Classic blog entry formulas

Self-editing applies to the "assignment desk" as well. Where a pro has a boss – or even a handful of 'em – suggesting and vetting story ideas, bloggers are in DIY territory.

And that can be a cold, cold, lonely place some days...

Since regular posting is so important, following are some tried-and-test ways to jump start your blog's entries.

1. The anecdote – a curious thing happened on the way to the Forum...
2. The flashback – revisit scenes from earlier times, perhaps triggered by a current event or news story
3. The sound-off – commentary on news, issues or some rant-worthy incident
4. The rave – saluting others and their achievements
5. The meme – a set of questions passed around by bloggers. Answer, then "tag" others to do the same (see below).
6. The pundit – drawing together several news stories or events to make an observation about modern culture.
7. The curator – cataloguing elements of your life, from purse contents to old ticket stubs. Ideally some conclusion or insight arises from this.
8. The cliffhanger – a series of post, generally short, which knit into a larger narrative arc. A kind of essay-on-installment, this breaks off on a suspenseful moment each chapter to bring readers back to the same bat-time, same bat-place...
9. The review – try something, from an experience to a product, and report back.
10. The debate – comment on another blogger's post, expanding the issue.
11. Q&A – conduct a short e-interview with a relevant party.
12. The newsflash – reaction to a breaking story, including links.
13. The competition – conduct a contest among readers. Offer a small prize, virtual or otherwise.
14. The photo break – Post nothing but visuals, perhaps with explanatory captions.
15. The video dodge – Embed a YouTube video, if you're too rushed for original content.

What to avoid: blogging about not blogging enough or the stress of posting routinely. Who wants to hear you whine? Not even your parents...

And especially not my parents. Who call and critique my blog unbidden.

O joy!

Fighting writer's block: Blog jump starts

Many writing programs employ an in-class drill. The teacher delivers the beginning of a sentence, then the students press pencil to paper and write continuously, without erasing, for a fixed period of time (two minutes is typical). Designed to free up writer's block and the quiet critical "inner editor," this exercise can evoke some interesting material. Following are a few suggestions, if you want to try this at home (having a friend or family member write some on an accordion-folded sheet of paper will duplicate the surprise element).

1. I've always wanted to visit ...
2. My parents and friends would worry if I ...
3. Something I always wanted to try, but didn't, is...
4. I've long regretted ...
5. My most bittersweet moment was...
6. The one item I'd rescue from a housefire...
7. The childhood memory that makes me blush most is...
8. The last time I felt giddy with happiness was...
9. I wish I could buy the world a Coke and tell everyone...
10. A person I admire, but find frustrating, is ...

The end result of these scribblings won't always be a post, of course: that degree of navel-gazing may not suit your style. But return to your responses a few days later and scan for universal themes. What common emotions surfaced, elements your readers might connect with? How can you tap the power of those shared experiences via your blog?

Tapping pro-writer tools like media kits

A tub of hummous or a trip to the zoo can spark an entry – anything, really... But sometimes ideas don't spin effortlessly out of the ether and bloggers need to go digging. Look to full-time journalists for cues on how to handle this. After all, most face down writer's block daily to earn their bread...

Companies and groups, like charities and tourism boards, often offer media or press kits. These might contain publicity material, recent articles, leaflets, fact sheets and sometimes royalty-free digital images. Many organizations happily provide information via email – or have extensive websites that include story ideas. Always identify yourself as blogger, then ask to receive updates. Citing your readership statistics will help, along with any other credentials.

Some press releases offer vital tips; others are just hyped-up junk mail. But these can be helpful, when casting a wide net for post ideas. Large companies keep lists of journalists and bloggers, who then receive press releases (and sometimes free samples, like herbal remedies for jet lag or moisturizer designed for convertible drivers). Many now host events for new-media authors from meet-and-greets to press trips (free or heavily subsidized junkets). For example, Bertolli Sauces flew our former student Mardi Michels to the Foodbuzz Blogger Festival 2009 in San Francisco, where she demonstrated her deconstructed-pesto pizza in the company's show-kitchen.

Getting onto press lists can be tedious and time-consuming. You need to track down the publicity office, then ring, write or email, supplying your contact information. Eventually experienced authors land on master lists sold or given to PRs, but the process can be slow at the start. Limit efforts to companies that especially intrigue you.

Harried bloggers and media staffers sometimes draft short items (“filler”) from press releases or media kits alone. That's dangerous, as only one side emerges: the shiny, happy face of officialdom. Louise Purwin Zobel, author of The Travel Writer's Handbook, advocates crossing out all the adjectives in brochure-like texts, then reading the last page for the facts . Don't let these superlatives infiltrate your text. Scan for generics like “beautiful” and “stunning”. Then explain why: stretch for more precise, evocative terminology. “Show, don't tell,” is the maxim to remember.

Apply the same skepticism to brochures, as well as information from company blogs, and in-flight and in-house hotel magazines. Glean the key information, then leave the jargon and hyperbole behind. And double-check all facts: a harried work-for-hire copywriter can easily make mistakes...

Strong reporters avoid unbalanced pieces that echo a corporate party line. At the very least, sleuth down comments (both pro and con, should the topic inspire any controversy). Wherever possible, seek concrete statistics or experts to verify claims of “increasing numbers” or “a hot new trend”. Search the Internet for more candid perspectives: reader-review sites and bulletin boards are especially helpful on this front. Even 15 minutes of research can save a post from becoming a slobbering, sell-out puff piece.