Watch To Listen To Some Simple Advice
Liking A Post Is Not The Same As Liking It Enough To Spark Communication
You write a post and you get a decent amount of upvotes. But you look at the comment section and all you hear is crickets. Sound familiar? Well if this is you, I have some simple advice that may help you as it has tremendously helped me.
Tip # 1: Pose Questions To Your Audience
It's understandable when you're writing to make the post all about you but the biggest thing to remember is that others are reading your content. Don't forget that. It is essential. Write as if you're talking face to face with your audience. This will help you create a post that engages the reader more. The reader would love to feel that they are well thought of, as they should be. So ask questions. Dig deep if you have to. Ask questions that you feel people can relate to. This is something that I always try to be mindful of and it has been a major reason why many people contribute in the comment section of my posts. Like So:
Tip # 2: Channel Raw Emotion
If you're angry then write. If you're depressed then write. If you're the happiest person on the block then write your heart out. If you are drunk....just kidding. No serious though. Learn to channel the emotions you may experience on any given day. I promise you this. Your emotions will speak for you. I have seen it work over and over in my posts. Learn to dissolve your ego and get over yourself. Remember others are depending on you to share something with them that can help them. Others can feel the weight of the emotion you write with.
Above all, be respectful and considerate of others. This is a very delicate balance and it will take repetition to figure out how to properly do this without disrespecting others. One thing I like to do is when I am feeling terrible or negative, I try to use it in a constructive way. This way, you and your audience will come away having a positive outlook even in the midst of a negative situation.
Tip # 3 Give, Give, Give, And When You Can't Give Anymore Keep Giving
You can never give enough. Whether people contribute or not, learn to develop a giving attitude. If you only give when others do something for you then you will limit your own growth. Of course The Art Of Reciprocity is an attitude we should have as well but just remember that giving without the expectation of receiving is a much higher way to live. Learn to do this with a genuine heart and you have set yourself on a path to be a human magnet.
So here are some helpful thoughts on how to give more:
- Be active and genuine in your comment section
- Read and comment on other people's posts
- Mention Steemians you like in your posts
- Upvote other people's articles and comments
Last Word
The most powerful aspect of Steemit is this. Contribution. The fact that we can give something is the single most compelling thing about publishing content here. Sure the upvotes we get for what we contribute is cool but nothing beats giving and sharing who you are in hopes to inspire or benefit others. If you keep this in mind, that this is more about what you can do for others than yourself, then you will do amazing things here for the Steemit community. Much love and peace to all of you.
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Interesting. I normally write like this, but for some reason Steemit makes me feel like I need to write articles that are more like essays. Less personal, less emotional. More factual.
I feel like on this platform people don't want to read a rambling blog post about what kind of butter you used on your toast today. They want information.
That said I've been doing this for a week and could be wrong. I'll try it your way. Upvoted.
I've seen short length posts do really well and long posts do well also. I don't think it's much about the length of your posts. It takes time to build a core audience. And sure tons of people want information.
I've learned to mix useful advice or information with things I enjoy talking about or doing.
Simple, fluff free... always good to hear it with no bullshit. Iv been trying to make a name in Instagram but it felt so superficial since there are too many bots and no real feedback. These platforms are game changers. Thanx for your insight and for sharing. Big things are happening.
I am not a good marketer. I just speak from the heart. I like to say Steemit is a social media platform with heart. YOu can just feel it when you first get here. It's just the Steemit culture.
Well put @humanearl!
Perhaps the single most powerful rule for living, no matter what your faith, is the simple question of what can I contribute here?
Our authentic and heartfelt voices matter, regardless of whether we are engaged in a prayer out of desperation, or giving thanks for something good that has come into our - or someone else's - life. And so contribution. The idea of reciprocity is something that takes care of itself; it simply happens, it is not something we solicit when we are being authentic and in a heart-centered place.
Bright Blessings!
So much truth here. I love talking about reciprocity because it helps people to open up their minds about money, giving, and just life in general.
I am an impulsive writer, i pour my hear out the most when the thought is still fresh and raw in my head. I have noticed that when i have an idea and postpond writting about it until later on, i dont not get the same inspiration , organized thought process and word flow as when i initially thought about it, so i totaly agree with u when u said "channel raw emotions".
I will continue giving giving giving and not expect much in return.
I feel the exact same way. My best posts have come from that raw emotion. It's best to capture it in the moment.
Relatable! I write the purest when i have an overwhelming feeling to just pour emotions onto pages. It is when people are most honest, with no inhibitions
This is some meaningful advice and wonderful to read. I'm a barely mediocre writer. But I'm also someone who really enjoys putting pen-to-page (or fingers-to-keyboard most of the time). So I can confirm that this post and posts like it are always great for the loneliness that sometimes comes with the pursuit.
When the text-cursor is blinking in your face on a blank white page you've been staring at, failing to transfer a single word from your mind into something concrete, it's easy to forget that (almost) all other writers, including and especially the best, experience the same inner conflict. That struggle to write something engaging and meaningful--to put something out into the world that people will want to both absorb and discuss.
It's comforting to be in the virtual company of people, like you, who publish great content and make it look easy, but who give reminders that what seems "natural" is actually just incredibly hard work, time, and toil.
I appreciate the work you put in to giving us something meaningful to take out. Thanks!
Yes it is very hard to do but it is not impossible. Like I said repetition. Muscle memory. You learn how to go to those dark or fluffy places in order to simply communicate. My writings begin as either impulse/raw emotion or prompts that I've found meaningful.
Writing from emotion is like catching lighting in a bottle. Once you get it you have to unleash it or else it may kill you so to speak. It's just too powerful to just hold on to.
I hear ya. I keep a notebook next to every place I sit so I can write down my ideas before I forget them.
Some great tips here, like gold to a newbie like me! :)
Welcome! I hope you find content that you like and that inspires you.
So far so good! :)
If you are drunk....just kidding
not kidding
Love Ernest Hemingway!! In my family, we have a saying: "half-kidding" !! People always say it's the real person you're seeing when they're drunk, so I believe real writing comes from real emotion. Like @humanearl says, 'channel raw emotion'... so true! Thank you to both of you because I've found two new people to follow here :) Cheers!
I forgot about this quote attributed to Hemingway until just now! (I don't think it really matters if he actually said this or if its just apocryphal, because he surely embodied the quote's spirit and I'm fairly sure that was to all humanity's benefit).
Years ago, there was a time before I had read enough of Papa's work to recognize his brilliance. As an obnoxiously arrogant college freshman I actually believed that because I had quickly read For Whom The Bell Tolls on time, I was an expert on Hemingway and could justifiably regard him as "middle-brow." (If I could go back in time I'd have a few things to...forcefully tell that snobby young version of myself).
So, being the "very unique" University First Year that I was, I decided that, obviously, I would show everyone that Hemingway wasn't nearly as clever as I.
"Reverse it," I told all my new friends who were already finding me overbearing enough to audibly groan when I approached them in the quad with my, "I have a paradigm shifting idea that will make you all very impressed with me so much that you won't be able to help but stroke my ego," face.
"Reverse Hemingway's advice and everything you write will be more interesting than Hills Like 'freakin' White Elephants," I said. (How haughty does a kid have to be to add an expletive infix like "freakin" to one of the greatest short stories of all time? I was abso-freakin-lutely the worst).
That afternoon I wrote the assignment for my English 101 class while I was stone-cold sober. It was as terrible as everything else I wrote, but probably passable enough to earn a solid, "B-" by our Professor, who was a notoriously kind grader.
Still, that evenining, thinking I had the solution to not only ace the assignment, but turn my scribbling into a piece of visionary literature, I proceeded to get completely obliterated on Cutty Sark before sitting down to "edit" my work.
I don't recall what happened that night, but was told by my roommates that at around midnight, I had ripped up the only copy of my assignment while babbling about "dialogism" and the superiority of the spoken word to the written. They then took me out to a bar (because they were both amazing and awful friends) and I ended up getting socked in the mouth by a defensive end on the football team.
As you can see, most of my flaws as an author remain into the present day. I'm still overly verbose, long-winded, and incapable of self-censoring on the fly.
But since that day I have never, ever edited anything after even a single drink.
And I still do most of my writing on about five fingers of Wild Turkey.
Speaking of...
Thanks for the inspiration to some amazing memories!
Yea now when I think of the couple of times I've been drunk, the emotions are much more raw. You speak your mind.
Thank you for your advice. I am very new on Steemit and it is very helpful to know how to express yourself, be creative and share inspirable thoughts with others. I just read a few posts in Steemit and I like the idea of Steemit community. Much love and peace to you to and thx again for all your thoughts :-)
It's important for us to build each other up and grow community. This is a big reason why I like Steemit.
This is simply how life should be!!!
You can never have too many friends. And what do you do for friends? You support them, you listen to them, you hang out with them, and you share interests.
If I reframe your advice, you are saying be a good friend! Love it :D
That's a great way of putting it!
@humanearl,
Bro I also following your tips in my articles. Sometimes one day you will read them, not good as yours but I am trying!
Tip # 1: Pose Questions To Your Audience
Yes I do! It helps me to find a good comments and spam comments. I am using it while rewarding people!
Tip # 2: Channel Raw Emotion
Yeah, I also doing it! My weakness is English, I am not fluent in this language :/ But again I am trying!
Tip # 3 Give, Give, Give, And When You Can't Give Anymore Keep Giving
I wish to do, but again we have to recharge! So, better we give until 80% and managing it!
The most powerful aspect of Steemit is this. Contribution. The fact that we can give something is the single most compelling thing about publishing content here.Hat off! This is great and this is why I am following you! Amazing thought bro and a great advice as well! Great article from you again bro!
Cheers~
Tip # 4 stay creative ;)
True that. So key
These are just things that worked for me. I found them to be the main reasons why you all comment on posts.
Hopefully this can help you out.