A good question surfaced at the summit: can good blog writing be learned? Halley says yes, to an extent. If we want to learn how to paint, we study the masters. And then we start painting. A lot. At first it might not be great, but as we continue to paint, we get better. Same with blogging. The key is to read good blogs and see what they're doing. And then we blog. A lot.
Also, don't assume that classic "writers" within a corporation (ie corporate communication folks) are good candidates for writing the company blog. Better to find someone in the company who is passionate. Passion always gets people engaged, and they can learn the writing style.
Stowe Boyd, President of Corante, is talking about establishing your "true voice"... the most critical thing that someone must do to be a successful blog writer. You must have a strong emotional commitment to the stance you've taken. Have a strong character.
A few more points from Stowe:
It's important to nurture your circle of connections, your "inner circle." Blog writing is not just your writing, it also includes the complementary writing from your network (comments, posts, etc.) that stimulate your thinking. Your blog is your network. Don't "write articles in blog clothing."
"Draw a line." Whatever that line might be on a subject, choose a side and howl at the moon when someone disagrees with you. Have an argument, get into a public debate, rant, draw out all sides of an issue. Be passionate. It's rewarding when you feel like you're fighting a battle for a cause.
Comments