BLOG: List

There's good reason why lists are so popular on the web: These posts are written in bite-sized, easy-to-digest chunks. They're enticing, and readers eat them up,

Start with a premise that can be seen in your title. Here are two different titles by two different students:

• Creativity: 5 Easy Ways to Tap into Your Unconscious, or


• Home Life: 7 Tips for Creating a Happier Home

Students need to abbreviate their blog title, put in a colon, and then create a title for this individual post.

After creating your premise, pick compelling items for your list, sticking to your premise. Start each item with averb, or action word, and keep the beginning of your items parallel. After you give the action, use follow-up sentences that tell
why
or
how
this should be or can be achieved.

So for instance, one way of "getting started" on the list for the first example about Creativity might be

1. 
   Set a timer, and write non-stop as fast as you can for three minutes.
   If you draw a blank at some point, just writethe, the, theuntil your mind fills in the blank with a word. Then circle recurring words or phrases, and do the exercise over again. (This numbered item tells
   how
   .)

Here's an list item from the second example about Home Life:

1. 
   Greet your husband at the door when he comes home from work, but then give him space. You and the children are the most important people in his life, and it will make him feel good to know you're overjoyed to see him, especially since he has been working hard. But then give him a few minutes to decompress. Don't tell him all your problems of the day, or hand over the baby right away. Give him a few minutes to relax and smell the dinner. Feeling good and knowing a good meal is just ahead will put him in the frame of mind to play with the kids. Remember, youwanthim to behappyto give YOU breathing room, too. (This numbered item tellswhy.)

Here are a few things to remember:

• Choose 5 to 7 items for your list.


• Write the numeral in the title (in other words, don't spell it out).


• Use numbers, not bullets, to create your list. (Use the Number icon above.)


• Start each item with averb, and keep the verb tense parallel. Put the first sentence in bold.


• This is not a "how-to"; you should be able to put your list itemsin any order.


• Insert a picture. (This time it must be in the initial blog.)


• After each point discussion, put whether it tells "why" or "how" in parenthesis.


• Start with a short introduction, and close with a pithy, final paragraph. (Put in parentheses the strategies--Hook and FI-- you used at the end of each of those paragraphs.) Also, don't forget to give some background information, or context, for your blog. You may do this in the introduction or a second paragraph before you get into your list.

And, of course, respond to 2 other blogs

P.S. # 1. If you are having a hard time coming up with a list, think about what you would write for a checklist. If you are blogging about real estate, for example, come up with a checklist for an open house. If you are into photography, write down your engagement session checklist to make sure you have all that you need for the perfect session. If you are blogging about camping with your family, write a family packing checklist. In your blog topic, take a common task and break it down into short, actionable items.

P.S. # 2. Good idea: You may want to devise a checklist for yourself to make sure you include all of the requirements for your submission.