This is Day 19 of 31 Days to Build a Better Blog, a group project 60+ of us bloggers are doing together in an effort to help each other become better bloggers.
Today’s lesson and assignment is to write a post that expresses your opinion about something.
As Darren wrote:
Expressing opinions on your blog is like adding seasoning to food. Without it your blog could end up being quite bland.
Offline you know some people who are very opinionated and some people who seem unable to express an opinion for fear of offending someone. The same is true online among bloggers. So, in today’s post I’ve included two sets of tips, one for the unopinionated and one for the very opinionated.
Tips for Unopinionated bloggers (Why your opinion matters)
- Your opinion is part of your voice. It’s part of what makes your blog unique and memorable.
- People want analysis. There’s no shortage of information these days. People don’t want more facts, they want help making sense of the facts.
- Opinion demonstrates the depth of your understanding. When you express a well-reasoned opinion, it demonstrates you understand your field and gives you added credibility.
- Opinions spark interesting discussion. If you express an opinion on a controversial or emotional subject, you can stir people to express their opinions which can lead to some very interesting conversations.
- Don’t try to please everyone. Some people are afraid to express their opinions because they don’t want to risk offending and losing readers who don’t share their opinion. I think it was Bill Cosby who said, “I don’t know the secret to success, but the secret to failure is trying to please everyone.”
- Controversy gets attention. Take it for what it’s worth, but people (and posts) that are most opinionated and most controversial get attention. Being controversial, though, comes with the downside risk of potentially undermining your credibility.
Tips for Very Opinionated Bloggers
- Be wary of arrogance. It’s very easy for opinionated people to come off sounding arrogant, as if they think their opinion is the only right opinion and anyone who disagrees with them is an idiot. Consider adding caveats like “I think” and “In my opinion.”
- Close your post by asking others for their opinion.
- Leave some oxygen for others. Don’t include every possible argument for (or against) your opinion. You don’t want people to read your post and not comment because you’ve said everything there is to be said on the issue. Leave some points for your readers to make in the comments.
Discussion
- Do you find it easy or difficult to express to form and express opinions?
- Do you have any other tips for writing opinion posts?
- Do you have an examples of opinion posts you’ve written that stirred good conversation on your blog? Post a link.
The Extra Mile
A few other things you can do to take your blog, other bloggers, and this project even further today…
- Reply & give other bloggers feedback on the little things they do.
- When other bloggers include a link to a new article they’ve posted today, click, read, and comment on it.
- Check previous posts in the series for new comments.
- Tweet, share, & bookmark this post.
- No blog to review today.
39 Comments
I do this already … though I tend to forget toleave space for others to comment so will endeavour to do better next time teacher 🙂
Also folks – I'm offski on holiday (UK half term) and I will be logging in veeeerrrry rarely next week. Mon / Tues yes but after that not a chance. So will have to catch up then. Have fun on days 21 thru 25 but "I'll be back".
Oh and here's an opinion I wrote earlier:http://www.churchtechy.com/2009/08/spying-on-chil…
Enjoy your holiday, Stuart!
Probably everything I write is an opinion post in some sense. Whether it's commentary on a bible passage, a review of a book, a journal entry, or something else. This is my opinion of either what I believe God is saying to me or of some book about what that author believes God is saying to him/her.
I appreciate the point Paul makes not to "suck up all the oxygen" by expressing every possible argument and exhausting the possibilities for discussion. It's my tendency to do that, and then I get people saying things like, "This is a great post–thanks," or saying nothing at all, when I really wanted to hear their thoughts on the subject. I love hearing the compliments–don't get me wrong–it keeps me going. But it's nice to have a discussion, too. Thanks, Paul!
Blessings to all, Gotta go!
Cindy
I am also going to post the opinion peice tomorrow.
Here's today's :http://ronniespoon.blogspot.com/2010/05/more-i-se…
I am slowly changing my mind about opinion pieces. I have always kind of held to the only opinion that matters is Christ's. But I have an idea about an opinion piece that is liable to grab a lot of people's opinion. I will write it today, but I have decided to post it tomorrow.
Today's piece is just some fun I was having after readin' Chad's blog pieces on "Things that make you go hmmmm…."
http://campfirecowboyministries.com/2010/05/heres…
Can't wait to read. 🙂
I actually believe in measured controversy because it provokes a debate. I am not at all intimidated by that, because I am not trying to be right. If comments go against me I learn, but I get so, so bored when I see a lot of affirmative commentary. Without some fireworks I quickly lose interest. Paul was controversial, so was Jesus and Peter and others. In fact God casts our lives into controversy and contradiction because that is His blackboard. Jewish scholars actual learn through point and counterpoint debate, where one student has to assume a kind of devil's advocate, because the debate forces deeper reasoning and examination of assumptions. I once met a Geography teacher who was president of the flat earth society – without much teaching but plenty of robust debate, his learners grew and taught themselves.
Although controversy is important to me, let me add that I offer a mix of content – a fair blend of neutral, safe, simple inspiration, which I call rhetorical content, offset by some well seasoned debate. I also have a weekly intense debate which I am seeking to use to get into deeper discourse with others – because I want to listen, I enjoy wider opinions and I always enjoy engagement.
My initial reaction to this assignment is to say that it does not fit in my niche. My blog is geared to be Christian Inspirational and I do not see where dropping in opinions would fit with that theme. I even felt awkward about posting a piece on Women of Faith's new worship CD as part of their contest to win the CD.
Additionally, I agree with an earlier comment that our opinions should be educated ones and not ones made in the heat of the moment. As of right now, I don't think I have any opinions that I have researched. Opinions that would make for good conversation.
In the meantime, if someone would like to take a look at my recent post: http://openmyearslord.blogspot.com/2010/05/answer…
Do you think that post could be an opinion?
In Him,
Janis
Whew…Finally was able to keep up with one of these lessons…
http://ragamuffinray.blogspot.com/2010/05/and-one…
Just my opinion but my opinion is of course always right! : )
Just want everyone to know that Ray has super hero issues. He is way confused!
I definitely, in my flesh am a people-pleaser. But God is faithfully breaking that in me. I believe the Spirit of the Lord gives boldness to speak Truth in love. I recently did a post in response to reading an article on Ray Boltz coming "out of the closet" and it received a lot of comments, especially on Facebook.http://unrehearsedadventure.blogspot.com/2010/05/…
So I would agree that opinion posts do stir the pot, so to speak.
My post today is just a fun one exposing my craziness.http://unrehearsedadventure.blogspot.com/2010/05/…
I find it harder to do opinion blogs. I think my recent post titled "Thamk you for boing a friend" could be considered an opinion blog. Here is today's post. http://ronniespoon.blogspot.com/2010/05/more-i-se…
Wow! What happened with my spelling yesterday?????? And my inability to correct it????? Ugh….