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Saturday, May 29, 2010 @ 11:51 PM

How to Write a Good Blog Post

One of the biggest dilemmas that many bloggers face nowadays is how to compose a blog post that attracts the reader's attention. Your basically fighting with one million other bloggers who are thinking along the same lines as you, but if you follow these seven steps in writing a good post you will definitely have a line of readers eagerly waiting to read your next post.

First, it's important to create a eye-grabbing title. A good title is one that will attract the readers attention the minute they enter your blog, it gives a sneak peak of what the content is going to be like and whether or not the readers will be interested to check it out. Just like a newspaper article, if the content in the article is really good but the title of it is just passe most likely it will not receive the due coverage it needs. Thus the first step to a good blog post is making killer headlines by coming up with a title that will grab your reader's attention.

Next, you must know what you are going to talk about. There is nothing more annoying than reading a blog post and trying to find out what the author is talking about when in honesty, the author does not even have an idea on what he/she is writing about. Have a good introduction, body and conclusion so that the reader will be able to read through the whole post with a good understanding of what your trying to convey to him/her and at the end of it all, he/she will have a better idea on the topic you are writing about.

Thirdly, you might feel like writing your blog post in a composition style like in primary or secondary school but please don't. You must get out of your old ways, your no longer writing to score a 4.0 GPA in school, rather your writing so as to create a relationship with your readers by conversing with them through your text. Write your blog post in a creative and engaging way so that when they read it, they will enjoy your text instead of racking their brains and trying to understand past all your profound words.

As soon as you understand that, be sure to grab your reader's attention by coming up with something entirely different from what they usually read. Good blog posts are those that are able to entice a reader's eyes before they actually start reading what your post is about. You usually only have less than five seconds to attract someone's attention, so in your introductory paragraph be sure to come up with a header that instantly, if not over the next few seconds, attract them to stay longer and read on.

Then, be sure to keep the attention sealed in by providing lots of details. Don't just skim through the post by adding in general knowledge about your topic, add in all the fine print that you can possibly add in. Most good blogs, if you look around often narrate to their readers up to the very last thing they do, such as them going to bed, in their blogs. It makes the readers feel as if they are a part of the blogger's life and makes them want to come back more to see into their world.

After you have written your post, be sure to wrap it up good. End the post simply, don't bombard it with large numbers and big words. This may end up confusing your readers, also be sure to add in your honest opinion at the end of it all, you can also ask them for their opinions. Readers love to be able to have a say in your blogs, it makes them feel as if they are writing the blog together with you and having a say in it too.

Finally, once you have finished all of it. Sit back and do a little magic, view through your post again and check for spelling errors. It's very embarrassing if you have written this amazing blog post only to have one of your readers point out a spelling mistake on a common word. Also, be sure to check for grammatical errors and whether or not the post looks good when published. If your blog post is going to be on something lengthy, consider adding in a photo or two so that it lightens up the mood and doesn't make the post look like another boring essay. You can also ask your good friends to help you check out your blog and let you know if there's anything extra they feel should be added into your already fabulous blog post.

To sum up, writing a good blog post can cause a lot of nerves inside your mind to burst. It may daunt you at first but if you follow the seven processes carefully, and if you keep following them you definitely will not have anymore problems conquering and eventually, writing good and wonderful blog posts that will attract thousands of readers that will come flocking to your blog daily.

Sunday, May 23, 2010 @ 7:20 AM

DTM 410 Introductory Paragraph

Falling in love with the right person can be a dilemma. Often at times, people make the wrong marriage choices and relationship decisions because they did not think through it carefully. They rush into commitment without first exploring if they really cherish each other and carelessly assume that the other person will satisfy all their desires. Having said that, not all marriages are meant to be wrong and preventing breakups is easy if one takes into consideration the five precautionary methods to a successful marriage.

Sunday, May 2, 2010 @ 7:46 AM

Hawaii vs Alaska by Happy Penguin Travel Agency (Nicolette, Melissa, Yan Fang, Tiffany)

(The reason why we have two topic sentences is because the first one was the confirmed one, but I actually emailed them a 2nd topic sentence 2 days ago which I thought was better and asked them to vote, however none of them responded so I'm not very sure if I should go with the first one or the second one, therefore I placed both in.)

Alaska and Hawaii are popular destinations for travel however you can differ which is a better deal by considering the following 3 points. OR One of the ways of deciding whether to go to Hawaii or Alaska is by comparing them based on their accommodations, climate and natural beauty. Firstly, based on accommodations, Alaska and Hawaii both provide bountifully in terms of the range of hotels. They have cheap budget motels for tourists who wish to live cheap, up to high luxurious hotels for tourists who prefer comfort in style. However in terms of service, Hawaii would definitely overtake Alaska in this field, whose service is rated only meager as compared to Hawaii who welcomes a larger number of tourists each year than Alaska does.

Next if climate is the concern of many tourists, they would indeed be glad to know that it hardly ever rains during the summer in Alaska which means that tourists can enjoy a sunny trip there without the fear of rain dampening their spirits. On the other hand, Hawaii rains heavily during the summer which means that tourists might not be as eager to visit it as they should. What brings both of them together though is that despite the stark differences in weather during the summer, both countries enjoy relatively breezy and cooling weather for most of the other seasons.

Lastly, the natural beauty of both countries are what draws most tourists there. For Alaska, Chugach Mountains and Mount McKinley, which is the highest mountain in North America are the most favored among tourists and nature lovers. But, if beaches are what you are looking for than Hawaii would definitely be your choicest pick. Hawaii are well known for their soft sand beaches and are among the best beaches in this world. What brings both of them together is that no matter which country you choose, you will definitely be spoiled for choice in the nature field.

In conclusion, if you are an allocentric traveller & more keen towards adventure, Alaska would be your dream choice. However, if you prefer serenity and a calmer setting, Hawaii would fit your needs perfectly

Sunday, April 18, 2010 @ 6:24 AM

For starters (Profile)

My name is Nicolette and I'm 19 years old & here is what makes me who i am. I've been home schooled through-out my secondary education & took private O Levels at BMC Academy (Dhoby Ghaut) in 2009. In some sense, you can say that I've never really been in public school much (except for part of my primary school education) so I never got a decent chance to get socially influenced/affected by certain vices during my era.

I was born, bred and raised in the same estate, in the same country ever since I could recollect anything. Nothing much has changed in my estate, except for the usual maintenance that goes on yearly and the arrival & departure of new/old shops. The only thing that stands out the most is that everyone grew older. The young kids 10 years ago are now poly graduates or are working to earn their living and the parents that housed them have more time to socialise around and participate in community activities. I no longer hear the sounds of bus horns and the sirens of kids voices echo in the morning, nor do I hear the reprimanding voices of parents or maids rushing the children up to the school bus. It is a bittersweet memory.

Currently I'm doing my Diploma for Tourism Management at Shatec Institutes, it's been a smashing time so far! My first week of school has officially ended & I'm now turning into the 2nd week. It has been a smooth, fast-paced journey thus far. I cannot say that I look forward to the journey to school everyday, since my location reigns in the north east & school is over in the west but what I do honestly enjoy is being able to watch the rising of the sun each morning when I take the MRT, and meeting my classmates at BB MRT to eat breakfast and walk to school.

Lectures are always rather interesting because I'm learning something new each and everyday I step into class. I don't regret taking tourism management over my other ambitions/aspirations. As the days goes on, I'm even more intrigued and motivated to study and learn more so that I can be fully equipped and prepared to slug it out in the working world when the time calls for it.

I considered other professions like taking up a diploma in arts at La Salle or NAFA since I enjoy photography and art so much, or learning psychology because I have this utter fascination in analyzing people's moves and studying how they came to that state, business because there's a widespread market for it or even majoring in the English language because it seems to be the only subject that makes the most sense to me (out of all the others I studied during my education). However in the end, I chose tourism management because I realised that it combines every interest that I have (I have ALOT of interests!) and enables me to learn as well as use it to educate/teach others when I start working.

I don't just want to learn something and not be able to put it into application, I really want to be able to share the glory and the wonderful handiwork of man and their knowledge because I feel like knowledge is something to be shared, not to be kept to oneself.

When it comes to other interests such as movies, music and books I have a deliriously long list to state. For movies, I thoroughly enjoy period films! Meaning films like Pride & Prejudice, The Duchess, Bridge to Terabithia (Okay I don't think that's a period film hmm) but basically films that touch into the golden age era where aristocracy & etiquette ruled. My dad has a big part to play in this, He's a movie/music junkie so he would introduce me to all the songs of his times, the movies and narrate to me what each of them was like, his analyzation on it. That's where I really picked up the love to enjoy good films, not necessarily top blockbuster movies but movies that had significance to them because of the era in which it was filmed in, or the relationships between the actors that were so inspirational and thought-provoking.

The same goes for books too, I particularly enjoy reading British author novels, especially Jane Austen. Her books are so cleverly written that I can never fathom how anyone could not adore her text, I don't really have specific adorations for authors but I usually read whatever catches my attention (or whenever friends bless me with a book). However, for both movies and books, I never touch sci-fiction or horror because I never understood why anyone could find pleasure in freaking themselves out watching horror films/books or reading mysteries/case-solving movies books.

Lastly, the most important/vital interest that almost every tween/teen/adult is indulged in: Music. I listen to almost every genre, ranging from Children of Bodom (Metal) to classical music, jazz (Norah Jones), or even Cantonese music (Sam Hui). I'm a Christian, so I really do love listening to worship music too (Hillsong, Delirious, MercyMe). I jump around, I don't listen much to rap because I feel like I'm listening to a fast-forwarded version of some one's conversation, nor do I listen to techno because it makes my head feel like it's in a blender (and it's swirling around constantly, even after the music stops). Yes, so technically I'm not really an all-rounder for music but I do know how to appreciate good music when it's played.

That's pretty much it! I hope after reading this, you'll have a better understanding of who I am :)

Adios!

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Saturday, May 29, 2010 @ 11:51 PM How to Write a Good Blog Post One of the biggest dilemmas that many bloggers face nowadays is how to compose a blog post that attracts the reader's attention. Your basically fighting with one million other bloggers who are thinking along the same lines as you, but if you follow these seven steps in writing a good post you will definitely have a line of readers eagerly waiting to read your next post. First, it's important to create a eye-grabbing title. A good title is one that will attract the readers attention the minute they enter your blog, it gives a sneak peak of what the content is going to be like and whether or not the readers will be interested to check it out. Just like a newspaper article, if the content in the article is really good but the title of it is just passe most likely it will not receive the due coverage it needs. Thus the first step to a good blog post is making killer headlines by coming up with a title that will grab your reader's attention. Next, you must know what you are going to talk about. There is nothing more annoying than reading a blog post and trying to find out what the author is talking about when in honesty, the author does not even have an idea on what he/she is writing about. Have a good introduction, body and conclusion so that the reader will be able to read through the whole post with a good understanding of what your trying to convey to him/her and at the end of it all, he/she will have a better idea on the topic you are writing about. Thirdly, you might feel like writing your blog post in a composition style like in primary or secondary school but please don't. You must get out of your old ways, your no longer writing to score a 4.0 GPA in school, rather your writing so as to create a relationship with your readers by conversing with them through your text. Write your blog post in a creative and engaging way so that when they read it, they will enjoy your text instead of racking their brains and trying to understand past all your profound words. As soon as you understand that, be sure to grab your reader's attention by coming up with something entirely different from what they usually read. Good blog posts are those that are able to entice a reader's eyes before they actually start reading what your post is about. You usually only have less than five seconds to attract someone's attention, so in your introductory paragraph be sure to come up with a header that instantly, if not over the next few seconds, attract them to stay longer and read on. Then, be sure to keep the attention sealed in by providing lots of details. Don't just skim through the post by adding in general knowledge about your topic, add in all the fine print that you can possibly add in. Most good blogs, if you look around often narrate to their readers up to the very last thing they do, such as them going to bed, in their blogs. It makes the readers feel as if they are a part of the blogger's life and makes them want to come back more to see into their world. After you have written your post, be sure to wrap it up good. End the post simply, don't bombard it with large numbers and big words. This may end up confusing your readers, also be sure to add in your honest opinion at the end of it all, you can also ask them for their opinions. Readers love to be able to have a say in your blogs, it makes them feel as if they are writing the blog together with you and having a say in it too. Finally, once you have finished all of it. Sit back and do a little magic, view through your post again and check for spelling errors. It's very embarrassing if you have written this amazing blog post only to have one of your readers point out a spelling mistake on a common word. Also, be sure to check for grammatical errors and whether or not the post looks good when published. If your blog post is going to be on something lengthy, consider adding in a photo or two so that it lightens up the mood and doesn't make the post look like another boring essay. You can also ask your good friends to help you check out your blog and let you know if there's anything extra they feel should be added into your already fabulous blog post. To sum up, writing a good blog post can cause a lot of nerves inside your mind to burst. It may daunt you at first but if you follow the seven processes carefully, and if you keep following them you definitely will not have anymore problems conquering and eventually, writing good and wonderful blog posts that will attract thousands of readers that will come flocking to your blog daily. back to top?
Sunday, May 23, 2010 @ 7:20 AM DTM 410 Introductory Paragraph Falling in love with the right person can be a dilemma. Often at times, people make the wrong marriage choices and relationship decisions because they did not think through it carefully. They rush into commitment without first exploring if they really cherish each other and carelessly assume that the other person will satisfy all their desires. Having said that, not all marriages are meant to be wrong and preventing breakups is easy if one takes into consideration the five precautionary methods to a successful marriage. back to top?
Sunday, May 2, 2010 @ 7:46 AM Hawaii vs Alaska by Happy Penguin Travel Agency (Nicolette, Melissa, Yan Fang, Tiffany) (The reason why we have two topic sentences is because the first one was the confirmed one, but I actually emailed them a 2nd topic sentence 2 days ago which I thought was better and asked them to vote, however none of them responded so I'm not very sure if I should go with the first one or the second one, therefore I placed both in.) Alaska and Hawaii are popular destinations for travel however you can differ which is a better deal by considering the following 3 points. OR One of the ways of deciding whether to go to Hawaii or Alaska is by comparing them based on their accommodations, climate and natural beauty. Firstly, based on accommodations, Alaska and Hawaii both provide bountifully in terms of the range of hotels. They have cheap budget motels for tourists who wish to live cheap, up to high luxurious hotels for tourists who prefer comfort in style. However in terms of service, Hawaii would definitely overtake Alaska in this field, whose service is rated only meager as compared to Hawaii who welcomes a larger number of tourists each year than Alaska does. Next if climate is the concern of many tourists, they would indeed be glad to know that it hardly ever rains during the summer in Alaska which means that tourists can enjoy a sunny trip there without the fear of rain dampening their spirits. On the other hand, Hawaii rains heavily during the summer which means that tourists might not be as eager to visit it as they should. What brings both of them together though is that despite the stark differences in weather during the summer, both countries enjoy relatively breezy and cooling weather for most of the other seasons. Lastly, the natural beauty of both countries are what draws most tourists there. For Alaska, Chugach Mountains and Mount McKinley, which is the highest mountain in North America are the most favored among tourists and nature lovers. But, if beaches are what you are looking for than Hawaii would definitely be your choicest pick. Hawaii are well known for their soft sand beaches and are among the best beaches in this world. What brings both of them together is that no matter which country you choose, you will definitely be spoiled for choice in the nature field. In conclusion, if you are an allocentric traveller & more keen towards adventure, Alaska would be your dream choice. However, if you prefer serenity and a calmer setting, Hawaii would fit your needs perfectly back to top?
Sunday, April 18, 2010 @ 6:24 AM For starters (Profile) My name is Nicolette and I'm 19 years old & here is what makes me who i am. I've been home schooled through-out my secondary education & took private O Levels at BMC Academy (Dhoby Ghaut) in 2009. In some sense, you can say that I've never really been in public school much (except for part of my primary school education) so I never got a decent chance to get socially influenced/affected by certain vices during my era. I was born, bred and raised in the same estate, in the same country ever since I could recollect anything. Nothing much has changed in my estate, except for the usual maintenance that goes on yearly and the arrival & departure of new/old shops. The only thing that stands out the most is that everyone grew older. The young kids 10 years ago are now poly graduates or are working to earn their living and the parents that housed them have more time to socialise around and participate in community activities. I no longer hear the sounds of bus horns and the sirens of kids voices echo in the morning, nor do I hear the reprimanding voices of parents or maids rushing the children up to the school bus. It is a bittersweet memory. Currently I'm doing my Diploma for Tourism Management at Shatec Institutes, it's been a smashing time so far! My first week of school has officially ended & I'm now turning into the 2nd week. It has been a smooth, fast-paced journey thus far. I cannot say that I look forward to the journey to school everyday, since my location reigns in the north east & school is over in the west but what I do honestly enjoy is being able to watch the rising of the sun each morning when I take the MRT, and meeting my classmates at BB MRT to eat breakfast and walk to school. Lectures are always rather interesting because I'm learning something new each and everyday I step into class. I don't regret taking tourism management over my other ambitions/aspirations. As the days goes on, I'm even more intrigued and motivated to study and learn more so that I can be fully equipped and prepared to slug it out in the working world when the time calls for it. I considered other professions like taking up a diploma in arts at La Salle or NAFA since I enjoy photography and art so much, or learning psychology because I have this utter fascination in analyzing people's moves and studying how they came to that state, business because there's a widespread market for it or even majoring in the English language because it seems to be the only subject that makes the most sense to me (out of all the others I studied during my education). However in the end, I chose tourism management because I realised that it combines every interest that I have (I have ALOT of interests!) and enables me to learn as well as use it to educate/teach others when I start working. I don't just want to learn something and not be able to put it into application, I really want to be able to share the glory and the wonderful handiwork of man and their knowledge because I feel like knowledge is something to be shared, not to be kept to oneself. When it comes to other interests such as movies, music and books I have a deliriously long list to state. For movies, I thoroughly enjoy period films! Meaning films like Pride & Prejudice, The Duchess, Bridge to Terabithia (Okay I don't think that's a period film hmm) but basically films that touch into the golden age era where aristocracy & etiquette ruled. My dad has a big part to play in this, He's a movie/music junkie so he would introduce me to all the songs of his times, the movies and narrate to me what each of them was like, his analyzation on it. That's where I really picked up the love to enjoy good films, not necessarily top blockbuster movies but movies that had significance to them because of the era in which it was filmed in, or the relationships between the actors that were so inspirational and thought-provoking. The same goes for books too, I particularly enjoy reading British author novels, especially Jane Austen. Her books are so cleverly written that I can never fathom how anyone could not adore her text, I don't really have specific adorations for authors but I usually read whatever catches my attention (or whenever friends bless me with a book). However, for both movies and books, I never touch sci-fiction or horror because I never understood why anyone could find pleasure in freaking themselves out watching horror films/books or reading mysteries/case-solving movies books. Lastly, the most important/vital interest that almost every tween/teen/adult is indulged in: Music. I listen to almost every genre, ranging from Children of Bodom (Metal) to classical music, jazz (Norah Jones), or even Cantonese music (Sam Hui). I'm a Christian, so I really do love listening to worship music too (Hillsong, Delirious, MercyMe). I jump around, I don't listen much to rap because I feel like I'm listening to a fast-forwarded version of some one's conversation, nor do I listen to techno because it makes my head feel like it's in a blender (and it's swirling around constantly, even after the music stops). Yes, so technically I'm not really an all-rounder for music but I do know how to appreciate good music when it's played. That's pretty much it! I hope after reading this, you'll have a better understanding of who I am :) Adios! back to top?

monthly archive April 2010 May 2010	recent entries How to Write a Good Blog Post DTM 410 Introductory Paragraph Hawaii vs Alaska by Happy Penguin Travel Agency (N... For starters (Profile)
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