How to write a blog post from scratch — For New Bloggers
Write your first blog post with this checklist — Show your Work Series #2
You surfed the net skimmed through some blogs, binged some YouTube videos, and decided to start a blog — Congratulations.
In case this is your first rodeo as a blog writer, you found the right spot. In this article, we’ll be discussing the must-have things for a blog post.
Let’s (Sc)roll.
Pitch Ideas
Pitch ideas can hit you out of the blue. Collect them all like infinity stones.
I don’t need to write down, I’ll remember it anyway; is a dangerous game to play
The pitch for my first medium post was conceived one midnight during a half-conscious slumber after reading way too much 19th-century fanfiction.
I got up, jotted it down on a sticky note, and returned to sleep. The next morning I built the entire post from my sleep-deprived scribblings.
Hence always keep a notebook with you to scribble down your thoughts or Use any note-taking app. It will come in handy while you draft.
Frame Work
A framework is like a skeleton to your post.
Before starting to write a draft let it be for my blog or a Medium post I always dissect the content into sections I can remember.
I roughly jot down the points I want to address. Then I’ll highlight the quotes, songs, and catchphrases I want to mention.
It doesn't have to be neat, it can be messy like every other work in progress. However, it just needs to be understandable.
If you split your content like this, you get to construct the draft piece by piece. An added perk is you’ll feel content as you finish working on each part.
Two birds with one stone. Now let's get down to drafting.
Headlines and Subheadings
Build your headlines SEO-friendly and clickbait-free. A catchy one that is.
Take this article for an example. If you are searching the internet to find out about the basic structures of a blog, what would you browse? Name your post with that.
Subheadings are pointers. They define what exactly a passage contains helping your reader easily navigate through the post.
Write your subheadings in big bold letters (bigger than your usual text) or color them so they can be distinguished.
Thus providing subheadings will make your reader’s life easy and increase the readability.
Images
The human eye is drawn to colorful images, Not an unknown truth.
Be generous about adding pictures, graphs, and statistics to your posts. Especially with the featuring image of the post. Let it be an eye candy yet relatable to your topic.
For Copyright-free images, you can use sites such as :
- Pexeby, Pixels, Unsplash.
Mentioning the original creators and giving attribution to them is always welcomed.
I take help from Giphy in case of any fandom-related gifs and images. Perhaps you are feeling artistic. Then you can use apps such as Canva to churn up your own illustration.
Also, encourage you to dust off that photographer in ya. After all, most of us walk around carrying a photo studio in our pockets called smartphones.
Intro
What is the purpose of your post? Why should one read it? What can your reader get out of it? What is the end result of this content? and what is your experience to support that?
Brief the answer to these questions at the beginning of your post. Explain to your readers what they can expect from your post and then write a transition (like scroll on, let’s dig in ) and subtly shift to the main content.
Main Content
This territory should cover what you mentioned in your title and the intro you’d address in this post.
Write killer content.
Not one that will kill your reader’s interest but one that will quench their thirst and kindle the fire in them.
Write what disturbs you. Sprinkle a pinch of yourself into your words. Always. That’ll be your signature.
Use white spaces (give space between your paragraphs) and keep your paragraphs within 2–3 lines. Because most people read the articles on their mobile phones. When that is the case, long passages can dull their attention.
Tangle links from your previous posts in the current one. Use bullet points, and add quotes here and there. Don’t let it be one long scroll. Period.
End Summary
Use magic words such as Finally, In the end, Summing it up, to group up the points you were trying to tell your reader. Summarize your topic in a few words at the end of every post.
This is the right place for any credits you want to give and most importantly include a call to action (CTA).
CTA is the place to convert your reader into your follower. Add a link to subscribe to your email list or newsletter. Encourage them to follow your publication. Suggest them to check out that page you want them to.
Bid Adieu with a salutaion.
*
*
*
That’s it, You made it to the end, Good for you.
If you strip naked a blog post the above checkpoints are the significant parts holding it together. Use them precisely and wisely to decorate your words.
Writing Blogs is the best way to put your thoughts out on the internet and start your writing career.
Slowly but gradually you’ll attract a fanbase for your work. The key is consistency (easier said than done, I know). But just keep swimming, the people with the same interest as you will find your work.
Guess what? I’ll let you in on any secrets and hacks I come across in the upcoming days. Follow me for more
Show your Work Series #2
Join me on my journey on Writer’s Diary, as I wander through the world of words. My Publication, especially for writers where I’ll be publishing tips and tricks about writing online.
Till Next time, CIAO!
