Writing Blogs with Confidence and Authority

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I thought about how to write my blog with confidence and authority. I’m fairly new to the world of blogging, considering blogging has been around since 1993.  But I’m no stranger to the world of web development, since I’ve been working in the industry for over 10 years.

Writing with Confidence

So how do I translate my confidence from my experience into my writting? Copyblogger has two great posts that I’m going to reference and then add some of my own observations. Before being able to write with authority, one has to be able to write with confidence first.  Here is an except from Copyblogger’s post called How to Write With Confidence:

1. Don’t take it personally.

Got a crappy comment on your blog saying what you’ve written stinks more than a dozen dead frogs in a bag of over-ripe stilton? Got a bad review that highlights the fatal flaw in your oh-so carefully constructed and carefully worded argument? …

2. You’ve gotta go from 0% to 100%.

To finish a writing project you’ve got to start with nothing and go all the way through until it’s finished. That sounds obvious (and I do have a remarkable grasp of the obvious), but it’s significant for one important reason …

3. Be ready to push yourself.

I’m sure I’m not the first one to draw a correlation between writing and giving birth. There are some big differences (writing doesn’t require stirrups, for one) but there are some important similarities – the pain, the wonder, the fear and the joy …

I’ve met a some great people at the last conference I went to who have been involved with social media and blogging for a longer time than me.  I feel a little inadequate when comparing myself to them, but I read in a post once that there is always someone who can learn from you.  This so true, and if you write with that in mind, your natural talent and expertise will find it’s way into your blog post.

Writing with Authority

Once you have confidence in your blogging, it’s important that you write with authority.  Not a pompus authority or a ‘know-it-all’ impression, but real authority.  Some of the people I consider authorities in their area are Jackob Nielson (usability), Noel-Levitz (recruitment), Chris Brogan (social media).  In a post called How to Write with Authority for a Loyalty-Starved Market, they say:

People naturally like others who are confident and sure of themselves. Writing with authority brings out an air of credibility and honesty that simply can’t be faked (at least not for long).

That is so true!  The same people I met at the conference last year, portrayed a sense of credibility and honesty and as I continue to follow them online, that remains true.  Copyblogger offers the following points:

1. Make Sure You Know Something Worth Sharing

If you feel even the slightest bit hesitant, oftentimes it will show in your writing through the words you choose.

2. Write Powerful Steps that Can Be Followed

Everyone wants some “proven method” or strategy that has worked before and nobody wants to look like a fool or have their decisions questioned.

3. Share Your Experience

Like I mentioned in my second paragraph, you want to make sure your readers know about your first-hand experience with the subject – either through a story or your own experience.

4. Follow Through with Your Promises

There’s nothing people hate more than a false or wanna-be authority. And people can spot a fake a mile away. No matter how stellar your writing.

5. Be Open to Feedback

No one knows everything. Stop struggling with what you don’t know and focus on what you do know.

These are just excerpts from Copyblogger, for the full post, visit the links above.

Here are some of my own observations of increasing confidence and authority:

1. Confidence through Compliments

When I’ve written a blog post and received compliments either through a comment or other method, it’s added to my confidence level.  We all love compliments, especially when these compliments come from our peers.  I have given my share of compliments when I’ve found a post that is really good.  Don’t give empty or hollow compliments, but I encourage you to give compliments when you honestly find a great post.

2. Practice, Practice, Practice

Like I’ve mentioned earlier, I’m fairly new to blogging.  But if you were to read my first few posts and you read some of my latest posts, I would hope that you would see an improvement.  Personally I feel more confident now in my blogging ability than when I first started.  So if you want to become more confident in you blogging ability, practice.  They say ‘practice makes perfect.‘

3. Research

I’m sure the Chris Brogan’s and Jakob Nielsen’s don’t spit out their blogs from thin air.  I’m sure a lot of the posts are from their observations, but I’m also sure that they are constantly staying current through research and participation.  If you want to increase in authority, stay on top of the trends.

Those two articles from Copyblogger have provided me some good points that I will apply to my blogging efforts.  I hope that those points combined with my observations will help you in your efforts with blogging.  Please let me know if this post has helped you, send a comment.

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