thejakers

I have a love-hate relationship with pithy layout.

You ever notice how people write like this a lot lately.

I’m talking about the one sentence paragraph.

To make a point.

Pithy layout.

I call it Rob Bell writing. And I understand its importance when it comes to online reading. It’s important to have scannable content in our day an age of information overload. But this morning I realized, as I scanned over some content that was probably pretty good and worthy of reading, that mostly scannable content allows me to move onto the next thing without really ingesting what I was just reading.

For instance, I came across this quote from Richard Gaffin on Justin Taylor’s blog this morning:

This is a helpful quote from Richard Gaffin, from his book By Faith, Not by Sight, p. 103:

The gospel is to the end of removing an absolute law-gospel antithesis in the life of the believer.

How so?

Briefly, apart from the gospel and outside of Christ the law is my enemy and condemns me.

Why?

Because God is my enemy and condemns me.

But with the gospel and in Christ, united to him by faith, the law is no longer my enemy but my friend.

Why?

Because now God is no longer my enemy but my friend, and the law, his will, the law in its moral core, as reflective of his character and of concerns eternally inherent in his own person and so of what pleases him, is now my friendly guide for life in fellowship with God.

There is actually some really deep stuff here in Gaffin’s quote, but to be honest, I missed it the first time around because of the way in which it was laid out. The short paragraphs engaged my brain’s training to start scanning the content for the point, when Gaffin was actually trying to build an argument. Personally, I think the content would read better and be more successfully ingested if it read like this:

The gospel is to the end of removing an absolute law-gospel antithesis in the life of the believer. How so? Briefly, apart from the gospel and outside of Christ the law is my enemy and condemns me. Why? Because God is my enemy and condemns me. But with the gospel and in Christ, united to him by faith, the law is no longer my enemy but my friend. Why? Because now God is no longer my enemy but my friend, and the law, his will, the law in its moral core, as reflective of his character and of concerns eternally inherent in his own person and so of what pleases him, is now my friendly guide for life in fellowship with God.

It’s harder to read that way…and well, that’s precisely the point. Don’t make material that is meant to be dwelt upon and turn it into material that can be easily ignored.

It may sound crazy, but layout is immensely important.

And that’s my point.

[Photo by Xavier Encinas]

Came across this new Beta version of OmmWriter, one of the most interesting word processing experiences I’ve ever come across. The program is currently free and designed to be totally immersive and to limit all distractions.

I’ve been using this tonight to write out some strategic planning ideas, and I’ve got to say, though I was initially skeptical, I’m actually really liking it.

Check out the promo video below, and give it a shot, even if just for the novelty of it all.

Ommwriter from Herraiz Soto on Vimeo.

As a writer, I should know better than to read Annie Dillard. She always makes me feel inferior. I leave you with this gem from her memoir, An American Childhood:

“The adult members of society adverted to the Bible unreasonably often. What arcana! Why did they spread this scandalous document before our eyes? If they had read it, I thought, they would have hid it. They didn’t recognize the vivid danger that we would, through repeated exposure, catch a case of its wild opposition to their world. Instead, they bade us study great chunks of it, and think about those chunks, and commit them to memory, and ignore them. By dipping us children in the Bible so often, they hoped, I think, to give our lives a serious tint, and to provide us with quaintly magnificent snatches of prayer to produce charms while, say, being mugged for our cash or jewels.”

So, we’re starting a regular blog rotation at Praxis Church. In anticipation, I wrote a primer on 10 tips that make for a great blog post. The following is the first draft, and I’m hoping for some feedback. Comment away.

Introduction

At Praxis Church, blogging is a key strategy for communicating our vision, values, thoughts, and ministries to our community. A simple definition of a blog would be an online post that communicates a message through some combination of words, pictures, and/or video. You can read a technical overview of a blog here.

As we gear up to launching an official blog rotation, I thought it would be appropriate to write a small primer on what makes a good blog post in the context of Praxis Church. The following are tips on how to write a great blog post that will engage our readers and further your ministry.

1. Be opinionated

It’s expected that a blog will express a strong opinion or thought. Strong opinions and thoughts generate reader interaction through comments, which furthers the possibility for an engaging conversation. Monitor the church blog, and feel free to engage our community in the comments section.

2. Clarity

Before you sit down to write, have your points thought out and logically ordered. Nothing loses a reader quicker than a lack of clarity in your writing. A blog that is written in a logical and efficient manner will increase its chance of being read.

3. Make it snappy

Most blog posts should hover around 500 words or so (you can see your word count on the bottom of most word processors). People don’t have time or patience to read much more than that online.

4. Layout is important

Reading on a computer is far more different than reading a printed document. Scanability is important. Try to order your blogs with sub-headlines, much like this document is laid out, and keep your paragraphs as lean as possible. Breaking up your post makes the blog more digestible for reading on a computer screen.

5. Bullet point lists

In the spirit of the last tip, whenever you make a list, use bullet points because:

• It makes it easier to read
• Creates better scanability
• Draws the reader’s attention
• Is a good practice

See how much better that is than: It makes it easier to read, creates better scanability, draws the reader’s attention, and is a good practice?

6. Edit your blog post

Make sure to edit your grammar and spelling. Taking the extra time and effort to ensure a well-written post will benefit our readers and show them that we care. Have someone proofread your post as well.

7. Keep it simple

While it may be fun to write in a flowery or academic style, no one wants to read that in a blog post. Keep your writing style simple and direct. Also, consider the jargon and lingo you use. Will someone who is not a Christian or a member at Praxis Church understand what you’re saying? Frame your words in the perspective of a person new to Christ and the church.

8. Make it personal

Readers respond well to stories that illustrate your points effectively and that communicate your personality and experiences. Part of our blog strategy is to provide a connection for our 1,000 plus members to get to know their ministers and ministries on a personal level. Don’t be afraid to be real and open up.

9. Write a killer headline

Believe it or not, the headline is the most important part of your blog post. It captures a person’s attention and draws them into the body of your post. Ideally, your headline should contain the elements of your entire blog in one succinct sentence. Here is a great blog post on the importance of headlines: http://www.copyblogger.com/magnetic-headlines.

10. Link, and link some more.

Whenever possible, link to other articles and content on the Internet to create an interactive community and to allow readers to gain insight into your thought process. For instance I used this, this, and this to help write this document. If you need a tutorial on using hyperlinks, here is a great resource: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word/HA101659291033.aspx

Final Note

Have fun! If you enjoy blogging, that will shine through in your writing.