Online writing has changed the world of writing and what it means to be a good writer. Blogging allows anyone to write in any style about anything they want, and this has opened the door to new information and new ideas. But what makes a successful blog?
Multimodal
Blogs allow writers to integrate pictures, videos and links into their writing, and this adds a new dimension of understanding to readers. This allows writers to support their ideas with pictures or other online articles, and this creates communities around similar ideas. In Digital Writing Uprising: Third-order Thinking in the Digital Humanities, Morris explains “As our writing practices become more and more digital we discover that immense collaboration is possible.” By integrating others writing into your own, blogs allow information to be shared across a broader audience.
Design
One of the most important aspects of a good blog is a good design, one that is inviting to people, one that draws people in. This comes in the form of the pictures you use, to the font and placement of tabs. As Hosey said in Why We Love Beautiful Things. “Instinctively, we reach out for attractive things; beauty literally moves us.” Without a good design, even the best written blogs will be passed over.
Content and Emotion
Honesty in writing is hard, especially when posted to the Internet for anyone to read, but it makes for a really good blog. People are moved by passion and emotion in writing, and it will keep them checking back weekly. The best blogs tell a story, whether it be about your family, your struggles and triumphs in training for a marathon, to your world travels, people want to read an honest story they can follow.