This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.
You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.
Why do this?
- Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
- Because it will help you focus your own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.
The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.
To help you get started, here are a few questions:
- Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
- What topics do you think you’ll write about?
- Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
- If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?
You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.
Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.
When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.
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Published by Thompson Language Center
I was born... just kidding. As an English as a Second Language teacher for the Board of Education, I noticed there was little focus on students' listening and speaking skills. As these skills are critically important for immigrants, international business people, the hospitality, medical, manufacturing industries. I took on generating effective programs and materials for teaching English Listening and Speaking. 'English is Stupid, Students are Not' was my first book written in 2009 and rebranded in 2022 as English is Crazy. Originally the text book for my Speaking Canadian English course at Sheridan College, it is currently embraced in more than 60 countries world wide.
I became a language coach in 2012 and appreciate my affiliation with the International Language Coaching Association (ILCA) and served for many years on their Board of Directors.
In 2020, online education platform WizTango looked for a Pronunciation SME (Subject Matter Expert) and found me on LinkedIn. We created The Effective Communicator English course and deliver a specialized listening and speaking programs online using the Scandinavian Learning Circle model of experiential learning. Language Facilitator is the job description for the online platform. We also train ESL teachers and coaches how to effectively facilitate learning.
I have published six more books including the Backpacker's Guide to Teaching English series for laypeople to effectively coach immigrants in listening and speaking. When I'm long gone I'll be famous for 'How Do You Say?' the dictionary of expressions, pronunciation and spelling organized by main vowel sound. Many of my ESL teacher peers helped me with HDYS and it is brilliant.
Literacy took a back seat to ESL until COVID created the space I needed to finally turn my attention to reading and ABC Facilitated Reading is the culmination of a lifetime of teaching, coaching and facilitating experience. Those who learn differently and struggle to read finally have a logical, progressive, accountable approach to literacy that can be taught at home.
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