Are You Interesting?

Copyblogger has some of the best articles on blogging. Here's another one that offers 21 ways to be interesting. This is how I scored on the interestometer:

1. Be Wrong: I'm very good at being wrong. So far so interesting.

2. Be Right: meaning be really good at something. I don't know if I am superior at anything. I know my strengths but I'm not necessarily the best in any of those areas. Not so interesting.

3. Communicate in ways others can't: I agree that many/most people do not like to write, can not write well, and do not want to write. But I don't see them in awe of my writing abilities either.

4. Do something (important): This is in the same neighborhood as #3. I think what I do is important---my life as a Christian, my role in my family, how I deal with people at both of my jobs...but does that qualify me as being interesting?

5. Surprise people: This is something I need to work on. At our teacher inservice, Allan Johnson told us not to get in a rut with the students. Do unexpected things to keep their interest. Keep their interest, hmmm...that probably has something to do with being interesting.

6. Make people laugh: I think I'm a funny person in real life but I'm not sure it translates to the blogging world. I mean to be a humorous writer, my blog address is ermabombeckwannabe.blogspot.com.

7. Offer them an aspirin: or solve a problem. Maybe that was why Dear Abby was so popular. It would be fun to write a column like that. I have three newsletters, maybe I could try a help column in one of them.

8. Show a (half) naked woman: No matter how interesting a half naked woman may be, I will never put one on my blog to be interesting, or for any other reason.

9. Tell them who they are: like Steve Pavlina does with his blog, Personal Development for Smart People. I feel smarter and more interested in him just telling you about his blog.

10. Predict the Future: I'm not very good at looking at trends and then predicting what will happen. I'm always surprised by the future. I guess the future is interesting to me.

11. Unleash your Inner Dork: All right! Something I'm good at and something I enjoy. and who knew it made me interesting!?!

12. Be courageous: That is contrary to my nature. I am a peacemaker, I want everyone to feel good and be happy. I probably won't forge ahead, making waves and making a point. Back to being dull.

13. Be startlingly honest: meaning write blog posts that blow people away. They can't even believe you wrote that. I've read and admired people who tell a difficult story honestly. It is an admirable quality, one that I don't have.

14. Be irreverent: make fun of what others hold dear. Not me! I respect people and won't belittle their beliefs. Do unto others...

15. Tell a good story: a really good story. I think my stories are interesting but I'm not sure others do. I do get some positive feedback, but not a lot.

16. Break an important piece of news: I could do that. I wonder how I could ever be the first one to know anything when I am totally out of the loop.

17. Disprove the proven: Wow! That sounds like yo have to be a scientist. I can see how it would get you a lot of attention. Exercise is not important to a healthy life style---I'll start working on that one.

18. Pick the perfect picture: This is so true. A picture is often the reason I stop to read a blog. The pictures are my favorite part of the Advent posts I've been reading. I wonder what picture would go good with this post.

19. Master the metaphor: Metaphors make interesting communication. Using one now would demonstrate how interesting I can be. Oh well.

20. Create a work of art: I most always spend time on my posts, writing, rewriting and polishing. I rarely post a first draft. You tell me, does that make them more interesting?

21. Put your reader first: This list should have been done in reverse order...and the number ONE way to be interesting is, "Put your reader first." This is something for me to mull over. I mostly write because I love to write. I hope that someone will like to read it (I can always count on my daughter). That's why letter writing is a good thing. Who doesn't enjoy reading a letter?

I fear my interestometer is reading rather low. I'll have to give this all some thought and decide if I want to be interesting or not. Stay tuned!

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