How to be a Better (Food) Blogger

http://youtu.be/GJRwPlPCD14

If you have a blog -- or are thinking about starting one -- there's some valuable advice for you here. It's a recording of a Google+ Hangout involving several established food writers that happened earlier this month. The hour and a half long discussion amounts to a free blog-writing workshop -- and it's not just advice for writers of the foodie variety. There's a lot of general advice here that will be useful to bloggers of all kinds.

Some highlights:

• Think fiction, write non-fiction

• Tell stories with character, plot and conflict whenever possible

• The more specific you get, the more universally appealing your post will be

• Don't underestimate the importance of a strong headline

• Skip the throat-clearing and capture the essence of your headline in your lead

• Stick to one or two main points per post

• Take the time to find your blogging voice and be consistent with it

One of the participants in the chat, food writer and editor Dianne Jacob, also wrote a blog post about the experience. She has some interesting things to say about the potential uses for Google+ Hangout as a money-making tool for bloggers and teachers.

(Thanks to @dongenova for the links.)

Got any blogging tips to offer? Please share them in the comments section!