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Blog Basics: 5Ws and an H

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Blogger: Michelle Ule

Filling in for Rachel who is caught up in technology issues today.

How about a review of blog writing basics?

I’ve been writing for Books & Such’s blog since we began in 2009. I’ve written twice a week for my own blog since early 2011.

I’ve thought a lot about blogging.

Every couple of days, as a matter of fact, for more than four years!

At this point, I’ve written more than 500 blog posts.

It may be easier for me to write blog posts because I trained as a newspaper reporter back in the dark ages, and so I’ve always been sensitive to potential story ideas.

But many of these ideas would work for anyone who likes to write and share ideas.

We’ll use the five Ws to explore HOW to write them.

Okay, that’s a reporter concept, but it’s got a straight-forward meaning: “who, what, when, where, why and how.”

Who?

Who are you?

For whom are you writing the blog?

Who is your ideal reader?

By answering those questions, you can figure out how to slant both your writing and your choices of blog subjects.

Make sure you have a good biography on your website so readers can figure out if you’re someone they can trust.

What?

What are you writing about? What is your purpose in writing a blog post? What do you hope to achieve by writing a blog?

Is your subject matter broad enough to encompass a lengthy series of posts, or will you run out of things to say in a relatively short period of time (say, two weeks)?

A personal question to ask yourself: what is my voice?

Am I an explorer with my readers? Am I describing things I’ve done? Am I humorous, serious, authoritative?

Does it matter?blog

Depends on the topic of your post.

When?

How often do you plan to post?

This is one of the most important questions. It doesn’t matter how often you post as long as you are consistent.

Consistent.

Spell that word aloud and listen to yourself.

If you’re looking for an agent or a publisher and you have a blog, visiting it is one of the first things they’ll do after reading your query or proposal. Make sure your posts are up-to-date.

Or take down the blog.

I was interested in garnering attention to my fledgling writing career when I started blogging and so I decided to post twice a week. That’s worked well for me.

When I post, time-wise, has fluctuated  but because I know where most of my readers find my blog, I can adjust the time  to appear on their social media forums when they’re most likely to be there.

(How to figure out these times is too advanced for this particular post. See what your host suggests.)

Where?

I use WordPress because that’s what Books & Such uses, and by the time I launched my own blog, I was used to the WordPress interface. I knew how to do things here, and so it was most comfortable for me.

WordPress also was very helpful when I set up my blog–they took me through about half an hour’s worth of questions to helped me to narrow down a lot of the concerns addressed in What?

The other component of where, is where do you share your blog? I share mine on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, GoodReads and in a network blog group, not to mention through email to people who sign up to receive it regularly.

Does it make any sense to spend the time writing if no one can find you?

Why?

Why do I write my blog? The main reason is I like writing it! I’d always longed to be a newspaper columnist, and writing a blog gives me complete freedom and control to write those types of stories.

It’s drawn readers to my subjects of interest.

It’s a place I own to talk about my writing and the projects I’m involved with.

It allows me to share what I think is important for people to know.

It provides a published forum for me–my writing can be read.

I love to write it.

How?

How long does it take to write a blog post?

When the muse is egging me on, I can write in twenty minutes, including the photos and the tweets.

When it’s not . . . a little longer.

When it’s detailed, important, or is about someone else, it can take hours or even days.

Sometimes I start with a prompt.

Sometimes I write a series.

I interview people, share writing tips, success stories and spiritual lessons I’ve learned.

I did an eight-part series on Advent last December, based on Bible studies I taught at church.

I’ve written about Oswald Chambers for the last two years.

I’ve got lots of stories about World War I and the research serendipity I’ve encountered as I’ve written my books.

How do they tie together?

History, research, spiritual issues and truth.

Not to mention hope.

Can you answer these six questions about your blog?

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  1. Andrew Budek-Schmeisser

    Great post, Michelle.
    * My blog has changed over the years, from Christian apologetics to Christian marriage…and now, driven by circumstance, to trying to help the caregiving spouse of a terminally ill husband or wife in understanding what’s happening; how life and personality and even faith can change. Sometimes for the better, and sometimes not.
    * It’s not easy, because to be authentic I have to face – and write about – things I would rather not have to face. But the elephant is truly in the room, and ignoring him is not going to make him leave.
    * The best way I found to increase the reach of my writing is to participate here, in the Books and Such community, and in linkups, notably Five Minute Friday, curated by Kate Motaung (www.katemotaung.com). Participating has given my voice some degree of resonance in the online community.
    * And it’s been vital for me. The support I have gotten there, and from the Books and Such community, has given me both hope and a sense of purpose. I have been tempted to back away from this witness. It hurts, on occasion, more than I can say, having to look unflinchingly atthat road which is before me. But I won’t, because the love that carries me along, and upholds me, carries with it a responsibility that is both fell and glorious.

    Reply

    • Michelle Ule

      An excellent example, Andrew, of how a blog can morph into something you don’t expect–and in your case can provide and reap valuable resources and information for others.

      Best wishes, as always.

      Reply

  2. Norma Brumbaugh

    Michelle, thank you for the practical and useful guide for chronicling and detailing the blog journey. I have found it to be an interesting one as well. My blog has never come to life as of yet, as far as followers finding it and my being able to create something of value that sings and meets a need. I know I must provide something of value with the added need for consistency. That day will come. It is my second blog. My first blog was more rambling and an eclectic mix of thoughtful contemplations. A few months after my book was published, I realized it was inadequate for my author platform because it lacked appropriate focus. Hence the second blog. The why is huge, and sometimes elusive. As you state, it matters a great deal. Why we write is our compelling. One of my struggles in blog writing is my fear of being misunderstood by the people I want to reach the very most. I’ve not yet learned how to dismantle the beast. It keeps me silent in areas where I should speak out. Maybe 2016 is a good year to become more self- actualized. Hah! Thanks for the blog. It will be saved as a resource. Bless you.

    Reply

  3. Karen Sargent

    Thank you so much, Michelle for this information. I am “this close” to starting a blog. It was very helpful for me to read through and answer your questions in regard to the blog I am thinking about…enlightening and encouraging. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Michelle Ule

      Glad to help, Karen. The questions should at least get you going in the right direction, but you have to be a brave individual to put your thoughts and ideas out there. Good luck!

      Reply

      • Karen Sargent

        That “brave” thing you mentioned…that’s exactly what’s holding me back! Yikes! But I know my purpose and my audience, and I’m writing in my head all the time. I just need to jump in. Thanks again!

    • Michelle Ule

      You ask an excellent question, Tessa, and it’s one I’ve struggled with myself. Coming from a reporter background, I like to think it’s everyone, but of course that is not true.

      I looked at your website and while I clicked on”blog” it was hard for me to instantly figure out what I was supposed to be reading to find your blog. I clicked on the top left and I was taken to a short piece about the new year.

      Good, but where should I have gone from there?

      It appeared to me your website was about buying your book–which of course is fine–but if I wanted to follow up with something else, I wasn’t sure where I should go.

      Hope this helps; you’ve got a colorful and great site otherwise.

      Reply

  5. Janet Ann Collins

    I’ve blogged twice a week since the Spring of 2009 about words (language,) books, and kids. (I write books for kids.) A lot of my posts are book reviews. Most of the comments I get are on Facebook where I now have to copy and paste the posts since the automatic system I had no longer works. My posts don’t show up on my website, though a link is there, and people keep telling me I should switch to WordPress, but I love my template and don’t want to change it.

    Reply