Postcards from the Funny Farm

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Yesterday I wrote about how Google PR and other ranking systems for blogs fall short of really selecting value. Let’s face the fact at the start though not everyone agrees on what is valuable in blogs. It is often the same sort of preference as between clip on earrings and studded. There are some things that are universal though. I wrote about an acronym v.a.l.u.e. and specifically the “V” in value for a blog. I chose the word “visceral” and targeted to a nice short 200 words because so many blogs are not.

While that was a very large point that needed over 400 words ;) the aspect today is not so needy of length: “aphoristic” for example, with a catchy title. An aphorism is a short quote or phrase.

Writing a blog is unlike writing a book. Readers rarely will “curl up with a good blog.” On the other hand, when they read a book they are more patient and allow more time for ideas to develop. SO, be careful to not fall into the trap of thinking you are a JK Rowling or Eckhart Tolle online. Even if you write that well, you have a different sort of audience that doesn’t want to hang out long.

Here are three tips on how to add value to your blog by being aphoristic:

1. Wait to create your title until you have written your 200 or so words in your post. 9 times out of 10 you will have a better title after you have the post.
2. As you write thing more in sound-bytes, or lines people could quote. I did that when I wrote: “Readers rarely will “curl up with a good blog.” On the other hand, when they read a book they are more patient and allow more time for ideas to develop.”
3. Use the blockquote function as much as possible without being over-the-top.

So now we’ve covered 2 aspects of a valuable blog: 1) visceral, and 2) aphorostic. Tomorrow I will talk about “L.” If the suspense is too much, again, I will tell you in an email for 25 bucks and I hope you appreciate sarcasm. Have a great Sunday out there making blogs of value.

Do you keep a calendar on your fridge? If you’re like us in our house, that’s the place we compare our lives with one another. If Sarah has a doctor’s appointment or the girls have birthdays to go to, we find it all there. That’s where we check ourselves. If a stressful event is coming up, such as moving, which we are scheduled to do May 14th, we all count the days and wonder ethereally what life will be like on the other side. Now if you are a self-improvement junkie like I am, you have probably read a dozen or more books on the aphorism: “Life’s a journey, not a destination,” but it really is true and yet even we can lose sight of it. I am not that old, but I’m old enough to know that the baby clothes that fit today will be in a bag out for Goodwill before you know it.

I ran across this video at Grow Thyself and it really made my evening, reminding me of that little aphorism we say so much as self-improvement junkies. Enjoy!

Is there a destination you “can’t wait” to arrive at? How does this video affect you?

Have a great day, and remember: It’s a journey thing.