A Guest Post by Jessica Cortez
Many articles here on Successful-Blog have addressed the importance of guest blogging. Some have pointed out the advantages of getting your work and your name out there when you’re just starting out. Writing about topics you find interesting is a great writing motivator, too. And the instant feedback a guest blogger receives in comments is central to blogging and general writing improvement. These are all great reasons to go out there and knock on blog doors, asking for a place to stay and sit awhile.
But perhaps we can take a step back and ask ourselves a bigger question — What is the greatest motivator in any of life’s endeavors?
- Is it the promise of future career success?
- Praise from others or external assurance that what we are doing is in some way worthwhile?
- Money?
To be sure, these are all valid sources of inspiration. But what I’ve found is that the most successful people I know are those who are simply enjoying what they’re doing. In short, the greatest human motivator is an intrinsic sense of fun.
The logical next question, then, is how is guest blogging fun?
For one, writing a guest post is an inimitable opportunity to explore the mindset of a particular type of reader. Every blog has a specific audience, and by writing a guest post, you have to do some digging into each blog audience’s psyche. Read through the blog’s previous articles, especially the more popular ones, and imagine what kind of person reads the blog and finds value in it. This process in itself cultivates human empathy, a quality that can be beneficial to anyone’s life overall.
If you’re a blogger, you probably take an interest in the act of writing, too. And good guest bloggers not only take into account people, but they also take into account tone. Just as every audience has a particular mindset, every audience member also has a specific style of writing to which she responds best. Catering to this style enhances your flexibility as a writer.
Employing several different stylistic tones makes you more adept at the use of words. The exploration of writing voices is like a little puzzle in that you have to figure out which grouping of suitable, carefully selected words goes where. And the challenge inherent in solving any puzzle is what makes it fun.
Seen in this light, guest blogging may be more than just a chance to “spread the word,” as it were. It’s a dynamic form of communication that stretches and strengthens your social understanding and technical skill. While developing your personal blog is rewarding on so many of its own levels, guest writing presents unique challenges that even the most accomplished blogger should indulge in on occasion.
How might a go at guest blogging expand and extend the value of what you do?
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Jessica knows a think or two about understanding her audience. Why not comment on what she said?
Jessica Cortez writes on the topics of online degree programs. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: cortez dot jessi23 @ gmail.com.
–ME “Liz” Strauss
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