How do these things happen? I was looking for a course on Prehistory and ended up on a blogging course…and now look what’s happened. My blog hasn’t focused on my Achilles tendon recovery for some time…but it’s pretty much always been about trying to find and savour the good stuff in every day life…..
The Oxford University continuing education course (https://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/courses/improving-your-blog) said –
- What’s your blog’s goal? [recording every day good stuff and increasing readership]
- Who is your audience? [people who want to feel good/be uplifted/occasionally amused]
- What do they want to read/what are their interests? [their interests are that they want to feel good/inspired/uplifted; find the good in all situations/see what everyday life is like in London/have a chuckle maybe]
- Start off with a sentence that’s a summary of what the blog post is about. [Where’s the fun in that? I never do that. Oh… I just did.]
- Make your post around 1000 words long – it shows you know what you’re talking about. [Hmmm…nope….I never do that. Short has always been my motto. I somehow used to get away with writing poems at school instead of essays]
I concluded that my blog wasn’t focused enough….too vague/wishy-washy. Oh well. There were lovely fellow attendees writing about cooking, gardening, yoga, adventure cycling, travel, motorbikes, tech reviews, teaching and campaigning against litter. Pretty focused, I would say. But all I want to do is spot the good stuff and tell someone about it. Maybe counter-balance the yukky stuff that pervades the media precisely because it’s unusual…. you know, not normal; rare even. SO….I’m just gonna tell you, if that’s OK. I don’t mind that it’s just the two of us. It’s a little intimate I guess…but I know you’re here because hearing about every day good stuff is probably your thing. Actually it’s my thing….OMG. I’m writing for ME! So….
- readership doesn’t matter.
- my audience is me!
- I want to read stuff that makes me feel good and adds to the world’s vast but (largely) unnoticed collection of generally good everyday stuff.
So. ‘scuse me while I nip off and…read that kind of stuff. I may be some time.
jx
Ain't we got it made? 