I am a writer. I am a fiction writer. And the vast majority of blogs I follow are those by and for writers. But, strangely enough, my two favorite blogs of all time have very little to do with writing fiction.
Image by Jalyn Ely
I discovered Michael Hyatt first, back in the days when I was first trying to understand what I had to do to get published. A Google search years ago that brought me to his post Literary Agents Who Represent Christian Authors. I stuck a link to that post in my favorites, then forgot all about it until I got a new computer and had to clean stuff out…oh, about a year ago. I’ve been following his blog ever since, and even burn his podcasts to CD so I can listen to them in my room.
I don’t even remember where I found Jeff Goins’ blog Goins, Writer, but I’ve been following it for about six months now. I love every single post he’s written, even the ones that have nothing to do with writing.
Why do I Love These Blogs?
One author blog I follow is pretty good, but I can tell the blogger’s…well, an amateur. She has no schedule, and no central theme. Sometimes she posts about the writing process, sometimes she interviews her characters, sometimes she does public service announcements (like the dangers of marijuana). That’s not to say her posts aren’t interesting, but they aren’t necessarily very helpful, either.
Then, on the other hand, there’s Michael Hyatt and Jeff Goins. When I finish reading one of their posts, I might feel inspired, like I want to jump out of my computer chair and do something great. Or I might feel uplifted by an encouraging message. Or I might find a solution to a problem. Or I might find helpful tips on using something, or a recommendation for something to use. The point is, I always come away with something.
That’s What Makes Blogs Great
You have to give your readers something. Inspire them. Encourage them. Help them. Inform then. Give them tips. Recommend things to them.
That’s the key, the thing that separates a good blog from a great one. You have to give to your readers – give, give, and keep on giving.
It doesn’t have to be something tangible. Give them a feeling, like encouragement or inspiration. Make them want to go out and do something. Make them want to jump on board with something you’re doing.
That’s the secret of great blogs. Give, give, give to your readers, and they’ll keep coming back for more.
Over to you: Is this your experience with blogs you love? What kinds of things do you give to your readers?
