Things To Think About re: Blogging

Okay, lean in a little closer. Closer... closer... Okay, that's a little too close. *grins* (And I should send you like, a dollar if you know that movie.)

More secrets today. Are you ready? Some of these are not really secrets. Maybe just things to think about. Things that might make your blog easier, faster and more entertaining to read.

Let's start with the basics.

1. Your blog layout.

• Dude, consider carefully before you use a black background. I used to have a dark bluish one, and I loved it. But I realize it's hard on the eyes, and I like light backgrounds much better.
• Absolutely no neon type, please. I'm begging.
• How big is your font? Too small, and I'm skimming from second one. I won't squint to read your blog.
• Look at your white space. Consider the principles of design found here. (Yeah, I teach these in the computer lab. So sue me.)
• Look at the length of your paragraphs. Huge blocks of text intimidate me. They make me think I'll be stuck on your blog reading and re-reading that monster graf for the rest of my natural life. And that's never good.

2. Your blog content.

• We've discussed having and sticking to a schedule.
• We've talked about posting meaningful content for your target audience.
• Lastly, consider the length of your post. I try really hard to stay under 300 words. I'll freely admit I skim uber-long posts. Susan R. Mills, Shannon O'Donnell, Jessica Nelson and T. Anne Adams have fabulous blogs with short posts. Check them out if you're not already following. They say a lot in a little.

3. Your blog audience.

• Be yourself. Share a bit of personal stuff without going overboard on the big 3: Religion, politics or sex. Right? Right. Remember your blog audience. 
• Rants should be saved for private Skypes, chats or emails. Remember your blog audience.
• Share about your book, successes and whatnot without shoving it down our throats. We all want to celebrate, but we don't want every giveaway to be your book. We don't want every post to be your book signing schedule, etc. Remember your blog audience.
• Give your blog audience what they want. Don't know what they want? Figure it out. Then deliver. For this, I leave you with one of my favorite quotes of all time. You can insert anything you want for "street sweeper." Writer. Blogger. Whatev.

“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.”

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Tell me what you like about blogs. What do you think of mine? How are you doing on your blog layout, your blog content and your blog audience? Do you consider all three of these things? If not, dude, maybe you should...

I'm going to address something entirely different next week (or whenever I feel like it): "But my blog is for me. I started it for me."

So feel free to leave me your OP on that too. You know I won't hold back!