How I Write A Blog Post (If you’re curious and need a laugh)

After midnight – the magic begins (and the neighbor’s dog has finally stopped barking)

Don’t know why.  Gave up years ago trying to figure it out.  I don’t have a creative bone in my body until the clock strikes twelve!  Go figure.

(Right now it’s 1:57 AM)

Coffee is my friend.

Title first – always

It’s not like the blogging police are going to knock on my door if I write the post first and the title last!  Just can’t help it.

I refuse to write one word until I’m totally pleased with the title. (Being a recovering perfectionist, this could take hours)

I know.  They have support groups for this sort of thing.

Outline – never

Note what I mentioned above.  Perfectionists should never write outlines for blog posts – could take days to complete.

Yes, I wrote the required outlines for my college thesis and my term papers in high school.

It was painful.

Keywords – probably not

I don’t really pay much attention to keywords.  Surprised?  Did I just add some shock value to this post?!  I’m a writer – not a keyworder.   I much prefer to rely heavily on “latent semantic indexing”.

And anyway, it sounds fancier.

Has a nice ring to it, don’t ya think?

Content – whatever my readers want, need, enjoy, and find valuable

Let’s face it.  I’m a people pleaser.

Call to action – same one every time

I don’t formally include a call to action in my posts – I just pray for one.

Keeping my fingers crossed, I say a little prayer people will enjoy my posts and come back to read more. 🙂

  • Oh, Paul, maybe we were twins in a prior life. 🙂

    Graphics! I forgot to make mention of how finding those fit into my bag of late-night post-crafting tricks. Confession time — I probably spend just as much time looking for graphics as I do constructing a headline. It’s fun, for sure. But what a time-sucker!

    Getting people to think and implement what you have written is an admirable goal. 🙂

    Thanks for taking a stroll on over here today.

  • I can see that you have cameras watching me! I am pretty much on the same plan that you are following! The only difference is at the end of my writing I frantically go searching for some artwork to include!

    My call to action is generally to get people to think and possible implement what I have written.

    Thanks for sharing, Melanie!

    Be Well.
    Paul.
    http://AllAboutGratitude.com

  • James — thanks for swinging by!

    Yvonne — 🙂 Anytime I can make a great friend like you smile, my day is fulfilled!

  • Nice Blog…Good information.

  • Melanie, You had me smiling all the way through because this post is so YOU! Your methods work to give you great results as your readers keep coming back for more, and your posts are always informative and delightful to read.

    Cinderella lost her slipper at midnight and things went downhill; Melanie finds her voice through her pen at midnight 🙂 Love it!

  • Nicole, thank you so much for knocking on my door today. And I love your sense of humor. I’m with you. I’ll take some doggone inspiration wherever and whenever I can get it — even though it always seems to descend upon me in the wee hours. 🙂

  • Krishna — I love it! We must be kindred spirits. I have to wait for the ideas to “drop in”, too. 🙂

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  • Love this post! Coffee is a mutual friend. And I write most after midnight, too. Something about the calm quiet really helps. Of course, I’m learning to write then and edit later… Loved this glimpse into how you write.

    • LOL – You enjoy a cup of java, too, Michelle? 🙂 All the healthy living coaches out there would probably choke on their oatmeal if they knew I started every morning off with a huge mug of coffee — forget those little cups! They won’t do.

      I’m mostly a night owl when it comes to blogging and other online activities. But if the truth be told, I’m a morning gal, too, since I work outside the home. So let’s just say I fit on both ends of the spectrum – “early bird” and “night owl”. Glad you enjoyed this post.

  • Thank you for sharing this Melanie. I tend to be a title first person too. But sometimes I edit the title at the end of writing the blog, if I’ve gone off on a different tangent 😉

    • I hear ya, Fiona! I try to be my best neurotic self and get my titles finalized before I write my posts. But sometimes a little bird sits on my shoulders and makes me write the blinking title again! 🙂

      Thank you so much for swinging by – love to see you here!

  • LOLOL! And I thought I was the only one – want to carpool to that support group?

    Warmly,

    Cheryl

    • Sure, Cheryl — I’d love to carpool with you to the support group! LOL

      It’s really refreshing to meet birds of a feather. 🙂 Thank you for knocking on my door and I’m looking forward to crossing paths with you again and again during the Ultimate Blog Challenge.

      Write On!

  • I often get some of my best ideas in the wee hours of the morning. And it seems to happen on the nights I’m the most tired.

    Oh well, I take inspiration when I can get it.

  • This sounds vaguely familiar. I tend to use a similar method! The only other thing is before I write the headline, I wait for an idea to ‘drop in’….still waiting for today’s!!