How to be a Great Blogger

Before, anyone who has done a makeover studio shoot called herself a model. Then, anyone who owned a DSLR called himself a photographer.

Now, anyone who writes a blog calls themselves a blogger. Blogger looks like booger in the written word, and like a booger, it’s often a flick and miss. 

The cyberspace is saturated with boogers, I mean bloggers. What makes a blogger stand out is the ability to write, the inability to write makes you miss out. You don’t need the Queen’s English to write, by the way.

You just need content. Useful, compelling, interesting, easy to read content. How then to create if you aren’t naturally interesting? Even I, get the writer’s block.

Let someone else’s inspiration get you going. 

      

      1) Compile a list of your favourite blog posts from other blogs and give your own rendition.

There’re dozens of re-written scripts in Hollywood. Taking classics and giving it another spin, directors believing they can do better than the last. It’s not plagiarism if done ethically, why invent the wheel when it’s invented? You improve it!

I sometimes seek inspiration from www.chinahush.com, it is a blog that reports the happenings in China. Largely amusing, I find it very thought provoking. 

The stories in there made my eyebrows rise countless times and my jaw drop numerous times. Write about your opinions about the societal issues, seeking inspiration from these reports.

Like this 16 year old girl who got disfigured for rejecting her male school mate, son of an official.

 She looked like this before.

What is society becoming? Share your thoughts.

2) Talking to people face-to-face physically helps generate writing content. 

We may live 100% digitally in future. Facetime will replace face time.

So talk to people and ask if men prefer mermaids or centaurs as one-night stands. 

By 2020, it will become desirable and cool to stay offline. Rich customers will pay to stay offline, mark my words!

3) Ask your readers!

It's absolutely encouraging to receive readers' mail. From these, i know i am not a schizo talking to myself online. However, don't be deluded. There are many boogers, i mean bloggers who make themselves look popular when they are not.

4) Interview someone. 

If you are someone who have many celebrity friends like my friend Estelle, you can interview them as blog content. It's a win-win situation. Estelle is one of the few i've seen who was innovative and inventive enough to use this. She executes it nicely too, vlog-ing as she interviews.


I've written celebrity interviews for print publications which is inappropriate for posting online, however i've written about my encounters with Wu Zun and Liu Qian.

5) The Good, the Bad and the Ugly                                                                                   
Critics have a regular column in print, so why can't you take a critical angle to create content too?
Pick a company, product or website and analyze the best and the worst spotted.

Or do a piece critiquing blogshop poses.

6) Reviews                                                                                                                       
Readers benefit most from reviews. Where next to go, what next to do. I myself found many new hot spots via blogs. Most of my travel itinerary was inspired by various personal blogs!


I don't usually blog too much about what i did or where i eat because when i am doing or eating, i prefer to enjoy the moment and savour the hot food instead of being "camera ready".

Unless i am obliged to do a blog post or an activity is simply compelling to command a post, i would.

But otherwise, i do product reviews of personal interest like The Breast Job or giving tips like cheap date ideas in Singapore.

7) Share Success and Failures                                                                                   

Write how-to posts if you're good at something.

As narcissistic bloggers, you can impart knowledge on how-to take flattering pictures

But otherwise, sharing about your failures could resonate better with your readers. People share a common dream! My failed attempt at being an air stewardess or beauty queen.

8 ) Highlight the Best                                                                                                          
You can find my favourite posts and ones that i think i wrote best under Yummiest bits. However, if the writer block strikes and you feel guilty for not blogging too long, relieve memories and draw out old posts.

Blogs sometimes are discovered via random surfing. Old content is fresh content. Here're the month's most popular posts.

9) Movies & Books                                                                                                              
Some of my best posts are inspired by movies and books.

Instead of merely doing a review of it, relate it to your personal life or it could even inspire topics you could research!

Like how i wrote about the movie Aftershock reminded me of my sexist parents, how the book Sinner Takes All, a biography about a porn star reminded me to not give up hope in love. Or how Apple of My Eye reminded me of my school days (retold sarcastically) or how artistic film Sex Doll highlighted the emptiness of urban living.

10) Trends                                                                                                                                 
Checking out your blog analytics is also helpful to generate inspiration. This lets you know what people search for and what makes them click onto your blog.

Strangely enough, many people came to my site because they were searching for sea monkeys.

11) Yoga                                                                                                                                      
Some of the best inspirations occur to me when I'm exercising or practicing my ohm. 
In fact, witty tweets come to mind while balancing in awkward postures.

12) Expand cultural horizons                                                                                                

Keep an open mind, it's the key to staying interesting.

Part of my interest in keeping a blog is because i like sharing my adventures. Whether it's exotic travel, exotic food like whale burgers, fish sperm or maggots. 


Writing about SPGs always get the most comments!

So go on, let someone else's inspiration get you going.

I just practiced what i preach. 

The above post is created taking a leaf out of www.copyblogger.com