Looking for help with your blog writing process? Peek at one blogger's secrets, and discover three more bloggers to follow and learn from their writing process too! Read on for the risque reveal...
Curious about my blog writing process and want to peek "under my hood?"
When my friend Knikkolette tagged me to participate in a blog tour, I thought, "I don't know if I have time for a blog tour, and I think I'll do one of those when I have more to promote."
I thought a blog tour was a planned effort of guest blog posts one did to diversify their audience and promote a book, movie, or other intellectual product. I'm not discounting that for the future, by the way!
But then she described that I should share my blog writing process and encourage others to do so too.
What -- Share MY writing process!??
I mean....... That's very PERSONAL.
It is revealing secrets...
Of how my brain works, and how allll of my published posts ended up on the page.
Like leaving one too many buttons undone on my intellectual blouse!
Yikes!!
On the other hand...
In previous posts I have shared bare knees, a lady's behind, I got naked with Dave, asked if you were seducing your Facebook fans, suggested that porn could help politics, and discussed electile dysfunction. All clever attempts to make specific points.
So, I suppose I can outline my writing process, and hop on this risque, revealing blog tour! :)
To give you an idea of where we're going: My Writing Process tour - By Knikkolette paves our path forward...
4 Questions Answered About MY Writing Process
1. What am I working on?
Confession: I have many blog post ideas sitting in my Wordpress "hopper" waiting to be dusted off and written about. Too many to admit. (I'll say a dozen blogger Hail Marys once this is published).
Among the topics:
- A social media tool kit for a specific business niche
- Optimizing social media at live events
- Benefits of live tweeting
For my business:
- A collaborative option that will serve my online community
- Social Business plans to help green niche franchise owners
- More on Instagram for business
2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?
It purposefully does. I'll touch a bit more on this in the outline of my writing process.
For me, if I'm going to take the effort to put something on my blog, or another blog, it's not published until it is thorough and "done right."
Some would get a reasonable amount of text in the panel and say, "Oh, that's good enough," and hit publish. But I do not opt to publish a post until I know it will be:
- Correct in grammar and spelling.
- Helpful to readers.
- Inclusive of all essential information so the reader is not left confused.
- It helps the blog for topic content and SEO.
Maybe that comes from years of being a performer. The commitment to rehearsing something over and over again -- Honing something -- Until it flourishes.
There was a time when 300-500 words was an admirable blog post. And, to some it still is. However, Google favors quality over quantity so a longer post even contributes to SEO. Plus, I'd rather be known as the well-researched, quality over quantity girl.
I'm also still not excited about using contractions in my writing, but it is the trend, so here I compromise.
All that said, my work is different because my readership is different - I write for my audience and my target audience. That's like fingerprints and DNA.
3. Why do I write what I do?
Most often, I write to answer a question or to meet a request.
Where at one time that meant writing to social media news and current social platform trends, my content is now more evergreen.
Every time, you will find on my blog material that will solve a pain point or curiosity for the community I serve. Within my text you may also find tutorial videos, embedded content curations, and/or graphics to illustrate a point.
In addition, I have to have a passion for the topic.
No like-y, no write-y.
4. How does my writing process work?
Others keep a writing process worksheet that helps them visualize the post. Not me.
It turns out I'm methodical. I tracked my last written post and the writing process that occurred. Here are my writing process steps:
a) Research other information out there on the topic, or content that is similar.
b) Keyword search - How it fits for my blog (or guest blog post).
c) Decide my angle and what I bring to the table to make the material unique and useful.
d) Search for potential images. This sometimes spurs themes within the writing structure.
e) Outline the skeleton components of the post.
- Heading
- Sub-headings
- Basic text and phrases
f) Fill the post out with text, applicable information, key words for on-page SEO, links, trackbacks, and images.
g) Yoast Plug-in check (grade it for SEO), and finesse text if needed.
h) Proofread and preview.
i) Have at least one other individual proofread.
j) Publish when satisfied.
k) Marketing and sharing of the post. (yes, this includes writing too!)
I wish I could just say, "I'm going to whip out a blog post today." But I can't. It never ends up this way. EVER. My posts are like a work of art or piece of music, and I sculpt until it feels like it's done.
Also, if I find myself on a creative wave, I ride it, not to be distracted.
Another confession: I do plan to put some of my posts into another published work, and all of it is warm-up to something bigger and better.
No peeking yet. ;)
Whew! So, that's my blog writing process: My risque, reavealing, blog tour of sorts.
Up Next To Tell You About Their Writing Process
So, I pass the torch on to these three terrific bloggers who will share their blog writing process too...
[caption id="attachment_4429" align="alignleft" width="150"]
Roz Tanner Evans[/caption]
In her words: "I became an unexpected jewelry entrepreneur when I realized I was too young to retire. After all, I'd juggled work as a career counselor, parenting, and community involvement for over 30 years. How could I learn to just sit still? Was I even supposed to? No – that didn't seem right. So a 2 hour beading class led to the creation of [BeadZbyRoZ which was eventually re-branded to] Earth And Moon Design. Joined by my artistic daughter, we show our love of beads in unique, eclectic on-off designs." Reach her website and blog here.
[caption id="attachment_4430" align="alignright" width="150"]
Frithjof Petscheleit[/caption]
Frithjof is the founder of BlueBird Business Consulting (formerly Tweet4Ok). He is a Social Media strategist and educator. His blog covers topics ranging from how-to social media posts to more general topics of concern for a rapidly changing digital world. You may recognize him from Social Lists: 7 Secrets Revealed By @Listly For Facebook Marketers.
His favourite quote:
“To succeed in the business of the future we have to become the very people we are trying to reach” ~Brian Solis
[caption id="attachment_4285" align="alignleft" width="150"]
Amanda Brazel[/caption]
In Chapel Hill, North Carolina originally from New York is Amanda Brazel. She is a Social Media Marketing Maven and helps small businesses with their social and digital marketing. Amanda specializes in business, marketing and creating a successful mindset for small business owners that really want to take their business to the next level and position themselves as an expert in their niche among their peers.
Amanda writes about marketing, social media marketing, digital marketing as well as creating a successful mindset. She is fun, passionate, direct and full of heart. You may recognize her from 19 Pros Share How To Be A Smart And Savvy Digital Marketer In 2014. See her posts here.
Your Turn To Get Risque And Revealing
Did I reveal enough about my writing process so you are not confused?
Do we share any similarities in style?
What questions do you have about a potential blog writing process?
Please share your thoughts and questions in the comments box below... :)
16 Replies
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Great post. You shared useful information. Good work.
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Hi there, Glad you liked this post and found the details about blog writing process to be helpful. Thanks for your comment, ~Keri
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Interesting article ,Thanks for sharing your experience with these blog tours. I have found the best way to find a good site to work with to ask fellow writers, so I really appreciate sharing your experiences!
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Hello Kayak, Thank you for visiting our blog, and for reading this article. You offer a great tip, and I appreciate your sharing your thoughts. Thanks for your comment, ~Keri
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So fun learning about your blogging process and also seeing other Likeable people here. I am a shoot from the hip, hit the ground running type when it comes to blogging. I know what I want to say and how I want to say it pretty much from the get go. I find supporting material to add credibility to my posts if needed come up with a title and hit publish. If I think too much about what I am going to write then I end up in writing paralysis. We actually talked about this in #BlogChat tonight.
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Joe, Thank you for hopping over to read, and for your nice comment. I admire your ability to shoot from the hip, as you say! Unless I can lock myself in a room right when I have an idea, I’m not that girl. Thank you for sharing some of your style here. #BlogChat is a terrific tweet chat – I’ve attended a few times…busy!! You are doing a wonderful thing compiling all of the Likeable League intros, and I’m so appreciative! You’ll be busier than a one-armed paper hanger for awhile. Please curate a Pinterest board for these posts, and we’ll feature them here on my site. A different blog tour tag, if you will. 🙂 Thanks for sharing and caring, ~Keri
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Roz suggested I come by and visit, Keri, so I did. And landed on your blog tour article. (Mine’s coming after Roz’s.) I’ve read several of these, and am happy to see you mention that for you the process doesn’t end when you click on “Publish” — because it doesn’t. The amount of total time I have invested in my 190+ articles tells me I too need to be thinking about publishing them in another format. I look forward to seeing what you do with yours!
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Sharon, Thank you for stopping by my blog, and for agreeing to be part of the blog tour! Yes – Once we hit publish, we’re not finished. We must market and continue to market our work. For myself and my clients, I have a process for continued syndication of signature content. Really intrigued that you mention publishing in other formats! Soooo important!! SlideShare and YouTube videos are very conducive. Optimally, I’d love to have an audio message with each post to appeal to different types of learners. I’ll keep an eye out for your blog tour post. Thanks for your comment, ~Keri
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Don’t know if you had a chance to visit any of my articles, Keri, but I record each one and add a link at the top for people to listen rather than read. Also increases time on page as they do other things while they listen for 3-5 minutes. Also means I could easily create YouTube videos of each article since they’re already recorded. Now I just need to buckle down and DO it! 😉
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Sharon, I did get a chance to visit your blog, and think you do a beautiful job! Love the idea of putting an audio with each post — I’ve been wanting to do this for quite awhile, but sometimes I’m lucky to simply hit publish on a text post. 😉 You will find YouTube videos embedded in several of my posts. Including a tutorial is a great way to help people understand the constant changes on social media. So, you on video and me to audio. Like Nike – Just do it! I will if you will… Thank you for your comment, ~Keri
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Thanks for tagging me here Keri! I am working on my post in this tour and I am very impressed by your process. I think I am much less methodical and more chaotic 🙂 But blogging is probably my favourite part of what I do. Blog you soon!
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Frithjof, It is my pleasure to tag you! You offer a different perspective on blogging and a method of conveying ideas that appeals. Your community will surely be interested in your process. And… I can’t wait to see! 😀 Thank you for agreeing to participate, and for your comment here. ~Keri
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Agree! Excellent post demonstrating your process. You walk the talk and worth emulating. One can learn a great deal from you as I have.
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Roz, Great to see your smile here! We’re all works in progress, as is our blog writing — Always evolving. That’s a good thing! Happy to know that you have learned from me – I would hope to be helpful. You have taught me that boundaries and adventures are what they make them. Thank you for adventuring here with me, and for sharing your thoughts! ~Keri
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EXCELLENT post; LOVE your process! We are so alike in so many ways! 🙂 This was a great read and I will be sure to share! Thanks for participating in the tour Keri! 🙂
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Knikkolette, Thank you for inviting me on the tour – My pleasure to participate! Really enjoyed learning about your process, and am happy to share with others too. Glad we’re friends — We share blogging, coffee, purple…..a lot! 🙂 Thanks for your comment, ~Keri
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