Written on May 19th, 2009 at 2:17 pm by Jendi

The sun through the treesAs I was browsing my reader I realized that the blogs I like best have lots of personality.  They are varied but they are full of life.

I quickly tire of review or frugal blogs that just don’t have much personality behind them.  The blog can have tons of giveaways, but I don’t visit often if I don’t get a sense of the author’s personality.

When I first started blogging I was hesitant about putting myself out there. I’d heard stories about mean commenters or bloggers that offended their family.  I tried to write in a way that would please everyone.  Since then I’ve abandoned that way of thinking and tried to write more like I would talk.

Often, I read my post out loud before publishing it to check for mistakes and readability.  That way I quickly see if it is how I would talk.  Sometimes it amazes me how anyone could be interested in my daily life. Then I realized that I have a whole folder of blogs about other’s daily life that I look forward to reading.

Keep this in mind as you are trying to build a loyal readership.

The big giveaways might pull in a lot of people, but they won’t be back to read about what happened to your car.  They won’t be able to give an opinion on your blog because they only stop and go.

Keep this in mind as you are writing a review blog.

If you just post ad copy from the company it’s not near as interesting as telling what happened when your child grabbed the product out of your hands and sprayed it all over the bathroom.  I’ve always thought that Candice at Mom Most Traveled does a good job of sprinkling daily life into her reviews.  That is not an easy task.

Keep this in mind as you are making friends in the blogging community.

To make friends we need to be friends.  We need to learn about others and let them learn about us.

Keep this in mind as you are writing comments.

Comments don’t have to be hard.  Just think of what your natural response would be if the author was telling you that story or information in real life.  And humor always helps.

Don’t hide your personality or your passion.

Let it come out in your writing.  There may be millions of other mommy bloggers, but there is not one that has the same exact personality as you.

Question for you.  I’m writing under Kelly’s direction in a more focused topic for this blog.  Do you think my personality is still shining through?

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11 Responses to “Let Your Life Shine”

  1. I love the idea of reading your post outloud. I do this often, but not often enough. I find it feels different when reading it and it allows me to put, well, me in there.


  2. Debbie

    1 year ago

    I’ve never read mine out loud, either – and that’s a great tip for writers of any kind! I do wonder how anybody could get excited about MY life. But those ARE the posts that are most often visited & commented on where my blog is concerned. Your post reminded me of why I started blogging in the first place – and it’s something I need to keep in mind regardless of the direction it’s going. While I want to add more business income, I don’t want to lose my readers who enjoy the triviality of my life’s schedule & events. =)

    Debbie´s last blog post..Family Foodies: Our Princess Tea Party

  3. Great things to keep in mind as we move forward blogging. I too read my posts out loud looking for mistakes.

    Felicia – I Complete Me´s last blog post..It’s My Anniversary!!!!!


  4. Amanda

    1 year ago

    Putting yourself out there is hard. I hid behind the safety of initials and a sanitized version of my life for a long time before finally saying, “Screw it,” and just saying it like it is. I’m sure I’ll get roasted alive by flamers at some point, but I’m still building readership back after a LONG break from blogging. It’s worth it though.

    Amanda´s last blog post..Why didn’t Mama say?


  5. Danielle

    1 year ago

    Jendi your personality does shine through! This is a great reminder to let the walls down! Sometimes that is hard to do when you are trying to make a profit! But I know I respond better to people when I feel like they are being real with me!

    Danielle´s last blog post..Supplies, Supplies and Supplies

  6. Wow, thanks for the props, Jendi!
    I struggle with including fun personal info while also saying what needs to be said about the sponsor product; I really appreciate your affirmation!

    Woohoo!

    CanCan (Mom Most Traveled)´s last blog post..Story Time Felts


  7. Erin Hill

    1 year ago

    In creative writing, the elusive thing we all strive for is called “voice”. Which basically means you have personality in your writing and it pops off the page at the reader. If you want to improve your blog, learn about how to get a “voice in writing and check out creative writing sites.

    Erin Hill´s last blog post..Positive Person Of The Week: Tough Guy With A Big Heart


  8. Sophia

    1 year ago

    Loved the article. When I established my site and business, Dare2shine, it was to continue to share the encouragement and hope that we found in our sp. needs son, who we called Sunshine boy. That has been 6 yrs, and there are days/ actually eras, when I have struggled with “writer’s block” and felt like I was repeating myself so much. But we are constantly struggling with remaining hopeful and encouraging and creative with all that life throws at us, and so it is sooo helpful to find articles like this, and other great peers and blog moms to help inspire us daily. Thank you!

    Sophia´s last blog post..Working Dave Ramsey’s plan


  9. Angela

    1 year ago

    You are so right on! The blogs and industry leaders I’m most interested in are the ones I feel I know personally – like I would enjoy having a glass of wine with them! :-)


  10. Erin Hill

    1 year ago

    In creative writing, the elusive thing we all strive for is called “voice”. Which basically means you have personality in your writing and it pops off the page at the reader. If you want to improve your blog, learn about how to get a “voice in writing and check out creative writing sites.

    <abbr>Erin Hill´s last blog post..Positive Person Of The Week: Tough Guy With A Big Heart</abbr>


  11. max191

    11 months ago

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