it simple.
- Use a thesaurus…but not too much! A thesaurus is a great way to add variety to your content, but using it too much or trying too hard will make your writing sound unnatural.
- Limit unnecessary adverbs. Excessive, extreme, abundant, and plentiful use of adverbs overwhelms your content. See what I did there? Check your writing to see what adverbs you can do without.
9. Be Concise and Use Short Sentences
- Don’t write more just for the sake of word count. Stay on point so you don’t lose your readers.
- Keep paragraphs to just a few sentences. Most blog traffic comes from mobile readers. Paragraphs appear twice as long on a mobile screen and can be challenging for readers to follow.
10. Hire a Proofreader
If you struggle with your grammar skills or don’t have the extra time to proofread your posts, outsourcing editing may be your best option to ensure your writing is at its best.
Even if you do have the knowledge and time, hiring a proofreader can be valuable. It’s harder to spot errors in your own writing. A proofreader or copyeditor can look at your content with fresh eyes to polish your writing and make it shine.
I can help you with that! If you are interested in working together, click here to contact me.
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