See also:
Blog Writing Intensive

Blog Writing

GUIDE TO NONFICTION COURSES
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Foundation
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Blog Writing

Blog Writing is a 6-week class, which includes a mixture of lectures and blog assignments. It’s for beginners or anyone who wants a refresher. Farther down, you can view a syllabus for this course.

Everyone and their cousins have (or had) a blog. But how many are well written? Truly interesting or entertaining or useful? Maintained on a regular basis? Enjoyed by a wide circle of people? Precious few.

The key is to write posts so good even total strangers will be drawn to your blog.

Here you will learn the specialized craft of writing blog content. Writing conversationally, but not sloppily. Writing concisely, but with just enough substance. Writing with structure, voice, credibility, and a point to each post.

Whether you’re blogging for a business, to establish yourself in a field, or just to spread your creative wings, we’ll show you how to win over readers on a recurring basis.

About Blog Writing
Blog Writing

It was so useful to learn different blogging techniques and to get feedback from others. And the other students were really inspiring; they made me want to be more open in my writing.

Melissa Hsiung

product manager

Notes

This course focuses on writing for blogs. For a broader look at blogging, consider our Blog Basics course.

Upcoming Classes

To ensure everyone's good health, students in NYC classes must provide proof of full Covid vaccinations (the initial series of Covid vaccines plus at least one booster). We will accept your Covid vaccine card (or a digital scan), a NY State Excelsior digital card, or another form of government-approved proof. We will contact you before class begins about showing us proof. Masks are encouraged, but not required. We'll provide masks for those who need them.

More Covid details

Price

Registration fee $25, paid once per term

6-Week

Syllabus

This course gives you a firm grounding in the craft of blog writing. Course components:
     Lectures
     Critique of blog posts (each student presenting work two times)

New York City/Zoom classes
The syllabus varies from teacher to teacher, term to term. Many topics will be similar to those covered in the Online classes.

Online classes 
Week 1
Concept: What is blog writing? Types of blog posts—personal experience, opinion, reviews, advice, news/updates. Focusing your blog—concept, audience, uniqueness, posts. Company blogs.

Week 2
Point: The importance of a point to each post. Finding a fresh or interesting point. Ways to make your point. Creating effective headlines.

Week 3
Structure: Types of structure—inverted pyramid, feature article, list, story, other options. Creating effective openings. Planning a post.

Week 4
Voice: Defining and achieving voice. Exploring various voices. Stylistic tips—rhythm, verbs, interesting words, senses, emphasis. Smartness and sarcasm.

Week 5
Credibility: The difference between subjective and objective obligations. Reliability—accuracy, provability, specificity. Using revision to achieve professionalism. Making your case on the About page. Transparency about payments.

Week 6
Aside From Writing: Visuals—graphics and site design. Commitment—planning and sticking to it. Audience—spreading the word and interacting with your audience. Money—ways to make money with a blog

Note: Content may vary among individual classes.

Teachers

Julie Zeilinger
Julie Zeilinger

Julie Zeilinger is the creator and founding editor of the blog The FBomb, which is now partnered with the Women’s Media Center as an international blog for socially conscious teens. She is the author of the nonfiction books A Little F’d Up: Why Feminism is Not a Dirty Word (Seal Press) and College 101: A Girl’s Guide to Freshman Year (Prufrock Press), and her nonfiction has appeared in Vox, Forbes, Marie Claire, CNN, and Billboard. She has worked as politics and issues editor at MTV News and as a staff writer for Mic.com. She holds a BA from Barnard College.

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