Writing Clinic #4: Maria Nedeva’s Post

Posted: 04 Apr 2014 07:12 AM PDT

Welcome back to Writing Clinic! If this is the first Writing Clinic post you've read, here's a quick reminder of how it works.

I take a look at a blogger's post (published or unpublished) and explain what's working well and what might need some tweaking. The posts can be on any subject, and we've had quite a range so far.

If you’d like to submit a post, there are guidelines and instructions here.

This week, we're going to take a look at Maria Nedeva's post Five unorthodox ways to spot an upcoming neighbourhood (and don't ignore number four).

Before I go further, I recommend you pop on over to Maria's site and read through the post. See if you spot anything that you think she's doing really well (or anything that you might suggest changing).

Here's what I thought:

What's Working Well

This is a solid, well-put-together blog post with a lot going for it. I particularly like Maria's use of:

#1: Short Paragraphs and Bullet Points

Although this post is reasonably long, Maria uses short paragraphs and bullet points to make it easy to read. These are always a great idea – they add white space and make the post look much more inviting.

#2: Clear Conclusion and Call to Action

Maria ends the post with a short section headed "Finally…" While it's not usually necessary to have a "Conclusion" or "Finally" or "Summary" section, longer blog posts can benefit from it. The last line of the post is a call to action (two questions encouraging readers to comment) in bold italics so they stand out.

#3: Numbered Subheadings

As you'd expect from the title, Maria's post has five clear, separate points. She's using a subheading style, "Header 2" (or <h2> in HTML) for these, which means they not only stand out well for the reader but are flagged up to search engines as subheadings.

What Maria Might Change

There were a few possible tweaks I spotted while reading the post. (If you have additional ideas, or disagree with me, feel free to add a comment below!)

#1: The Use of the Word "Upcoming"

I'd not come across the exact phrase "upcoming neighbourhood" before – I'd refer to these as "up-and-coming neighbourhoods". Maria might want to double-check what phrase her audience are most likely to use, as if she's picked the wrong one, it could have an impact on search traffic.

#2: The Editing / Proofreading

While I'll be the first to admit that I make occasional mistakes, I did spot quite a few typos in Maria's post.

I'll give a few examples:

#1: "John looked at all available houses in two miles radius."

This should be:

John looked at all available houses in a two mile radius.

#2: "If you see people in dressing gowns collecting the main …"

"Main" should be "mail".

#3: "…offers very similar chance of spotting an upcoming neighbourhood."

This should be:

…offers a very similar chance of spotting an upcoming neighbourhood.

I know these are really tiny, picky things, but a handful of small typos can spoil an otherwise good post.

#3: No Definition of "Upcoming"

It may be the case that Maria's readers are already clear on what constitutes an "upcoming" (or "up-and-coming") neighbourhood, but I felt the post needed to be a bit clearer. Maria's primary definition appears to be "where house values are going up", but obviously this rise is due to a number of factors.

I'd like the introduction to include a clear explanation of what you'd typically see in an "upcoming" neighbourhood – or a link to a post that explains this. (To make room for this, I'd cut the third paragraph of the post, which I think wanders a bit too far from the point.)

I've been very picky, but overall, I thought this was a strong, well-written post with some (as the title says) unconventional ideas. What did you think? Share your feedback with Maria in the comments.

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ProBlogger: Creating Products Week: Making Products Happen – Getting Your Ideas off the Ground

Creating Products Week: Making Products Happen – Getting Your Ideas off the Ground

Posted: 04 Apr 2014 08:01 AM PDT

Today we have Team Member Jasmin Tragas weighing in with her take on creating great products. She is the Producer of eBooks at Digital Photography School, and has had a hand in almost all of the ProBlogger products made over the three years she’s been with us. A creative whiz, Jasmin has a fantastic perspective on what works, what doesn’t, and how to get your product from idea to creation in the most productive way possible.

So you want to create a product to sell on your blog, now you just have to make it happen, right?

If you have tried sitting in the local hipster cafe, coffee in hand and laptop at the ready,expecting to type with ease and whip virtual pages up into the glorious ether – you’ll know that it’s not quite this enjoyable nor easy! I’ve seen clients and friends become disheartened as they try to get an idea off the ground. It’s hard work and can be just as challenging as it is rewarding.

Creating a product involves the selection of the perfect idea, finding the resources you need, creating content and then motivating yourself to the finish line . Each one of these steps presents its own challenges and may even make you feel overwhelmed enough to put your idea on hold. So how do you make a product happen?

Simplify, simplify, simplify!

A good product doesn’t have to be a complicated product. Some of our best sellers are PDF ebooks.

Start by making a list of all of your ideas for a product, including variations from the most basic idea you could attach in an email, to the million-dollar dreamworks crew creation.Next, in a second column, write a list of as many challenges as you can for each product such as: time, budget, design, or development requirements.

Now, ready to get started? Be helpful to yourself and scale that long list right back! Take out whatever you can until you are left with the most essential elements. Keep the focus on creating a useful product.

Chances are you can make a least one of your ideas happen by simplifying. And if you end up getting things done quickly, you can always add the bells and whistles back in later. Aim for excellence by all means, but don’t make it too hard for yourself or it might not happen at all.

Hint: just as a great home or outfit can be impressive without having every new trimming, the same rule of thumb applies to products!

Set a date.

If you have trouble with procrastination, find an event which will help motivate you to meet your goal, such as a competition, meetup or conference you are going to attend. You can also ask a friend or mentor to check in on you at pivotal milestones. Set a deadline and reward yourself.

Hint: pick someone who has seen results of their own as they will understand the fine balance of perseverance and inspiration

You don’t have to do this all on your own!

Need content? Tap in to your social network for quotes, words and pictures. Just remember to be respectful, be clear in your request, and always give credit where credit is due.

Need direction? Use online surveys to refine your focus. And if you don’t get a huge response when you ask, don’t be disheartened. Try asking a different way…or find a sponsor to give you a prize as incentive for responses.

Refine your tone.

Your product will resonate with your audience if you have a distinct voice. For instance, we like the tone of writing for our dPS ebooks to be natural, authentic, friendly, personal, and accurate.

Regardless of tone, always use subject matter experts! Write about what you know (or ask others to contribute) and your product will stand out.

Hint: tone alone won’t impress, but set a style to share knowledge with integrity and ease.

Still stuck?

Don’t give up. Set aside time each day and keep trying. Remember to turn off all the beautiful and shiny distractions.

You might find it helpful to change your environment …even if it’s finding a coworking space, the library, or a cafe where you can unplug and write.

Very importantly, after you have done your research, make a start and don’t look back by comparing yourself with others. You have your own unique point of view to share, and worrying that you’re not as good as the next product isn’t going to be constructive to the development process. Keep your focus by being helpful and creating value for your readers.

Hint: you can experiment with what helps you to focus best, but don’t waver from the ultimate goal – make a product!

Read the rest of our series on Creating Products at How to Create and Sell Products on Your Blog.

Jasmin Tragas is the Producer of ebooks at Digital Photography School, SnapnGuides and Director of ProBlogger Training Event. She is currently working on her 24th product and sixth event since joining the ProBlogger team three years ago. She has experience creating products for small agencies, artists, large corporates and for fundraisers.

Originally at: Blog Tips at ProBlogger

Creating Products Week: Making Products Happen – Getting Your Ideas off the Ground