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Oct
27

What I Learnt about Blogging Better at the Car Wash

By | Blogging, Writing

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Car Wash
We were at the car-wash.

Half way through….the window leaked.

Badly.

Water streamed in, soaking my OH!

I wanted to laugh… But I sensed it wasn’t the moment…

On the way home I thought about the whole car wash scene and realized that it’s a whole lot like blogging.

No… I haven’t lost the plot… yet…

See what you think.

What I learnt about Blogging Better, at the car wash:

  1. What does my car need?

There’s a selection of options to choose from.  You can have a Total Valet and Wash, a Quick Valet and Wash, a DIY job, or a Simple Wash.

In our UK autumn climate my car usually needs a Total Valet and Wash but in summer just a Simple Wash will do.

It’s the same with Better Blogging.

What does your reader need?

  • Are you going to solve a problem for them?
  • Has someone raised a point in the comments that you could shed some light on?
  • Can you help them to work out a solution themselves by some careful questions?
  • Or can you choose a lighthearted topic?

Every post has to fulfill your readers’ needs.

You have to stand in their shoes and imagine what would help them best, within your experience and capabilities

Listen to what they’re saying  and try to answer their questions or issues.

2.   Close the windows and remove the aerial!

There was a fault with my window the day we got soaked, it wouldn’t stay closed.  I still giggle when I think of it!

I’ve learned that I have to:

  • Make sure the windows are firmly shut
  • Unscrew the aerial from the roof

It’s the same with Blogging Better.

You must ditch the distractions and get ready to write another killer post.

  • Don’t let in any distracting noise – music, radio, phone or visitors.
  • If music helps… fine.
  • But don’t answer the phone
  • Don’t look at emails, (pause while you read that once more…).
  • Don’t look at Twitter, Facebook, even out the window unless it inspires your writing brain…

You’re writing.  End of story.

3.   At the Car Wash – All dry and polished!

You’re all done.  You take a look at the result.

Ooops! A few smears, some muddy spots, the wheels aren’t perfect. You find a cloth and polish them a bit, and a bit more.

You get  out of the car to put the aerial back before driving home.  OK, it’s as good as it’s going to get.  Your car shines!  And tomorrow it’ll shine even more.

It’s the same with Blogging Better.

  • Are you all dry and polished?

You read your post through.

Ooops! A few unnecessary words here and there, some over long sentences, you go off the subject, it’s not clear to your reader. You get your editing cloth out and off you go.

  • You check, you read out loud for clarity, you check again.
  • You switch on the radio, find those emails, peep at Twitter.
  • Your post shines!  And if you wait to publish it until tomorrow, when you’ll check it through again, it’ll shine even more…

How much time do you spend polishing up your posts?

What Tips can you add, for providing what your readers need?

We could all do with some help!

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About Linda Hewett

Linda is a writer, blogger and confidence coach.

She blogs at Positive Spin - Live life on the upside!
In her blog, Linda looks for the 'positive spin' in our daily lives and encourages you to look for the 'small stuff' that's easy to miss, or even dismiss.She believes that confidence comes in many disguises. All you have to do is...look.

Comments

  1. Sheila says:
    November 10, 2010 at 8:11 pm

    Great post Linda! I love it, it is good that you get stories from your daily life and make it into creative topics for your writings. I wish I had that skill to, because sometimes I have difficulty in thinking about what to write.
    Sheila recently posted..Using Avatars in the EnterpriseMy Profile

    Reply
  2. Jasmine says:
    November 3, 2010 at 2:04 pm

    Agreeing with Allan Douglas, I think that even though you want to pull in the revenue with Adsense by pumping out the post “production line style”, you also want to take into consideration what your readers want! If you don’t have the traffic to your site, no revenue. So you want an even balance of the two. I know I am not interested in reading some post somebody threw out there and it’s “unpolished” and you can see the “i don’t care” in their words. If you write for monetary gain, you’re writing for the wrong reason.
    Jasmine recently posted..Be Mine Photo Heart Jig Saw PuzzleMy Profile

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  3. Amine Plants says:
    November 1, 2010 at 12:18 am

    Great experiences, thanks for passing along such an brilliant post here. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your post. Thanks for the share!!!

    Reply
  4. Isabel Rodrigues - Pro Blogger Journey says:
    October 30, 2010 at 10:27 pm

    Nice comparison. I liked the section where you said we need to avoid answering phone calls, checking emails, facebook etc while writing our post.
    Isabel Rodrigues – Pro Blogger Journey recently posted..Getting More Traffic To Your Blog By Using Free ToolsMy Profile

    Reply
  5. plastica says:
    October 29, 2010 at 10:17 pm

    Really great comparison and common person cannot think at that level.It is role of cognitive psychology that invites the human being to get something from your surroundings.The might and main of the post is to do good job, you have to adopt some principles and these principles are explained in a very light and attractive manner.
    plastica recently posted..La Meilleure Mthode du Moment :My Profile

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  6. Shiva | Web Magazine says:
    October 29, 2010 at 3:48 am

    Wow cool analogy. Well, we do not have car wash in India but well having seen them all in Television and movies, I could make out most of the things. I think one of the part where i fail is keeping distractions out, but I am pretty much working on it.
    Shiva | Web Magazine recently posted..Team Blogging- Ideas for New BloggersMy Profile

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  7. Richard says:
    October 29, 2010 at 12:50 am

    Hi Linda,
    I enjoyed your carwash analogy. Get rid of the leaky windows!
    Richard recently posted..How to Keep the Passion Alive on your BlogMy Profile

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  8. Bryan says:
    October 28, 2010 at 9:00 pm

    Hey Linda,

    i think it is an art to polish your blogging skills. It doesn’t come to you at the first instance when you blog, but over time as you keep doing it, you will get better at it.
    Bryan recently posted..The Newbie Blogger Checklist and Guide- 21 Things You Need To KNOWMy Profile

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  9. Rahul says:
    October 28, 2010 at 8:24 pm

    i loved the title , very smart !!and nice comparison !! :)) haha !
    any Way , interesting points you talked about , i all the time focus on originality and communication with readers since we’re depending on there needs !! CooL
    Rahul recently posted..Comment on 10 Traffic Building Tips for Ecommerce Stores by LoudableMy Profile

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  10. Brandon says:
    October 28, 2010 at 8:37 am

    Hi Linda,

    Wanted to drop you a line and tell you that this post was an A HA moment for me. To many times I get distracted when I am blogging. I start writing what I want to and what I think other people want to hear, instead of concentrating first on my readers needs.

    Thanks for the reminder of what’s important.
    Brandon recently posted..Samsung LN32C350 ReviewMy Profile

    Reply
  11. sell textbooks says:
    October 27, 2010 at 8:51 pm

    I had this to me because I was messing with something and the window lever got jammed between somethings my car got soaked. I was so mad but it was too funny not to laugh it off.

    Reply
  12. Marci says:
    October 27, 2010 at 7:04 pm

    Closing the window and the aerial view is so important for me to remember. Have you ever observed why you let the distractions in? They tell me a lot about how I’m “feeling” about writing. If I get stuck, I want to wander and see what others are doing. This rarely helps me get inspired. I either need to close the computer for awhile, or keep plugging away at what I am trying to say. It also helps to not polish until I’m all done. I used to try to proofread as I go, and this really stalls me out!

    And, as to finding what readers need. I turn my client’s questions into blog posts. That’s just one of the ways I get ideas.
    Marci recently posted..How I Got My Time BackMy Profile

    Reply
  13. Jazz Salinger says:
    October 27, 2010 at 3:55 pm

    Hi Linda,

    Great story. I love the tip about avoiding Facebook, Twitter, reading your emails and anything else that is going to distract you.

    You know once you look there’s going to be something that takes your attention away from blogging.

    It’s much better to not go there at all until you’ve finished your post.

    Reply
  14. Dawn Le says:
    October 27, 2010 at 11:59 am

    A bit weird title but the concepts are very interesting. It looks like I am seeing points of blogging in through the car window ( just odd like the title!).
    Dawn Le recently posted..New Interface for Google FeedburnerMy Profile

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  15. Allan Douglas says:
    October 27, 2010 at 9:37 am

    What a unique and wonderful comparison! It does seem that a lot of on-line writers are in too much of a hurry to crank out as much content as possible and don’t spend enough time polishing their work. I guess that is the nature of blogging and depending on things like AdSense for income. Cranking out posts production line style yields more moolah. But those who are more concerned with retaining readers need to heed your great advice.
    Allan Douglas recently posted..Warts and AllMy Profile

    Reply
  16. RebeccaOsberg says:
    October 27, 2010 at 8:32 am

    I totally agree on not letting any outside forces in while writing your blog posts. It really is key in producing the best content possible. What a fun topic for a post!
    RebeccaOsberg recently posted..The Secret to Writing Online CopyMy Profile

    Reply
  17. Tom Jamieson says:
    October 27, 2010 at 7:43 am

    Hey Linda! Great thoughts! I think the overall theme here is something I can relate to. I have found myself actually looking for blogging topics in my everyday experiences. Keeping an open mind while going through life’s journey is a great way to discover new topics and posts. Thanks for sharing!
    Tom Jamieson recently posted..My Blog Reviewed By TentbloggerMy Profile

    Reply
  18. Mia says:
    October 27, 2010 at 5:53 am

    The title was a little strange at first…but if think a little every experience counts and in every experience you can discover hidden meanings. Is just how you want to look at a situation.

    Reply
  19. LindaHewett
    Twitter:
    says:
    October 28, 2010 at 4:23 am

    Thanks guys, for spreadng the blog ‘good will’, every little Tweet helps!
    LindaHewett recently posted..Found! The Secret Sign of SuccessMy Profile

    Reply

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  1. Tweets that mention What I Learnt about Blogging Better at the Car Wash -- Topsy.com says:
    October 27, 2010 at 8:24 pm

    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Phil Dunn, Ingrid Abboud, MMO-Network, Famous Bloggers, Gines Samson and others. Gines Samson said: RT @WeBlogBetter What I Learnt about Blogging Better at the Car Wash http://ow.ly/19EUwY [...]

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