Beaux Arts in Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston, South Carolina was hit hard by the Civil War.  But in the ensuing years, it experienced a Renaissance.  The city saw a rebirth of literature, art and architecture.  The Beaux Arts architecture, popularized by the City Beautiful Movement, made its mark on the former Confederate city.  

The Library Society courtesy http://www.charlestoncitypaper.com/charleston/a-second-sunday-guide-to-king-street-architecture/Content?oid=4795805.

http://charlestonecorealtor.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/King-Street-Urban-Outfitters.jpg

Gibbes Museum of ARt courtesy https://carolinaartsnews.wordpress.com/2015/03/12/gibbes-museum-of-art-in-charleston-sc-presents-gibbes-on-the-street-may-7-2015/ 

Custom House courtesy https://www.pinterest.com/pin/498914464944533677/.

Bon Voyage: Writing a Travel Article is Part Craft, Part Art

"Writing a travel article is part craft, part art" says travel writer Martin Lee (http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/travel/travel_writing/how_to_write_perfect_travel_article.shtml).  Such a piece is classified as a feature, but it uses some of the traditional elements of a news story.  Martin suggests that you include two-thirds to three quarters of colourful description along with one-third to one-quarter facts.  It should answer the following questions early in the story: where, when, who, why, what and how.  At the same time, you want to give the piece a light and lively tone.

Martin Lee recommends that you adopt a clear writing style without affectation.  The reader should get a strong sense of your personality.  Set the scene by detailing the season, climate and topography of your destination.  Share your personal experiences and anecdotes using vivid reporting.  Provide meaty, practical, accurate information.  Include quotes from the locals.  Edit your work for high literary quality:  your grammar and syntax should be correct.

Examine the travel article from a fresh viewpoint.  Move from the familiar to the unfamaliar or foreign as you write.  Incorporate humour in your piece.  Share your mishaps which could serve as potential comic material.  Surprise your reader with unusual activities that you partake in or new people you meet.  Think like a reader.  What are your reader's travel aspirations?  What is on his or her bucket list?

Don't forget the big picture:  focus on a central theme which you introduce at the beginning and remind the reader about again at the end.

Courtney Carpenter (http://www.writersdigest.com/tip-of-the-day/breaking-into-travel-writing-the-5-elements-of-writing-travel-articles) recommends the following tips for a beginner travel writer:

1.  seek out travel publications
2.  no one starts at the top; find your own level and work your way up
3.  start with local newspapers & magazines, regional travel magazines & small publications
4.  don't give your work away for free;  if no fee is forthcoming, ask for a free subscription, free advertising or free print services

For more information, read Travel Writing:  See the World, Sell the Story (Peat O'Neil).

http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/travel/travel_writing/how_to_write_perfect_travel_article.shtml

Developping Good Blog Content

"For a blog to be successful, your content needs to be useful and unique to readers." (Darren Rowse)

You have found a blog niche, name, platform and design.  Now it's time to start developping your blog content.

Define Your Voice

According to Professional Blogging for Dummies (http://www.amazon.ca/Professional-Blogging-Dummies-Susan-Getgood/dp/0470601795) the first consideration you need to focus on is defining your voice.  What is your writing style?  How do you present your material?  Do you let your personality shine through in your writing?  Do you use the correct grammar and spelling?  Does your writing look professional?  How much do you want to share with your readers?  Do you want to include information about your spouse and children, or keep them out of your writing?  Do you want to invite guest bloggers to post?  If so, how will you keep their voice consistent with your own? These are questions you must consider in the early weeks of blogging.

Keep an Editorial Calendar

The second consideration is an editorial calendar.  Just as a magazine editor has a calendar to plan each upcoming issue, you need a plan for your blog, a "roadmap for your content" (Professional Blogging for Dummies).  Without a calendar, you have to start from scratch each day.  Even though I have had a successful blog for four and a half years, there were many days where I didn't know what to blog about.  I wasted a lot of time choosing a topic, often more time than I did writing.  Last year, I started grouping blog topics into days or even a week.  This year I am experimenting with a monthly topic.  I find myself looking forward to writing that much more because I already know what I'm writing about.

Professional Blogging for Dummies recommends filling in the following details in your editorial calendar for each post:

1.  date:  daily, weekly, biweekly, bimonthly, etc.

2.  type ex. narrative, essay, review (book, restaurant), opinion, podcast, promotion, news, recipe, roundup (top ten)

3.  topic:  divide blog into sections with tabs; my blog has three categories, history, home & writing

4.  author:  if you have guest bloggers

5.  art:  always include a picture or photograph; it catches the reader's eye ex. www.istockphoto.com or www.flickr.com

6.  media:  include a Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/?gl=CA) link or podcast

7.  deadline:  if you have guest bloggers

Don't forget to include a catchy title or headline.  You have only three seconds to catch the reader's attention before they move on to something else.  Also, include tags in your post to attract reader's who happen to google keywords from your post.

Invite Comments

The third consideration is comments for your blog, something recommended by experts.  If you don't have comments, your blog is simply a website.  You may choose to set up a system where you approve or disapprove the comments before they are officially posted.  You can restrict comments to stop profanity, negativity or HTML hyperlinks.  Some people aren't interested in engaging in dialogue but just want to promote their own blogs.  Some software programs allow you to pre-approve the first comment and then automatically approve any subsequent comments from that same blogger.  Post your policy somewhere on your blog so that readers know what your rules are regarding comments.

Add a Blogroll

Lastly, consider starting a blogroll to accompany your blog in a sidebar.  It is a good way to become part of the blogosphere community.  It also gives readers a sense of your taste and friends.  You may get discovered through a Google Alert.  Start with your favourite blogs, then influential blogs in your niche, then associations and affinity groups and then blogs dealing with complementary topics.  My blogroll includes a few history blogs, a few writing blogs and a few Christian blogs, a true reflection of my interests and values.

For more information, visit
http://www.problogger.net/archives/2006/02/18/writing-good-content/.