photo by Kugarth

We are trying to figure out a way to build a blog presence at the Queens Council on the Arts.

How do you create a great nonprofit blog?

So glad you asked.  As you know, I am a big Less is Less Stress person on all levels so here is what I think:

Curiously, or not at all.

Enthusiastically, or not at all.

Helpfully, or not at all.

Boldly, or not at all.

And most importantly…

Briefly.

A blog used as a place to push out a message or put up more information is a see saw with one kid.  Think of it as a conversation, argument, watercooler, and all of a sudden you are now a party in a playground.

I remember being taught to “show, don’t tell” in my writing classes.  In writing blog posts it is better to “share, don’t tell”.  If you really must go off on something, then “start up, don’t tell”.  The message here is that blogging is a dynamic, not a soap box and in this world, writers are readers are writers.

I like to think of myself as a salonista and my blog as a curated creative space.  My posts are dinner party questions that can start a chain reaction of responses, retorts, reprimands… you get the idea.  It is simply not good manners to talk too much.  I suggest saying something amazingly perceptive, letting the words hang in the air for everyone to marvel at and taking another sip of that wonderful cognac cradled in your hand.

Far more intriguing to provoke people than to preach.

When you sit down to write a post, a proposal, or a pitch, be brief and brilliant.  Oh, and leave a space for someone to become curious about you.  People have a window of about  a minute where you can capture their imagination before their focus fizzles so you need to inspire, and let them imagine.

Make it easy for people to want to respond to you.

Here’s an excerpt from a post by Fred Wilson who talks about less being more in inspiring an investor.

So when you sit down and build your pitch deck, think of six slides that will inspire and leave something for the imagination. The best part of six slides is that you will get through them in time to have a real substantive conversation face to face about your business. Imagine that.

Read the entire brief post here:  six slides

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Hoong Yee

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Thanks so much! I really appreciate your help.

Word of mouth is the best way to share, don’t you agree?