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Frank Viola: 25 Tips for Better Blogging

21. Link to Others When Appropriate. 

If you are mentioning another post or article written by someone else, be sure to link to it. Mentioning it without a link is a violation of Web etiquette, and it won’t reflect well on you.

22. Create a Series. 

When you have a ton of material on a specific topic and it’s too much to fit into a single blog post, create a series of posts on the topic that build upon one another over a period of days. (Blogging Through Bonhoeffer and Beyond Evangelical are examples.) However, for every post, be sure to link to the next post in the series. Failure to do this will frustrate your readers.

23. Keep a Blog Queue. 

I have to do this myself or else I’ll forget the influx of ideas that come to me for new posts. Inspiration can hit you at any moment, so keep a pad and pen handy at all times. (I use a Day-Timer compact wallet that contains pen and pad; so I’m always armed to jot my thoughts down.) Convert your written thoughts into a blog queue. This has been an enormous help to me in my blogging journey.

24. Mix It Up. 

Change the pace of your posts using audio, video, interviews, reviews, stories, essays, numbered lists, surveys, etc. Try to build variety into your posting routine so that you don’t bore your readers. On this point, many blog “experts” advise you to always use an image for your posts. Speaking as a “non-expert,” if you have the time, use images. But if you don’t, no worries. My custom is not to use images because it takes too much time to find the right photo, resize it, upload it, etc. I only use images on some of my posts. Your mileage may vary.

25. Resist Discouragement. 

The blogger’s chief enemy is discouragement. The harassing questions that race through a blogger’s mind are all the same: “Who is reading my posts?” “Am I making a difference?” “Does anyone care?” “Is blogging worth my time and energy?” “I could be watching reruns of 24 right now instead of editing this post!”

I’ve watched a few bloggers crash and burn because they didn’t have a clear vision or commitment when they first set out to begin blogging. So before you put your hand to the plow, count the cost. Blogging successfully will take a lot of hard work. Readers (and subscribers) don’t appear overnight. Blogging requires time, energy, and a devotion to write consistently.

Some people say that everyone should blog. Who says? Why would every human being on the planet be obligated (or “called”) to blog? You may disagree, but I personally think it’s unhealthy for a person to feel pressured to begin a blog if it’s not in their heart to do so.

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