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From: http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/001048.html
The House method
- Pick the most interesting, challenging and sexiest cases. Why settle for a post about chicken pox when you can write about Psuedo-Sarcosis secondary to an Anthrax infection? The mundane has been done. Over and over again. Think about your niche. How can you take the normal “How to Get Traffic” post and turn it on its head?
- No sensitive side here. The goal is to solve the case and not let the patient (post) die. No sparing of feelings allowed. Are there tough questions to ask in order to get to the root of the problem? Ask away. Ultimately you need to get to the answer so nothing is out of bounds.
- Follow a blogging strategy that you think is correct and give it your all. If the patient continues to deteriorate then re-think your strategy and change medications – but you better do it before the patient dies.
- Does a case have you stumped? Go visit the patient’s home. See what you can find that will clue you in. Translation: If you’re not sure which direction to go in your post, go visit the blogs of your readership and see what they are talking about, what their needs are and most importantly, what the commentators are saying.
- Surround yourself with knowledgeable staff. On the web, that’s easy. Experts abound. Use their experiences to help solve your case (write your blog post).
- Bounce theories off of your best friend. Surely you have a confidant? Even if you have no intention of paying attention to the advice, muse away at them. If your instincts are razor sharp, in the end you’ll both see that you were right.
- Have a House moment. There is always that moment when something casual is said in a conversation and an epiphany comes barreling down the road. Pay attention to the mundane for clues to help solve your case.
Love him or hate him, House is an awesome force. Add a few House methods to your treatment plan and your patients will probably do just fine.
What an interesting twist for a blog post! Cool. This is also good advice for magazine writers looking for THE feature article that will land them on the front page!
Regarding your first point — from a SEO perspective — I try to avoid topics that are really unique. I want surfers to find my blogs, and if I write about obscure things that nobody knows about, I won’t attract new readers (unless they’re the 2 people in 3 billion who are looking for X).
It’s hard to find the balance between writing what’s been done a gazillion times before, and writing about stuff that people will search for and find. Of course, it depends on your blog and how you want to attract readers.
Hey, have you given Tumblemoose a facelift? It looks great!
Laurie
Laurie PK´s last blog ..8 Tips for Maintaining More Than One Blog
Hi Laurie!
Finding that balance is very tough and after a really short time blogging it can be difficult to put a unique and fresh twist on articles for sure.
Yep, I’ve been doing a little “House-keeping” hehe. Thanks and I’m glad you like it!
George
George, LOL, this is a classic!
I love the edgy style you used to write this post. And the tips are dynamite. But they can also be taken humorously whenever they seem a bit too in-yer-face for some of us warm and fuzzy bloggers.
I’m not sure how many of these feisty tips I could put into practice, so I was glad to see I’m practicing at least one of them: the final tip about how something casual said in conversation becomes an epiphany barreling down on you. This happens to me all the time and I love it! I’ve got an entire folder full of ideas for blog posts that came to me in this fashion.
I do try to turn a topic on its head and see how to come at it from a different angle. So I guess, in my own way, I’m using Tip #1 as well. But I’m not always great at being controversial with it. I would rather be supportive and just get people to think.
Exactly what you’ve done with this post: got me to think. Brilliant use of the House method, Tumblemoose ;~)
milliverstravels´s last blog ..Kissing the Lucky Frog
Milli,
Thanks! I must confess to being WAY too much of a wimp to put some of these into play. Oddly enough, the epiphany moment seems to come quite often for me as well and is the one I use the most!
George
Ironically, in my online life I usually don’t display the sarcasm those who know me offline see. It seems like people take online statements so seriously or just plain don’t “get” when it’s meant to be sarcastic. Satire generally hits the web with a similar thud. I don’t want to come across hateful since I’m not really that way, and it gets tiresome putting winks and smiley faces after every double-edged comment.
Terry Heath´s last blog ..Goldilocks and the Three Personal Development Gurus
Wow Terry. That really is a flat panel handicap we have. I too use a lot of smileys and winkys just to make sure my meaning isn’t misconscrewed.
George
Hey George,
These are all great hints. Although I’m not a “House” watcher, my husband is.
I especially like your tip about paying attention to the mundane. There is where I get a lot of ideas.
Barbara Swafford´s last blog ..How To Keep Your Blog Alive When Life Calls
Hi Barbara,
I know I have a hard time trying to make things interesting and staying out of the standard feed trough. For me, a stray thought turns into a blog post – just like this one!
George
Brilliant post George, love it when the dust in the darkened corners of my mind glints and shimmers in the beam of light someone shone through the cracks.
Dare I say it also helps to have a Wilson on hand; compassionate, forgiving bedside manner, yet incisive with the tough love to reflect our failings as mortals.
Terry – the scribe’s lament is a picture speaks a thousand words and the fact is us dominant aural types suffer because the majority of people are dominant kinaesthetic (visuals outnumber us too), which is why many don’t ‘get’ blog satire. Hugh Laurie’s four aces ability to convey his character’s inner torment with just a flicker of a cheek muscle or narrowing of the eye upon each cutting House-ism will always beat a blog full house. We the audience can forgive his worst traits accordingly, whereas all that’s achieved with the smiley-less word is arsey retorts. If we wanna even the score – at least until we feel we’re up there with the muses – maybe we ought to write with a straight face and insert a video clip for choice sarcasm!
Anyway, thanks for inspiring me. Cheers Michael
Michael Martin´s last blog ..The business plan: insider exposé
Helps if I engage eyesight before daring to suggest a Wilson-esque bounced confidant, huh, George?!
Michael Martin´s last blog ..The business plan: insider exposé
Hey Michael,
Thanks for dropping by. I love your style. Seen a few of your comments rolling around various places and you never fail to entertain.
A Wilson can be a true lifesaver sometimes. I recommend everyone get one.
George
Hi George,
Great post! I love House! He is a man after my own heart. Yes he has his problems but he is intense and I love it. It makes life seem more alive if you know what I mean.
The same goes for our writing. We need to make it more alive for it to be meaningful!
Cheers,
Jeremy
Jeremy Day´s last blog ..Well What Did You Expect?
Hey Jeremy,
For all of the things that you can say about House, he certainly does have passion for what he does. You’re right – passion makes our writing more meaningful and makes it come alive!
George
Great post (as always), George. Not what I was expecting when I clicked over. At school we had something we called the house organizer, used to help students write a response to a specific state assessment prompt, so I was thinking, “What would George in Alaska know about the house and what does it have to to with blogging?” LOL. Just goes to show the importance of keeping in mind background experience of readers. Cheers!
Linda704´s last blog ..Weekly Web Wanderings (weekly)
Hi Linda!
Great to see you here. That is a good reminder about frame of reference and reader perspective. Everyone has their own experiences to be sure.
Cheers!
George