So many people are working hard to improve experiences of care for and with people. We’d really value some blogs it’s a fairly painfree way of spreading your great work. Our friend and keen NHS supporter and fabulous blogger the Rev Richard Littledale who tweets as @RichardLittleda offers us some tips!
Blogs (literally Web logs) rose to prominence with the work of Iraqi writer Salam Abdulmunem (known as Salam Pax) writing during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. In the midst of turbulent times, his was a personal voice observing the conflict as it unfolded around him. His account gave shape and personality to a subject of enormous dimensions. Blogs still can.
A blog is an open space in which to share insights and reflection with the world. It has neither the weight of a book nor the restrictions of a published article with a strict deadline.
Be focused
You don’t need to be totally rigid on the subject matter of your blog – but people need to have a reasonable idea of what they will get each time they visit.
Be brief
Unless you are the best writer in the world (which I am not) a post which fills us more than one computer screen will not be read. This probably means no more then 200-300 words.
Be careful
Being careful is not the same things as being cautious. By all means blog about things which are contentious – but never blog angry or blog in a hurry. You will live to regret it, as I have done.
Be sociable
Take time to visit other people’s blogs – either in your area of interest or outside. Whenever you can, leave comments – and they will repay the compliment by visiting yours.
Be patient
Growing a blog audience takes time, but it will grow.
Be timely
Good times to post are 1pm (for a UK audience) and 6pm (for a USA audience)
Conversation
A blog post is more of a conversation piece than a finished product. Like any conversation – you may say things which you develop further, or even amend as the conversation progresses. There is no problem with this. Those of us who ‘think aloud’ may find that we write aloud in a blog – working it out as we go along.
Chaotic
I don’t really mean ‘chaotic’ but couldn’t think of a way to spell ‘ragged’ with a C! A good blog post reflects on your experience, asks the reader to share theirs and poses questions without feeling the need to be neatly sewn up and polished.
Contemporary
The best blogs stay close to their roots in Baghdad, and reflect on praxis, experience and events as they happen. If something blogworthy happens today, write about it today. You can always write another post with a further reflection tomorrow. Your readers will appreciate the freshness this brings.’
So please do get in touch so that this year in #ExpofCare week we can keep spreading the good stuff!
Thank you!
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