Today’s assignment: build your storyteller’s toolbox by publishing a post in another format or a style you’ve never used before.
When we think of a blog post, many of us think of a few paragraphs of text. A blog post can be anything, though: a quote, a small gallery of photos, a song or video, some brief text, or any combination.
Today’s assignment: build your storyteller’s toolbox by publishing a post in another format or a style you’ve never used before.
Why?
- Understanding the breadth of tools available to you as a blogger helps you tell your story more effectively.
- Adding variety to your blog keeps readers (and you!) interested to see what will come next.
When you wrote to your Dream Reader, we loved seeing you explore new ways to express yourselves, from photos to poetry to Q&As. Now, let’s continue to push the boundaries to see what we can learn by trying a new post format or another new style.
Not sure if your theme supports Post Formats? Here’s a complete list of WordPress.com themes that support Post Formats.
Some of you are using themes that support Post Formats. Post Formats are a way to display different types of posts — text, images, galleries, videos, quotes, links, audio, chat, status, and short snippets called “asides” — with unique formatting to add fun, distinguishing touches. It doesn’t require any coding or graphic design expertise. Your theme does all the work based on the format you choose.
Depending on your theme, a post format might be obvious and bold, or just have a subtle touch or two. For examples of how different themes interpret Post Formats, take a peek at how they display in the Elemin, Writr, Twenty Thirteen, and Flounder themes.
If you’ve never used Post Formats before, this explanation will tell you everything you need to know.
Although choosing a Post Format will add its design to your post, it doesn’t limit your content — you can put text in an image post, an audio embed in a quote, or a gallery with your status.
If your theme doesn’t support Post Formats or you’d rather not use them, write a post in a new-to-you style.
- If you normally post longer pieces, try a one-sentence aside, or embed a video with a short comment.
- If you’re a photoblogger, post a link or embed an audio file, or try simply writing a story to accompany your photo and give it more context.
- If you normally post shorter musings, try something longer form, or try putting together a photo essay.
The more communication tools you’re comfortable with, the more ways you have to get your point across.
You can also interpret this assignment more broadly, and just try something new. Write a poem. Try some short fiction. Give phoneography a try. Post something that’s outside your usual posting M.O. — it’s a great way to stretch yourself as a blogger and generate new ideas.
We look forward to seeing you shake things up today! If you’re unsure, find support in The Commons.
ok, strongly agree with you…
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Sounds good.
Made a short post, acompanied by a link to a cartoon.
The post is in Portuguese, but the cartoon story is in English.
Hope you pass by!
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Do share the link to the post you’re referring to — it makes it easier for others to find your work for this particular prompt!
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Thanks, Cheri!
I thought my username would be clickable, forwarding to my blog, but I was wrong!
Well, here you go
http://lucaspalhao.wordpress.com/2014/10/01/como-fazer-ciencia-revisitado/
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If you think about new format you may choose a gallery. If you think about pictures to post you may opt for travel. But among all the 1000000 of travel pictures you will always pick up VENICE http://tantoverde.wordpress.com/2014/10/02/the-every-day-venice/
The pictures of this beautiful city. Very useful task, I had no idea how to make galleries before
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Love this exercise, haven’t had the courage to post in a different style yet, still working up the courage and knowledge to post in audio format (podcast style). Anyone know any themes that are best suited for this format?
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This chart summarizes the types of Post Formats
on certain themes in the Theme Showcase.
There are also themes made especially for audio and music, like Soundcheck (a premium theme), though I don’t think that’s what you need.
Ultimately, though, I think audio can be displayed on any theme — I personally used to record my older blog posts on Soundcloud, and then embedding that file into my post. It worked pretty well, it was free, and it didn’t require I change my theme 🙂
Have fun!
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Soundcloud!! Why didn’t I think of that?! Brilliant, thank you 🙂
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Late posting so I didn’t fully commit to a new theme but I plan too. I did however commit to a new format, inspired by the hemes for shorter posts. My blogs lately have been SO wordy so I took a recurring feature I do and made my “WWW” post to mostly speak for itself. I tried to let the images and quotes do the talking instead of commenting on them as I have been.
http://somealphabetsoup.wordpress.com/2014/10/01/womans-words-wednesday-battling-the-breast-bomb/
My next goal is to be happy with just a picture or just an aside, because I get inspired to do them all the time but brevity isn’t my strength (clearly) and I worry I should say or explain more.
Love the feedback. Love reading your posts.
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When I started my blog a few weeks ago it was a huge leap outside of my comfort zone. Posting in a new format will take me even farther from center, and I look forward to it. I just posted a piece today that I want to stay front and center for now, but I will work on this next time around!
http://fillyourownglass.wordpress.com/2014/10/01/baby-girl-you-look-fine/
Thank you for all of your hard work in expanding our blogging knowledge!
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I meant to tell you how much I enjoyed reading this piece. I’ll go comment on your blog.
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https://stylepath14.wordpress.com/2014/10/02/melourne-spring-fashion-week-2014/
I tried including much more pictures than I usually do! Please have a look guys and leave any suggestions for my next post! 🙂
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https://stylepath14.wordpress.com/2014/10/02/melourne-spring-fashion-week-2014/
I tried a different style of writing! Please do have a look guys!
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Very cool! Love the photos! Just check the spelling of Melbourne in your Header…:)
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Yaay!! I did my first short post and I put pictures. I think I enjoy using pictures haha. Just expressed my fondness for my favorite band. 🙂
boigrowingup.wordpress.com
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I used a quote format and had to change my theme. I’m digging it so far.
http://amberamulets.wordpress.com/2014/10/02/always-remember/
Thoughts? Comments? Thanks for viewing…
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I like the format, that you have a quote, then image, then your text. I would love a bigger image, and your end quote is MIA. Otherwise, very nice. 😉
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Thank you! I don’t know what that beginning quote watermark is..I can’t get rid of it now. I chose the “quote” post format and it put it in there. I think it’s just meant to be an image but now it looks odd. Anyway, I made the picture bigger. Thank you again for your valued feedback!
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I could not decide of this post had to be an aside or not, so instead I made it a regular post.
What do you guys think?
http://gnomy7.wordpress.com/2014/10/02/an-open-letter-to-rain/
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Here you go. Awaiting your thoughts?https://wordpress.com/read/post/id/70605492/26/
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Just a note: the link you shared goes to the view of your post in the Reader, which is totally fine, although if you’d like people to visit the post on your blog itself, give them this link instead 🙂
http://framingmemoriesblog.wordpress.com/2014/10/02/remembering-beatles-farm/
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Well, I learned something new! Phoneography is a thing! I don’t have a phone, but all my photos come from my iPad. Plugging in and downloading photos from a real camera is a major barrier for me and something I never do. With 2 kids underfoot, there’s no time for that. So I snap and go!
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It’s good when you change your posting style. Gives your readers a new breath of fresh air and a glimpse into a side of you they never perceived before
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Good to hear!
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this is what i could come up with for the assignment. hope you able to read and i am open to all comments thank you. http://thabori.wordpress.com/2014/10/02/in-a-taxi-post/
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Ok, so I tried something different for once. The old blogs I had usually contain a whole long narrative of my daily life, but now I am focusing more on certain moments that I think is worth delve into about. And hence, the several quotations.
Please, please look into my posts and give me suggestions to how I can improve my writing!
Cheers!
http://www.deepmarvel.wordpress.com
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I really liked both your post and your blog’s looks/feel 🙂
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My very first attempt on blogging http://lyfz.wordpress.com/2014/10/01/history-loved-or-unloved-qaitbay-castle-in-alexandria-egypt/
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Hi all, as today’s assignment I have decided to post the link to an old post of mine here, as I think I need some help with it. It is in an unusual format (for me!), as the way I did it was sharing a link which I then expanded to an article. The title of the post took the name of the link I shared, regardless of my own title – which I was surprised at. It has now disappeared entirely – really weird! If any of you are experienced in this types of posts, maybe you can give me an idea where I am going wrong?? Anyway, it is a post I did for fun, so enjoy (I hope)!
http://notanothertallblog.com/2014/05/24/tallest-actors-in-hollywood/
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Thank you for the reminder!
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I typically post short prose, poems and musings that include visuals so I went for a gallery made of covers of some of my favourite books: http://jelenakovacevic.wordpress.com/2014/10/02/tell-me-what-you-read/
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My newest post was more personal than any of the previous ones. While all my posts consists of some deep thought or opinion that I hold, this new one contained my plans for the future. Hopeful plans for the future that is. I also chose to embed a video and a link to shake things up even more.
Overall, I’m pretty pleased with the turn out of the post.
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My post today = 95% photos, 5% words. I typically go for the wordy posts. I had to restrain myself from writing more than 2 sentences. Ha! Change is hard for me. I played with editing photos on picmonkey.com… lame or cool? Would love the feedback 🙂
http://watermovesme.wordpress.com/2014/10/02/just-add-water/
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I just posted photos of my outfit:
http://goodnightsleepwrite.com/2014/10/02/box-cut
I usually write, but I kept it super short today. Not sure how to do a gallery…
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I recently published a post in gallery format, which is here: http://byswav.com/2014/09/23/photo-journey-sicily-in-18-photos/ and by the way formats… is any one of them better for publicize specific content on the internet incl. wordpress reader ?
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I wrote a new post. But i’ve done it in a way that in my days of blogging I have not done yet. It’s controversial so read it with a discerning eye please.
http://franzical.wordpress.com/2014/10/02/were-all-hypocrites/
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This is a good challenge! I usually love to explain everything. Here’s something short and sweet combining “just an update” in the gallery format.
http://smilinginsonoma.wordpress.com/2014/10/02/tbt/
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Celebration time 🙂 was the image left intentionally small?
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so very true
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I usually don’t post pictures, or at least not unless they are a part of a written post. Today I posted a pictures…and I posted using the android app instead of my laptop! Two new things for me! You can find it here: http://corinajoyc.wordpress.com/2014/10/03/today-i-saw/
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Oh I like that!! Short and sweet 🙂 you should make it a regular feature 🙂
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Thanks for these tips!
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i like teens
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