Dynamo? Oh Wow!
Sure, Dawud, put me on the spot, why don’t you? . . .
Have you read, Dawud’s latest one-2-one post? He answers the question, Are You Having A Conversation With Your Niche Audience? and he invites you to help him come to his best answer. The conversation in the comments brings up some fabulous thinking on the subject.
Then what does he do? He asks me (and you folks reading) about how I got to be a conversational dynamo. I sort of feel like I’ve been asked to explain what a great kisser I am — whether I am one or not.
His actual question was.
What’s helped you go from just being a writer on a blog to becoming a conversational dynamo?
I won’t waste your time, I’ll pretend like he knows what he’s saying. We all know I can talk and that there are a few comments here and there on my blog. So let’s start from that premise. What makes the conversation happen here? Am I a conversational dynamo or is it smoke and mirrors?
I vote for the second.
Conversation is two or more people talking together. I can talk all I want. That doesn’t mean anyone will listen. Does it? Some days, I feel pretty sure that no one does. So what makes it special when they do?
It’s got to be more than me. Of course, it is. I can only guess at the recipe, but here goes.
A Recipe to Be A Conversational Dynamo
- Write with one part heart. Put it out there open wide and let everyone see what it is you have to say. Don’t hedge your bets. Know that some days everyone will disagree and that all days some people will not see eye to eye. Be okay with that. Like them anyway. They’ll respect you for that.
- Then write with another part thinking mind. Offer it without fear and let folks know what you’ve learned lately about life and yourself. Don’t be stingy with your knowledge thinking that one day you’ll need to know more than someone else. People can tell when you’re holding out on them.
- Lavish it all with room for everyone you meet to be who they are, to come in and change your ideas, and expect them to be every bit their best. Hope they expect it of you.
- Welcome every person at the door. Call each one by name. Let every one of them know that you are glad he or she is here.
- Then after you make all of them feel at home, stop talking and listen.
- Stop talking and listen some more to each one individually.
- And care about what they say with your head and your heart.
That would be my recipe for becoming a conversational dynamo, if I were to guess how.
I leave you with this question for next week.
What do you do when suddenly no one seems to be paying attention to your blog?
If you’re reading this, I’d love to hear your answer in the comment box below.
–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!
One2One is a cross-blog conversation. Find the answer at dawud miracle on Monday. You can see the entire One-2-One Conversation series on the Successful Series page.
In Case You Missed It: Writing 06-13-07
