I am a 16 year veteran freelance newspaper journalist and columnist, and I have just discovered Steemit. The platform's combination of gamification, micro-payments and innovative blockchain structure is very impressive. But as a newcomer I have been struck by the rather patchy quality of some of the content. And by quality I don't just mean content per se, but also entertainment. Steemit needs to be a fun and useful place to visit, even if you earn no rewards as a result.
Anyhoo, as part of my attempt to help - and test out the system as a user -I thought I would offer my top 5 tips on how to improve post writing. So here we go.
1. Select your topics carefully. The easy option is to write about Steemit, as that seems to be a topic the Whales (horrible term) encourage. But that may be changing. So change yourself too. Pick out subjects you know, but more importantly, are passionate about. And don't obsess about looking cool, write from the heart.
Top Tip:
Anticipate the trend and pick topics which add value to people's lives. Expert advice, tutorials, how-tos, things that help people save money, save time or improve their lives in some other way. Make 'em laugh, or make them go 'ooh'. Preferably both.
2. Research. Once you have selected your topic, spend some valuable time doing research. Even if you're an expert, there's always something new you can find out. Nobody's expecting a dissertation, but some good solid facts and references to back up your main points are going to make you look good. Which will attract readers.
Top Tip:
I use a combination of Google Keep (https://keep.google.com/) and Sandstorm.io to store my thoughts and research material. As well as a huge bookmarks library backed up by Xmarks.com.
3. Proofread. The amount of posts which are poorly proofread is staggering. I know that many writers here do not enjoy English as a first language, but even so, it's not difficult to run your words through a basic grammar and spell checker to pick out the worst culprits.
Top Tip:
One of the best free checkers for Windows is the Ginger Grammar Checker (http://www.gingersoftware.com/grammarcheck) which - apart from having the most annoying installation routine in history - is actually rather good at picking up mistakes.
4. Keep it brief. One of the first things I learned when I started writing professionally all those years ago, is how to distil my words down to the bare minimum. People don't have time to wade through lots of fluff, and editors hate filler when they're paying by the word. So one of the main things you can do to make your writing stand out is edit out all the unnecessary. Seriously.
Top Tip:
One great tool for this is Hemingway (yes, with one m) at http://www.hemingwayapp.com/. Not only will it give you clues on your structure, but also guide you on readability, which is crucial. Even the best post in the world is useless if it's too long-winded for anyone to bother reading. Keep it simple, stupid.
5. Show heart. Finally, try to show yourself in your writing. If you enjoy writing as much as I do - I started writing at the age of 8 with a cheesy Sci-Fi story called T.H.E.M, The Helpers & Emissaries Of Mankind - then prove it in some way. Don't be afraid to throw in your particular sense of humour. If you're from Finland then people may not get it, but hey, your fellow deer hunters will. Experiment a little with your craft, don't be afraid to break a rule now and then, as long as it's not just a ghastly howler you missed. Nobody expects perfection, especially if your writing is fun to read.
Top Tip:
If you have trouble focusing for long enough to get your writing done, then try a specialist tool to see if it helps. Focus Booster (https://www.focusboosterapp.com/) for example, slices up your tasks into Pomodoro sized time chunks to help you concentrate. I've not used it, but there is a free version which you can use to keep your attention in the right place.
OK, that's it, just a few short tips to help out. I hope it's been useful. Steemit is a bold experiment in online participation, so every step will be a challenge. If we can all try and improve the quality of the content on here by even a small amount, then great things will be possible.
Now if you'll excuse me, I've just got to pop off to Hemingway and see if this post is halfway decent.
Pip pip!