Category: writing advice

blog, blogging, non-profits, nonprofits, writing advice

Best Blog Examples: Nonprofits

Blogs inform, enlighten, entertain, and persuade us, and these best blog examples do all of that. Blogs are a personal, creative space we fill for others that gives them a glimpse into our thoughts and feelings, our lives, and what we do. We make statements within them, which can open a dialogue and keep that conversation going, long after they’ve been posted. Reward these bloggers for their hard work and pay them a visit today. 🙂

DISCLAIMER: I’m not affiliated with any of these sites. I like their content, and present it for educational purposes only.

1. The Wrack: wellsreserve.org/blog/
Named after the mass of weed, shell, and trash washed ashore from the sea, The Wrack features news about the Wells Reserve at Laudholm National Research Reserve. I like the simplicity of each post, with eye-catching photos, and the well-written copy by different researchers, but it sometimes veers into scientific jargon; they make great use of beautiful photos, which I don’t see often in blogs. You’ll learn about their design and testing of DNA-based genome research, and even about trail etiquette in wintry woods. Each story stands alone as an interesting “slice of life.”

2. The Forest Society of Maine: fsmaine.org/blog/
This land trust for Maine’s North Woods has posts by two of its executive directors, the late Alan Hutchinson, and his successor, Karin Tilberg. Among the highlights is a moving post by Hutchinson about an artist colony in the town of Monson spurred by the Libra Foundation’s funding; Hutchinson effectively sells readers on the potential of the region and its natural beauty. Other posts cover the Working Forest Fund, which has bankrolled many projects in Maine and across the U.S. The FSoM could post more about the work they do and what they’ve accomplished to entice donations, but their well-crafted posts focus on some of the work of organizations they’ve partnered with.

3. Portland Museum of Art: portlandmuseum.org/blog
Their posts are like magazine features, and include articles about museum news and artists whose works are displayed at the museum. There’s a great variety of styles: interviews, Q&As, summaries of past and upcoming events. This enticing information, done with flair and attention to detail, inspires visitors to donate, browse further online, or stop by.

Need help with your blog? Read my free ebook for some pointers: 5 Common Online Content Problems — Solved!

What do you think are some of the best blogs for nonprofits?

writing advice

5 Words You Might Be Misusing

1. farther / further – “Farther” refers to physical distance, however, “further” refers to distance in the figurative or metaphorical sense or something that is additional. Grammar Girl suggests you remember the “far” in “farther” and use that to equate the word with physical distance.

Examples:

  • “We couldn’t drive farther than a mile before our car overheated.”
  • “I decided I didn’t want the relationship to go any further.”

2. fewer / less – The Oxford English Dictionary reminds us that “fewer” should be used to refer to people or things in the plural form and that “less” should be used when something can’t be counted or doesn’t have a plural. “Less” is also used with numbers when they are on their own or with expressions of measurement or time.

Examples:

  • “My beloved lilac tree produced fewer flowers last year.”
  • “I noticed that I’ve used less fuel to heat my house this winter.”

3. healthy / healthful – Both can mean “conducive to good health.” “Healthful” is considered an old, archaic form of “healthy,” but it has been making a comeback. “Healthy” can generally refer to good health.  “Healthful” can describe something that will create good health.

Examples:

  • “I look forward to eating a healthful salad for lunch.”
  • “After a long bout with mono, I’m glad to be healthy again.”

4. toward / towards – forward / forwards – downward / downwards – upward / upwards – backward / backwards – In American English, the singular form of these words is considered correct or preferred, but both can be right. According to such style guides as The Chicago Manual of Style and The Associated Press Style Guide, the singular form is correct. Whichever form you decide to use, it’s best to stay consistent in your usage.

Examples:

  • “Our tent was located toward the left of the willow tree.”
  • “He expects to be ready for breakfast towards eight o’ clock.”

5. in regard to / in regards to – “In regard to” is the correct form; “in regards to” can be confused with “as regards.” Both phrases are a form of businessese that are best to avoid entirely.

Quotes

“How often misused words generate misleading thoughts.” ~ Herbert Spencer

Comments? Suggestions? Need help? Feel free to contact me.

Michelle Troutman
classywriting.com

blog, blog writing, blogging, blogging for business, writing advice

5 Common Blogging Mistakes You Could Be Making

1. No “calls-to-action” – This is one of the most common blogging mistakes I see. And it’s easy to avoid. If you sell a product or a service, include a plug to contact you for help or a link for more information. It doesn’t always have to be at the end, either.

2. A boring title – The headline is usually the first thing your readers will see. Ideally, it’s short and spicy while it hints at the topic covered.

Example: “Things to Do in L.A.”
Revised: “8 Ways to Have Fun in L.A. for Less Than $200”

3. Not asking readers to comment – Besides reading (and writing) blog posts, I enjoy readers’ comments about them. Some posts don’t end with questions to encourage replies. Ask readers what they think, how they could do it better, or any number of questions that can’t be answered with a “yes” or a “no.” It helps build a sense of community.

4. A lackluster opening – Write an opening sentence that will entice people to read the entire piece. It doesn’t have to be terribly original — you don’t have to set the bar high — but, at least make it a true statement. Or open with a question. Surprise us a little.

Example: “Maine drivers are familiar with hazardous weather conditions.”
Revised: “Winter is no stranger to the 207. Raise your hand if you passed your driver’s test in a Nor’easter.” (The Law Offices of Joe Bornstein blog)

5. No subheadings – I like subheadings in posts longer than 600 words. They make the rest of the text easier on the eyes and add to the overall flow.

 

Read 5 More Blogging Mistakes You Could Be Making.

Need help writing or rewriting your blog?

 

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Quotes

“Don’t focus on having a great blog. Focus on producing a blog that’s great for your readers.” ~ Brian Clark, Copyblogger.com

“For bloggers, the deadline is always now. Blogging is therefore to writing what extreme sports are to athletics: more free-form, more accident-prone, less formal, more alive. It is, in many ways, writing out loud.” ~ Andrew Sullivan, “Why I Blog,” The Atlantic

writing, writing advice

Five Articles That Are Easy to Create

These types of articles can be short enough to make your writing life easier, especially if you need inspiration just before a deadline.

1. Lists – Like this one! Sometimes referred to as “listicles,” you need at least three to five items for a decent list.

2. “How To” – Again, this type of article is usually specific, which often means your piece won’t be overlong (“How to Kill Fungus Gnats,” “How to Save $10 a Day”). And, you can make it into a list to reduce the word count.

3. Infographics – Aptly named, interesting information presented as an illustration looks appealing, and suits social media and blog posts, however, these can work well in print articles, too. You can easily convert a “how-to” into this format.

Example: How Does Rent to Own Work?  Facts and statistics on a topic also work well within this framework, as do histories and timelines. You don’t need to be a designer, but some sense of design helps, however, you can use an infographic generator instead.

4. Essays/Opinions/Blog Posts – They’re often based on personal experiences, which require little to no research. I usually feature this type of blog post, but this one is different. 🙂

5. Q&As – Question and answer format articles, such as FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) and interviews are good examples of this style, which makes them easy to compile.

Example: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

These are among the easiest types of content to create quickly. Have more suggestions? Feel free to post.

And if you find creating content tough and lack time, read my free ebook, 14 Ways to Write More in Less Time.

writing advice

5 Writing Redundancies to Remove

1. Phrases with words that have similar definitions, such as “join together,” “free gift,” and “close proximity” — only one word is necessary.

2. “Legalisms”: “aid and abet,” “cease and desist”

3. Words that have already been defined: “ATM machine” (ATM = Automated Teller Machine”); “please RSVP” (RSVP is French for “répondez, s’il vous plaît,” or “please reply”).

4. Phrases that repeat the quality already stated: “oval in shape,” “larger in size,” “shorter in duration,” “a period of one week,” “blue in color,” “6 am in the morning.”

5. Words added to actions that are already implied.

Example: “She nodded her head.”
Revised: “She nodded.”

Quotes

“Redundancy is one of the carnal sins of writers.” ~ Sandy Tritt, Say It Once, Say It Right

“The first rule of Tautology Club is the first rule of Tautology Club.” ~ Seanan McGuire, Ashes of Honor

Comments? Suggestions? Need help? Feel free to contact me.

Michelle Troutman
classywriting.com