Polish Your Blog Post In 15 Minutes (or less!)

Struggling with your business blog? Choose one of these exercises to make your post pop in 15 minutes or less. 

Having recently overcome a huge hump of writers' block, I have the utmost sympathy for anyone who's staring in front of a blank screen, willing the impossible words to flow from their fingers. But they're not the only people who are struggling with their blog! I suspect it's just as common to struggle to end your writing as it is to begin it. How do you call 'time; on an article that just doesn't seem to have the tone and design you dreamed of? Do you vow that 'done is better than perfect'? Do you swear that you'll quit after just one more arduous edit? Did you have an incredible vision in you mind, only to see weak words tumble around your screen?

One of the most challenging aspects of business blogging is being able to balance quality with efficiency. Where do you draw the line when your blog is the online voice of your brand, and yet real-life voices are clamoring for your limited time, energy, and attention? How do you make a post pop when you know it's not your best work - without neglecting the actual real work that drives your business?

Years ago, I heard of a workshop that was once offered at a conference I regularly attend. It was called "15 minutes to a better blog post" and the title is pretty self explanatory. So I'm afraid I can't take credit for the original idea but I'm keen to expand on it here! If you're struggling, stuck, and sucking up more time and energy than you should, here are some great ideas to make that post shine - and then send it to bed!

• Source three great photos that will help your post have more visual interest and really pop. I'm a fan of IvoryMix.com for free and reasonably priced stock photos with a modern, minimalist feel. That's their work above. 
• Email an expert with a request for a five question, five minute interview. Quotes and varied sources always make for an interesting read.
• Clean up your formatting to enhance the reader's experience. Organized blog posts that flow well ALWAYS make for a compelling read, even if the subject matter is challenging. Make sure your readers see you as a rich resource for industry information and conclude each post with three outside links for additional relevant information. 
• Swap posts with a colleague or friend. A fresh set of eyes can work absolute wonders for catching spelling mistakes and pointing out weak spots in an argument. 
• Challenge yourself. Find three sentences to make shorter and three to make longer. Is your argument strengthened when you make your thoughts more succinct or when you elaborate on your ideas?
• Cut the "wee words".  See if you can eliminate half of all "and" & "buts" from your post.  Sentence flow is often improved when filler words are eliminated. ​

• Good writing sounds like music. Read your work aloud to catch (and change) awkward phrasing and repetitive words. My lazy word is "awesome". Which is NOT awesome! What's yours?

​Blog writing is sometimes easier said than done but with these exercises by your side, you can feel absolutely confident that you'll be on your way to a much improved post in the time it takes for a coffee break. You're going to love the finished results!