Becoming a better blogger - get over yourself

I'm a little behind in the blogging world; most of my new friends have already shared their favorite parts of the Bloggy Boot Camp Conference we went to this weekend. It was a lot of fun, I learned a lot and had a great time putting faces to the names of bloggers and twitter handles I've been following.


Just a smattering of the bloggers I met this weekend!

Here are my favorite tidbits of advice from the weekend - to be applied in any area of life.

From Jenny on the Spot, super blogger
* Be honest with yourself
* Ask for feedback
* Don't be too wordy
* For every ten tweets, make one about business, the other nine engaging
* Evaluate your stuff often - is it interesting to others?

From Carol Schiller, on how to write a pitch that doesn't suck.
* Figure out what you can do for the person/brand you are trying to pitch - chances are you are pitching to someone who just wants to keep their job
* Be the solution to their problem
* Tell them what you can offer that is unique
* Don't do something for free without at least getting a testimonial
* Be concise
* Be your own advocate
* Know your audience
* Give them closure when all is said and done

From Denae Handy (here too), on how to be a better writer
* Develop your voice
* Eliminate extraneous language
* Tighten up the structure
* If it sounds like writing, rewrite it
* Don't do it alone - having a cheering section can help you succeed

From Marlynn Schotland, graphic designer and social media entrepreneur
* Define your priorities and write them down
* Figure out how you spend your time - everything you do should tie back to your priorities
* Delegate
* Getting rid of the clutter in your house would eliminate 40% of your housework

My favorite favorite favorite line was this:

get over yourself

Hearing this in the context of the event really struck me, and I think I can apply it to any part of my life. Get over yourself ... meaning get over the things inside you that are holding you back. Don't be your own worst enemy. Embrace this life, love it, live it, own it.