Oh, the horror of it all! Do you write for your blog readers or search engines?
Check this out.
According to R.L. Stine, author of the popular Goosebumps series, the worst writing advice given to writers is as follows <Tweet This>:
- Write from your heart.
- Write what you know.
When I read Zachary Petit’s interview with R.L. Stine in the November/December 2011 issue of Writer’s Digest, I was taken aback that Mr. Stine would say writing from your heart and writing what you know is the worst advice given to writers.
Mr. Stine said, “Well, I hate it when authors come into a school and they say to kids, “Write from your heart, write from your heart, only write what you know, and write from your heart. I hate it because it’s useless.” Ouch!
R.L. makes a good point by saying, “I’ve written over 300 books — not one was written from my heart. Not one. They were all written for an audience, they were all written to entertain a certain audience.”
Even though R.L. Stine writes books for kids, his advice can help you with your blog content writing.
Why?
Because you need to write for your audience. You need to give them what they want and need.
R.L. Stine pointed out that if authors only write from their heart or write what they know, they become blocked. This is true. Your imagination can fly out the window.
Don’t let this happen to you. Below are tips on how you can give your readers Goosebumps when they read your posts. Do this and your readers will share your content, comment on it and like it.
How to Give Your Blog Readers Goosebumps like R.L. Stine
Tell a great story
What’s the story behind your small business? For example, if you own a pet sitting business, why did you start it? Maybe while you were on vacation a friend or relative volunteered to watch your adorable dog or cat. But they didn’t do a great job. Perhaps when you came home, your neighbor told you how your dog or cat got out on rainy day and your friend or relative asked them to help find him/her. Maybe when you walked in the door you noticed that you furry friend didn’t have any water or food in their bowls. This could have motivated you to start a pet sitting business. One that is caring and reliable. Sell your service by telling a heartfelt story.
Feel readers’ pain
Your readers turn to you for solutions to their problems, but you must feel their pain. For example, if you own a health and wellness center, be honest about why you started the business. Perhaps you or someone close to you suffered from depression and got better with coaching, therapy and exercise. Connect with the pain of your readers and they’ll connect with you.
Be authentic
Readers can tell if you’re sincere, or not. When you start a business for the sake of earning money, it sends out an icky vibration that most people can feel. Start a business because you want to offer a product or service that will solve a specific problem. You should jump for joy that you can offer millions of people hope and help. This type of positive energy spreads like wildfire, online and offline.
Sell the fear factor
This one may not be in alignment with your beliefs, but fear sells. You see it every day in commercials and magazine and newspaper headlines that scare the heck out you. Even health and wellness practitioners dabble in fear. For example, if you’re a doctor, you could write a blog post about the flu epidemic and provide staggering statistics on death rates, both current and past. You can make a strong case for getting a flu shot. You could take a gentler approach to fear. For example, if you’re a massage therapist, you could write a blog post on the benefits of getting a massage once a month and if you don’t, the aches and pains you feel will intensify with time. See. It’s a gentler approach to fear.
Write Blog Posts for Readers
Remember that your blog is for your readers not for you and your small business. Provide information that is helpful NOW! <Tweet This>
Should you struggle with writing content, ask readers for feedback and read their comments. This is good way to develop blog topic ideas.
Pay attention to the headlines from around the world and news in your backyard. Set up Google Alerts and read through Twitter feeds. Content is all around you. All you have to do is stop, relax and pay attention, and then write posts that give your readers’ Goosebumps all over their body. They’ll come back for more.
Over to you. What tips can you add to give blog readers Goosebumps? Let me know in the comments?
If you liked this post, click here for free email updates!