Comments on: Don’t Let Emotion Be MIA In Your Content

By: Alex Strandberg

Alex Strandberg — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:24:01 +0000

Great post. It reminds me that I need to be clearer when I write a post. Not in a sense of writing in a more basic way but creating a clearer picture. I think using analogies to help explain complex topics works well.

By: Vidyut Kale

Vidyut Kale — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 10:12:23 +0000

This is the post where I begin my list of helpful articles with this one.

By: Vidyut Kale

Vidyut Kale — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 10:05:30 +0000

Hi Darren,

I love this blog and have linked to it from my blog. Many of your posts help ME become a better blogger, and this one is an example.

I took up your idea, and really shared a bit of what happened to me in the day, and the result is there – comments! Not just comments, but the second comment responded to the first and mine responding to it!!!!! This is my first “community feeling” and the credit directly goes to this post of yours. I would like to share this post with you. I know a post with 4 comments, 2 of which are from me wouldn’t even make you look again, but what I AM sharing here is the impact your blog has had on me.
http://www.wide-aware.com/blog/2008/06/21/all-this-rage/

Thank you and keep up the good work!!! I have linked to you from my personal blog, and am making a post about posts that specially helped me (writing it right now). This post inspired me again.

Vidyut

By: Rajaie AlKorani

Rajaie AlKorani — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 09:21:19 +0000

That exercise above is very similar to one in the book “Made to Stick”, I highly recommend to everyone.

By: Todd Andrews

Todd Andrews — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 21:50:16 +0000

Reminds me of the studies showing that you don’t need letters in the correct order for people to be able to comprehend the text.

By: Dave Hughes

Dave Hughes — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 16:53:56 +0000

Thanks for the comments, everyone (and thanks for letting me guest-post, Darren!).

For the record, I never said it was easy. :) I struggle with it every day, but one type really stood out for me in the above list; summed up, it says “It’s hard to do this unless you’re passionate about the subject of your blog.”

That’s a very good point, and one of the reasons why one of the most-given pieces of advice to beginning bloggers is “Write about a topic you’re passionate about.” If you do that, then putting emotion into your posts will be mostly automatic.

Later, you’ll learn to find passion in whatever topic you write about. I always know when I’ve failed to do that, because I can re-read what I’ve written and my only comment is “Boy, that stinks.”

I’m reminded of a quote originally attributed to French novelist Jean Giraudoux…”The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that you’ve got it made.” (It became more well-known after George Burns altered it slightly to refer to success as an actor.)

By: Stefan

Stefan — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:55:55 +0000

Who is MIA?

By: guardian angel

guardian angel — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:02:46 +0000

Great guest post. I definitely agree with the emotional connection. We must remember that we are not being seen by our readers and they depend only on what they read.

It’s funny that I just made a post I think is similar to this one. It is entitled How to convince your Visitors to read your Blog Posts. And here is the summary.

1.0 Inspire them
2.0 Guide them
3.0 Sell your posts, not yourself
4.0 Be simple as possible

Thanks.

By: Christian

Christian — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:57:16 +0000

Every post coming from Problogger always seems to impress me. This article was excellent, and a great reminder that emotion plays a critical part in any blog. What great information. Your articles have led me to be persuaded to purchase your Problogger book – as I’m always interested in the knowledge I gain from your writings!

By: Nimic

Nimic — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 06:07:23 +0000

Great article. I’ve been way too clinical in my article writing (mainly due to my daytime profession) and this is a good step in the direction of stopping. I’d be the guy describing Nicholas Cage as balding normally, the Indy meets Davinci sounded too hyperbolic to me.

The more I read Problogger, the more natural I’m finding myself getting. Maybe some day!

By: Zac Martin

Zac Martin — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 05:47:16 +0000

I seem to remember that game in Made to Stick. :P

By: aizal

aizal — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 02:53:26 +0000

Writing creativity is needed to make readers read and effecting to their emotion, in which I have to learn more.

Standing out writing might be interesting but to keep it memorable needs something extra – PASSION.

Good point. And it keep me away from writing bloggerie reflecting on my personal views.

By: Jessica Bond

Jessica Bond — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 02:37:11 +0000

Memories are connected to emotions. Your blog makes a powerful point to keep in mind when writing – and how you would like your blogs to be remembered and what type of emotions that will be connected to your blog.

Cheers,
Jessica Bond
Medical Careerist

By: Bamboo Forest

Bamboo Forest — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 01:16:08 +0000

A very excellent article! I only have one complaint: you forgot to mention P.I.B. – perhaps the most important acronym of all. It stand for:

P.I. Blog

By: MyForum

MyForum — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:55:39 +0000

Good point….content must have feelings //emotions

By: Kirk Warren

Kirk Warren — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:41:57 +0000

You had me until you implied National Treasure was great…

By: The Masked Millionaire

The Masked Millionaire — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:31:04 +0000

Being memorable is difficult.

Sticking out is a lot easier.

Remember the article on “The Class Clown?” He stuck out and was memorable becasue of that.

I find it difficult to write “GREAT” content every single day. Good content yes….great content…well not everyday.

The Masked Millionaire

By: Shanel Yang

Shanel Yang — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 23:00:13 +0000

This post is so timely for me. My articles have been getting more and more personal lately and I feared perhaps too much so. I suppose for some readers, they may be. But, I am pushing myself past my comfort zone anyway b/c I write to try to help those few who might benefit from it rather than those who might be offended by it. Thanks for the great post, Dave!

By: Brett Nolan

Brett Nolan — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 21:36:27 +0000

It’s definitely easier to apply this advice when you’re writing about something you care deeply about. For instance, in my blog about biking, a post about almost getting hit by a careless driver would probably be a lot more emotional than a review I could write about some gear.

BUT that doesn’t mean you can’t connect on a personal, memorable level if the topic is one you’re less passionate about. My tip would be to try and think back to why you started your blog in the first place. Remember the energy you had about answering questions or giving advice, and run with it.

You’d be surprised how a trip down memory-lane can revitalize your ability to put emotion into your posts.

By: Lipton

Lipton — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 21:34:03 +0000

I get the last part of this post, about the emotional connection. I wrote an article and got it dugg expecting only a few dozen diggs, but it was liked so much it got to the front page :)

http://starfeeder.gameriot.com/blogs/The-Starfeed/StarCraft-II-the-greatest-eSport-the-world-has-ever-seen

I’m not the greatest writer in the world, probably down there with some of the ‘no so good’ but that day I wanted to just write what I was thinking in my head. And got comments like “omg I feel like I wrote this article!”

That felt really good to read that :)

Great article again Darren!!