BLOG CONVENTIONS + How to Write A Blog Post

Use Headers and Sub-headers

Headers and sub-headers will break up long blog posts, help people scan your blog and convince
them to read the post. 
Use Lists
Numbered lists or bullet-pointed lists help people scan blog posts quickly and find information
they’re looking for fast.
Use Punctuation
Use full stops, commas, dashes, and colons to break up each paragraph into smaller pieces of
information that make sense quickly. No one wants to read the same sentence several times to try
to make sense of it. If you’re not confident about punctuation, keep sentences short. And use
short paragraphs (2 to 3 sentences per paragraph is usually a good guideline for blog posts).
Tip: As you practice writing, you can experiment and lengthen your sentences, chucking in a
long one here and there to keep things interesting for readers and make sure they’re paying
attention. Long sentences are fine but check that every sentence makes sense, and the meaning is
clear.
Capital Letters
Use capitals for proper nouns and at the start of sentences but avoid writing all in capitals
because it’s harder to read. PLUS USING CAPITAL LETTERS CONSTANT IS THE ONLINE
EQUIVALENT OF BEING SHOUTED AT. 
Tell a Story
Speaking of stories, every blog post needs to have a beginning, a middle and an end. Think of it
as an introduction, the main information, and conclusion if you prefer. Even if you don’t give use
to those sub-headings because, hopefully, you’ve come up with hotter ones, do follow the
convention to avoid confusing your readers.
Here are some questions you may want to ask yourself:
 Are you writing a blog post to start a conversation with your existing readership?
 Are you writing a post that you hope will get shared across social media?
 Are you writing a post that also invites readers to join your email list so you can get back
in touch later?
 Are you writing a post to get the attention of someone you’d like to work with?
 Are you writing a blog post with the end goal of selling your readers a product?
 Are you writing a blog post to start a conversation with fellow bloggers in hopes of
growing a mutually profitable relationship?

How to Write A Blog Post

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If you don’t grab your reader’s’ attention with the title and get them to actually read the post,
nothing you put inside the post matters. It doesn’t matter how great and helpful your content is.
Make it Interesting and Tell the Truth
The most important part of your blog post is your title.
You want to write an attention-grabbing headline but … you’ll lose credibility if you’re
exaggerating or telling little white lies. You see a lot of those headlines on social media. You
click-through and end up disappointed because the post doesn’t fulfill what the title promised.
Instead, make it interesting without all the hype and stick to the truth. A great way to do that is to
think about what’s in it for your readers.
 Ask your readers a question.
 Make a statement that makes them think.
 Put numbers in your titles to get them thinking about what’s in the content (i.e. My 5 Best Tips To …)
 Don’t forget to work your keywords into the title.

Use Headlines and Sub-Heads

Think of the outline of your post. Each point in your outline could be a subheading. Start with those and
then fill in the content.
Or if you prefer, start with the content and then go back and add the subheadings. Create the content and
work in the subheadings in whichever way works best for you.

Keep Your Paragraphs Short

One of the most effective things you can do to keep your readers reading is to keep your paragraphs and
sentences short. Don’t make it longer than three or four lines.

Use Lists and Bold Important Key Terms

 Use a list instead of several related sentences.
 Use a list to share examples.
 A list is a great way to break things up and grab your reader’s attention.
 Lists can be as long or short as you need them to be.
And let’s not forget about other formatting options (e.g., italicize or underline for emphasis)

Encourage Social Sharing of Your Blog Posts

Focus on getting them to share on social media outlets to attract more like-minded readers (e.g., “like” on
Facebook, share on Twitter, pin on Pinterest, etc.).

Craft A Good Call to Action at The End of Your Post

Ask your readers to leave you a comment. Invite them to share their own experiences on the topic, a tip, a
recipe, etc. Ask them to comment on the post. Make a recommendation that helps your readers learn more
or take the next step.

Adapted from https://www.successfulblogging.com/16-rules-of-blog-writing-which-ones-are-you-breaking/

Friday, 16 October 2020

How to Make Friends at University When You Struggle with Mental Health Difficulties
6 tips and tricks from a recent graduate on making friends at university when you struggle with
mental health. 

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 - - Hester

The best thing I took away from my university experience was an amazing group of supportive and like-
minded friends — people I feel close and connected to, who uplifted, inspired and supported me. But
finding them wasn’t always easy. Meeting new people and building friendships can be incredibly difficult
when you’re struggling with mental health — be it anxiety, depression, PTSD, OCD and/or other
illnesses. Yet friends form one of the foundations of our ability to cope with the problems that life throws
at us. And building meaningful friendships is one of the best ways to nurture better mental health. Good
university friends are like diamonds — hard to find, but so incredibly precious and valuable, the effort of
finding them will always be worth it. So, without further ado, here are 6 top tips for how to make friends
at university when you struggle with mental health... 

1. Reach out to Students Who Also Struggle 

Friends who have been through similar ordeals, tend to understand each other that little bit better. So,
reach out to students at your university who struggle with similar mental health problems. Sign up to
group counselling sessions through your university’s student support centre and get to know people
through mental-health-oriented Facebook groups and societies. 
2. Open Up 
Talking about your mental health, especially with new people, can be daunting and feel incredibly
vulnerable. But the moment you start opening up to others, you’ll realize just how many other students
struggle too. Being transparent about your illness will help you build a strong support network around
you; find like-minded, understanding friends; and cultivate a safe space where you can communicate your
needs and experiences, free from judgement. 
3. Follow Your Passions 
Pursuing activities you love is one of the best ways to find friends whose values align with yours. Student
unions typically host hundreds of societies, clubs and events each year. Joining a student group is a
fantastic way to find people passionate about similar things as you and be a part of a friendly community! 
4. Use Friendship Apps 
While social distancing measures are set to persist for months to come, many in-person opportunities for
friendship making are out of the question. Friendship apps, however, are a convenient and simple way to
find like-minded people. So, if you’re having a bad mental health day in bed, you can still chat and make
friends with students nearby! I found Serendip a brilliant app for connecting more deeply with like-
minded students nearby who share my core values. 
5. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone — But be Kind to Yourself! 
Pushing yourself to attend an event, talk to someone new in class, or reach out to a friend online can feel
like a huge effort when you’re feeling low, anxious or stressed. But pushing yourself outside of your
comfort zone is essential to build and maintain strong friendships. This said, making time for self-care;
removing yourself from social situations which are uncomfortable or distressing, is okay. Your mental
health comes first, always. 
6. Get Professional Support
If you’re feeling lonely or isolated during your time at university, don’t be afraid to seek professional
help. Seeking guidance and talking about your feelings and friendship-making struggles with a
counsellor, will help you process your emotions and build better self-esteem and confidence.
Likewise, Samaritans offers free to call service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year if you’re struggling to
cope and need someone to talk to. Reaching out for help is a strength, not a weakness.
You can find more resources on student mental health and support at Student Space or Transition into
University.

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 Hi there, I’m Hester - a recent graduate from the
University of East Anglia. Like many others, I
had my fair share of mental health ups and
downs throughout my four years of studying.
While there’s so much pressure on students to be
having the time of their life at university, and
mental health stigma persists in these spaces, I
want to help struggling students and graduates
feel less alone. Mental illness among students is
more common than most people think - I believe
it is essential that we nurture more open
conversations surrounding the topic and help
build safe and friendly spaces for students to talk
about their experiences.

Posted by Student Minds Blogging Editorial Team  at 10:30  No

comments: 
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Labels: #DearFresherMe, #FresherPressure, First Year (Freshers), Friends and Relationships

aug 25, 2016

jaffa cake or jaffa biscuit? (280 w.)

Recently, during the return of Bake Off, we asked our Twitter followers an important question.

Are Jaffa Cakes a cake or a biscuit?

We’d even go as far as saying it’s possibly the most important question of modern times. Yes, people
argue about religion or politics or the correct way to eat Maltesers*, but you only really know the full
measure of a person once you’ve had the Jaffa Cake Conversation (or JCC for the busy amongst us).

Immediately, people on Twitter started to bring up the fact that this entire question was apparently solved
in a court case a few years ago. Cakes, you see, are charged a different VAT rate so the matter had to be
settled legally. It turns out that one of the primary differences between cakes and biscuits is that cakes go
hard when stale while biscuits go soft. And, seeing as Jaffa Cakes undoubtedly toughen up after a period
during which they miraculously go uneaten, it was decided that they were cakes.

But maybe that’s just what they want us to think? Maybe there’s something else going on? Maybe, deep
in some underground bunker miles beneath London, there’s some secret consortium of cake bakers locked
in a battle against a cult of biscuit artists that goes back for thousands of years? Maybe, just maybe, Jaffa
Cakes are some sort of mythical object and whichever side ‘owns’ them can dictate the shape of reality
itself? Maybe we’re all pawns in an ancient game that none of us can truly understand?

Or maybe everyone involved could realise that they’re called Jaffa Cakes. Clue’s in the name.

*bite all the chocolate off, eat the malty goodness after
Posted by jonathan o'brien on August 25, 2016 at about 10am

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Filed under bake off, biscuits, confectionary conspiracies, jaffa cakes, random stuff. Permalink