Tips and tricks from around the web

[Rew Julie]

Hi, I'm Julie and I'm one of REW's writers. I'm starting this thread because of the URL below, but thought it would be better if it was open to everybody's contributions of great writing advice from around the web.

Today's installment will be a link from BloodhoundBlog.com:

How we say_What we say_Is Important

At first glance this may seem kinda "woo-woo" to some, but I think it says a lot about the importance of passion in your writing. People recognize passion and interest and feeling in someone's literature even if it doesn't have the greatest spelling and grammar in the world. You can always clean up your spelling and grammar; you cannot clean up your work to reflect an interest you don't feel.

This isn't to say that you CAN'T write about something that bores you to tears and do well at it. You're not going to write the Great [insert country here] Article every single time you set out and not everyone is looking to read such. It definitely helps, though, if you can find an angle that sparks a bit of interest and creativity.

Write the way you speak. Not only is it going to be easier to express yourself, it will be easier to create articles that people will want to read. Run the spell check later; now is the time to find out what really interests you that you can write about to gain not only Google's attention, but the attention of people looking for someone they can place their trust in when it comes to properties they hope to buy or sell.

[stevetrang]

I wish I was a writer! I'm all about good spelling and grammar, but I can stare at a screen forever! Any suggestions on writer's block? Maybe a bottle of wine before I start?

[bogart]

What works for me in to expand the topic into an article pack.

I wish I was a writer! I'm all about good spelling and grammar, but I can stare at a screen forever! Any suggestions on writer's block? Maybe a bottle of wine before I start?

The bottle of wine won't help.

What you write won't look as good the next day.

[Larry Hann]

For me writing is the toughest work of all. But there's no getting away from it so I do the best I can. I can write the facts in short, deliberate sentences, but rarely are they creative, fun, philosophical or literary.

There's a lot of great real estate bloggers out there. I write in spite of the fact that I can't come anywhere close to the quality of their work. But I figure if my blog helps people find my web site, and it has information that shows I have expertise in the market then that has to be enough. If I aim higher I get very stuck.

I agree with REW Julie, write the way you speak, although it's not nearly as easy as it sounds.

I think blogging is definitely a case of Just Do It as best you can.

[Larry Hann]

thought it would be better if it was open to everybody's contributions of great writing advice from around the web.

I went back and reread REW Julie's post. This is not great writing advice but it sounds like a good way to build blog content.

“ Memes increase your audience. The weekly memes such as Wordless Wednesday, Thursday Thirteen and Manic Monday can be consciously utilized for your own niche and bring a wider range of readers to your blog. I have gained a fair amount of ‘regular’ readers through utilizing memes.”

I'm going to try and work this into my blogs.

[Rew Julie]

Write a 500 word article in 20 minutes

Yes, it's too good to be true in some ways, but if you're committed to keeping your blog up with articles on various aspects of real estate, it has some good tips. Also, Copyblogger in general is a great blog to follow to get ideas for marketing via blogging.

[Larry Hann]

The Hubspot blog just published a post entitled the Seven Deadly Sins of Inbound Marketing. I thought Sin #7 would work in this thread.

Sin 7: Pride – Don't be too proud to put yourself out there. Take a risk! Blogging and social media are not about works of art. They are about sharing raw information, videos and opening ourselves up. Sometimes we are too proud to put ourselves out there or linger too long trying to perfect our creative.

Here's a link to the entire post if anyone is interested The Seven Deadly Sins of In Bound Marketing

[Margo_U]

“ Memes increase your audience. The weekly memes such as Wordless Wednesday, Thursday Thirteen and Manic Monday can be consciously utilized for your own niche and bring a wider range of readers to your blog. I have gained a fair amount of ‘regular’ readers through utilizing memes.”

I'm going to try and work this into my blogs.

Not only can this help with building content, but it can also help you connect to your readers. Unless someone is currently looking to buy or sell a home, chances are they aren't reading a real estate blog. But if you can contribute to memes, in a way that still interests readers, you're golden. And when those people (if they are local) are looking to find a real estate agent down the road, you're the one they're going to remember, and you stand a much better chance of them coming to you.

And it's not hard to fit memes into a real estate-themed blog. Wordless Wednesday posts could be a picture of the coolest (or most ridiculous) home you've ever seen. Or a picture of something quirky you have in your office. It just takes a little imagination.

[Susan Zanzonico]

Julie, I think Don is a relatively new writer on BB and I had read that article a while ago and thought it was quite good.

I think its important to put as much of yourself into your writing as possible to let your personality come thru. I think you can take a relatively boring topic and make it interesting if you put imagination to work and find the right words to go with your thoughts. I like to write, its finding the time that gets challenging.

[webmaster]

You know what's ironic Larry? You have found your voice (and a very attractive style) right here at the REW forums. If you wrote your content the same way you wrote the response below "I" would read it. It has honesty but more than that, it's insightful and on a topic of shared interest (between you and I) - just like the subject of your local real estate market will be of common interest (but from different perspectives) between you and your website visitor.

I am not sure if lack of confidence is a sin or not, but hopefully most post instills some in you Larry - I for one think you are an excellent communicator - you can do it!

For me writing is the toughest work of all. But there's no getting away from it so I do the best I can. I can write the facts in short, deliberate sentences, but rarely are they creative, fun, philosophical or literary.

There's a lot of great real estate bloggers out there. I write in spite of the fact that I can't come anywhere close to the quality of their work. But I figure if my blog helps people find my web site, and it has information that shows I have expertise in the market then that has to be enough. If I aim higher I get very stuck.

I agree with REW Julie, write the way you speak, although it's not nearly as easy as it sounds.

I think blogging is definitely a case of Just Do It as best you can.