Do you avoid opinion posts on your blog because you fear negative comments, hateful remarks, or lost readers? Here are 7 simple steps to help you share your opinions in a way that encourages thoughtful discussion and boosts readership:

1. Plan Your Approach

If you want your opinion to be taken seriously, say it in a way that does not require the rest of the world to be wrong. Take some time to outline your opinion and clearly define what you’d like your post to accomplish. If your topic is extremely controversial, write a series of posts based on the topic’s underlying arguments. For example, avoid a single post on gay marriage and instead write a series about the evolution of human rights, marriage, and civil liberties over time.

2. Warm Things Up

A great title that boldly alludes to the point of your post will make easy work of drawing in readers. If you write a post on gay marriage, “Proposition Nine: Putting Things Where They Don’t Belong” will warm things up nicely without revealing your position. A smart and interesting title lets readers know you really put some thought into the topic. If you can, optimize your title for sharing on Twitter by keeping it short (less than 90 characters).

3. Insert Carefully

Resist the temptation to make snarky remarks and ironic asides in your opinion posts. (Quickie Rule: If you put it in parentheses and laughed, it’s probably not something you want to include in your post.) Many readers avoid commenting on snarky posts because they’re worried about being attacked by the author. Approach your topic with thoughtful grace and your readers will gladly comment in the understanding that you’ll respond to their thoughts with similar care.

4. Move With Rhythm

Use the same writing voice and format you use with other posts on your blog. This lets your regular readers know you haven’t gone crazy while giving new readers a taste of what to expect from you in the future. Your readers have come to expect consistent quality from you. Give it to them.

5. Avoid Names

When writing an opinion post, you’ll invariably think of people you disagree with. No matter how caught up you get in the heady passion of your post, do not use names. Don’t mention, link, or even allude to them. Why? Using names in an opinion post makes you look like just another flame-baiter. A great opinion post doesn’t need flames to start a conversation. Don’t name names. Don’t link to the blogs by those names. Try not to even use the word “name” in your post. (okay, that might be a bit extreme.)

6. Finish At The Right Moment

Timing has a lot to do with the success of opinion posts. Before you post an opinion, ask yourself,

1. Are people currently discussing this topic? - A well-written post stating your opinion on Hittite marriage practices might be interesting to read but it won’t attract a lot of readers. Why? Because most of us haven’t thought about the Hittites recently! In fact, this might be the first time I’ve ever thought about them.
2. Is my post the right size? - In terms of opinion posts, short and thick (thoughtful, dense) is best. As soon as you’ve reached the final point on your outline, wrap things up promptly. (Quickie Rule: If it takes more than three minutes to read your post, many readers will move on instead of leaving a comment)

7. Enjoy Some “Pillow Talk”

At the end of your post, invite readers to respond by leaving a comment or sharing the post with some friends.When they respond, take note and act! Reply to comments, acknowledge as many social media remarks as possible and generally show gratefulness for any attention given to your post.Your readers will remember the positive interaction and be more likely to respond to your next post. (Quickie Rule: If you don’t have a comments policy on your blog, include a note at the end of your post stating what sort of behavior you’ll tolerate in the comments)

Sharing your opinion on a controversial topic presents a great opportunity for readers to learn more about you and where you stand on important issues. If you take the time to write a thoughtful post, most readers will appreciate it. The ones who don’t are usually just stopping by on their way to the next troll party.

Do you have any suggestions or tricks for handling controversy? I’m interested to know what you think. Thanks!

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photo: jj, pr

As I look to the right side of my screen, there’s a large blue button with the word “publish” on it. (I use Wordpress) Technically, I “publish” things when I hit that button. But does clicking on that blue button make me a published author? 

Over at FundsforWriters, I saw the following as part of one contest’s rules: 

“You are not eligible to enter and will be disqualified if you are a professional writer, such as a novelist, magazine, blogger or newspaper writer who writes books or articles for pay, or you have authored a work of fiction that has been published or is about to be published in exchange for payment.“ 

So if you have a little blog and decide to put adsense on it, if even one of your readers clicks on an ad, you’re a paid blogger and ineligible for this contest.

Most of the writers I know keep their blogs updated for community purposes. They vent about character development and the difficulty of navigating the publishing industry. They don’t consider the blog to be a published work beyond any obvious copyright issues. 

What do you think? Does having a blog constitute being “published” to the extent that it seems fair to bar a person with a blog from entering a contest? 

There are profitable blogs in existence built by authors with massive followings. But those blogs are, for the most part, an exception to the rule. Is there a breaking point between dabbling in blogging and making it a profession? Is there a number of readers or profit line that makes a blogger a pro? 

I’d like to know your thoughts.

photo: js

On February 18th, the New York Post published this cartoon: 

Initial statements from the Murdoch-owned paper declared that the cartoon was meant only to use a recent event involving a Chimpanzee attack in Conecticut to make a statement about the quality of recent legislation. 

But they missed out on the caveat that should come with “a picture is worth 1,000 words“: You don’t get to choose which 1,000 words viewers think of when they see your picture.

Many people immediately saw this:

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