Patricia Harrelson

Bloggers everywhere having been posting resolutions for 2009 for over a week. This post–eleven days into the new year–and the lack of posts for about 8 weeks, decries the need for a writing resolution, or more specifically a blogging resolution.

I recently worked on the content for my friend Cherie’s business web sit–The Yoga Loft. I gave her a package with edited content for each page as well as suggestions about design. I also suggested that she revitalize her site’s blog and gave her a list of ideas to get her writing. It was a pretty good list, if I do say so myself. Here are the suggestions:

— Post at least once a week, preferably 3 times a week.

Write short posts, a paragraph is plenty.

Here are ideas about what to write:

·       Recommend a yoga related book you are reading;

·       Explain an insight you had from your reading;

·       Post a quote, like the ones you read in class, with a citation;

·       Write about the focus of your yoga instruction during a week;

·       Quote a student;

·       Post a link to an Internet site and explain why you think it is relevant;

·       Announce an upcoming yoga event, both ones you are going to and ones you wish you could attend;

·       Post a picture from class, name the student and describe what’s happening;

·       Discuss an insight you got from a piece of music, your kitties, a swim workout, your garden, etc.;

·       Write about a trip out of town, a visit to your mother, your nephew, a hike—especially when you have to cancel class, students want to know what you are up to.

·       Write about food, the co-op, your chicken’s eggs, the terrific meal you had at someone’s house or a restaurant;

·       Write about how eating effects your practice for better or worse;

·       Define terms;

·       Tell a story about when you were first learning yoga, something you learned from a teacher. Pass on the knowledge (story telling is the BEST tone for a blog);

·       Anytime you have the urge to send a message to several friends via email, consider posting it on your blog, even if you are simply forwarding a site, copy the link and explain why you think it’s important, interesting, or funny.

As I was reviewing the list with Cherie, I realized that it would behoove me to listen to my own advice. And though the list was for a yoga blog, it was easily adaptable for my own purposes.

But I still didn’t start posting on my blog again. Then I had one more idea.  I’d invite Cherie to be my blog buddy. I’d say:

“Let’s agree to post at least once a week. Then we can encourage/support/cajole/shame each other into posting regularly. What do you say Cherie? Are you game?”