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Writer’s block!

I had heard about the writer’s block. Didn’t exactly know what it was. But once I started blogging I could make out. I thought that the block is due to shortage of ideas. One does not know what to write. May be doesn’t have enough in mind to express.

But it is exactly the opposite I guess. Everyday I can think of so many articles to write. But I am not able to do so. Getting time is of course an issue. But more than that it is the block. I just can’t start.

And now, this is seeping into my profession as well. Of late my job involves writing proposals, creating presentations etc. I am facing the same here as well. Someone has rightly said. Well begun is half done!

But there’s one area where this hasn’t impacted me so far. And that is email. I can respond to emails almost instantly, no matter how complicated the response might get. There’s a twist though. Starting an email is tougher than responding to email. Responding is easier as someone has already started.

Nevertheless, starting emails is a lot easier than documents or presentations. Now here’s the secret. I’ve started starting blog posts, proposals, presentations etc. as emails. It is helping me tremendously.

That doesn’t mean you would see lot many posts from me. But this is making my life a hell lot easier.

When I thought through it today, I realized that emails have become more natural to us. Probably this is why the block doesn’t exist there!

How important is your blog post’s title?

Before you go on to read, just pause for a while and think what this post is all about just by reading the title.

Chances are:

  • If you are a techie, thoughts like SEO, page rank etc. will come to your mind.
  • If you are a business guy and all that stuff, chances are that catchy, positioning  etc. come to your mind.
  • And if you are somewhere in between (probably like me), then a mix of above would flash across.

Opps!  nothing came to your mind?  Go and relax! Probably you are quite tired.

So how important is the title anyway? I won’t write all about the catchy stuff, SEO and all that. It is pretty well covered on the web. Instead, I would like to share my own experience on this subject.

Almost two years ago, I wrote a post on getting Reebok and similar watches being offered as freebies, out of sheer frustration. While I chose the title carefully, little did I know that it would become the most read and most commented article on my blog. “free reebok watch” would show my article as the top result on Google search. You can read the post here. Go read some of the comments.

Before we move on, I would like to post some of my favorite comments on the post:

  • “hey I read this.
    Plz Please Plz….
    I also want watch, Plz give….
    I never won any gift from internet or any other way.
    So I request you please arrange only 1 watch for me….
    Thanku very much.”
  • “from reading your offer i think that this is a very nice service than any other else,so plz consider my coment and snd me instruction on my mobile from where i have to get my prize.
    Thank You!!!”
  • “send we 500 rupees i will send u 5 Rebook watches. i bought them in 80 rupees”
  • “hiii this is harsha i watch this and i want 2 won this rebook wrish watch and i didnot get any thing from u plzzzzzzzzz plzzzzzzzz plzzz offer this watch to me plzzz”
  • Thanks 4 a very fruitful advice …..n do cooperate me to have this damn bold n beautiful watch as soon as possible
  • Dear Sir I like this watch please sir send me this watch at my postle address Mian Ijaz Tahir C/o Al-habib Super Store College road Burewala District Vehari Punjab Pakistan I will wait for it thanks.

There are many, you could read on if you have time.

Now my most favorite ones from two gentlemen Nithul and Naveen:

  • “nithul the way u r wasting the money of public is horrible. if u donot have the capabilities to beat a company then dont blaff that they take the help of reebok. u know u are a stupid creature who are promoting this stupid blog with reebok”
  • “Saalo comment marne par tumhe kon watch dega ,
    ye sab sab ko pagal bana rahe hai…
    apni website ko advertise krna chate hai..
    and now finally i want to buy a reebok watch upto rs 200 ,,
    (reebok square model)..
    hai koi maai ka lal jo dila de..
    hai toh mail me at
    naveenyadav929@gmail.com
    i m waiting….”

Once in a while, I get these really funny comments, it just makes my day! That is the thrill of blogging.

Now coming back to our topic on the importance of title, I can’t emphasize on it more. The title is damn important! I think my post was really crisp to have people miss the following:

Update

hi everyone, thanks for your comments. This post was just meant to express how companies are attracting customers. I of course do not have these many watches to spare! I never expected so many people to comment !!!!!

Note that all comments posted above were received after posting the update. But I hardly think anyone read it (even though it is highlighted), else I shouldn’t have received the first set of comments. Keep in mind that commenting on a blog post is really rare! Those who blog  (and track) would know. Probably out of 250 people reading an article, one would comment. Given the fact that so many people have commented on this post asking for the watch, I can confidently say that they would have just read the title and possibly the first couple of lines.

In principle,  it is just the title which motivated the people to respond to my post. If they really read the entire post, the comments would have been different.

So next time when you write that blog post, remember that it is worth spending that extra minute to think about the title 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

8

Happy B’day iLog!

Happy Belated B’day iLog!!

Just realized that it has been over a year since iLog was born. 3rd. November 2008 to be precise. I missed the day, just as I miss other birthdays. Never mind, better late than never!.

Good to realize that I have been blogging for over a year now. Haven’t been very frequent though. I’ve ensured that I do post an article once-a-month at least. Blogging has been a rewarding experience I must say. It provides a new purpose. It provides an alternative way to express yourself. And not only that, it has been responsible for putting me into some good reading habits. Interestingly, reading <–> writing seem to form a cyclic pattern. Anyone who has ever though to blog, I sincerely suggest, start it now!!!

The year has been good for iLog. Though little, but there have been enough readers to encourage me to keep writing.

Now some facts. The following post accounts for more than 35% of the traffic on iLog:

Hibernate & Suspend Resolved | Ubuntu Gutsy-nVidia-Dell Vostro

Next come this with over 20% of the share:

The Home UPS/Inverter Buying Guide

It is quite satisfying that the articles actually helped some people resolve issues and take decisions. I hope I find time to put some more of them.

Finally, thanks to all who regularly drop by on iLog. Without readers, there is no incentive to continue blogging.