How to write an epic blog post. And other social media DOHs.
by Stan Faryna
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What makes a blog post, epic?
It doesn’t take 10,000 – 100,000 – or one million (?) readers to make a blog post, EPIC.
In my pedestrian opinion, an epic blog post is a blog post that inspires at least ten people. It uplifts them. It takes them out of the ordinary – if only for a moment. It stirs them, fuels them, and it allows them to feel strongly about something – if only for a moment.
Like a bunker buster, an epic blog post blasts open hearts, minds, or souls to variations of the central theme of all things to be considered: the Beautiful, the Good, and the True.
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A Dime a Dozen?!
Epic blog posts, like nice ideas, are a dime a dozen. They come full of fluffy, dreamy stuff. It’s like magic. It’s like a helium-filled balloon, bobbing about cheerfully on a string or ribbon in our hand. And they almost promise to wisk us – up and away.
Let them go and they will rise. They rise -higher and higher. Unbounded by the gravity of our situation. They rise. Until you can’t see them anymore! They rise. Swallowed up into the sky.
But we’re still here. Where we are. Where we were.
For those who are honest with themselves, it may be sucksville. For others, it just here. And here, here is not epic. It’s not awesome enough for us. It’s not even amazing enough for us enough of the time. And, most of the time, that’s the problem of an epic blog post.
That’s the fail. Every time.
The epic blog post can’t lift us up. Not really. Not the author. Nor the reader. Perhaps, only in imagination. Or in spirit. But only for a moment because, after all, we live in our skin.
10,000 retweets and Facebook shares is just like that. At least – I don’t imagine that it’s any different.
That’s just not good enough for me. Is it for you?
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Can you be honest with yourself? Me?
These are the kind of questions that bloggers, social media people, and online strategists have to ask themselves if they are going to make headway in the new year. Unless you want more of the same old disappointment, delusional obsession, and – gasp – failure.
But don’t you stop there!
If the epic blog post is dead, what’s next for you?
I propose the honest blog post where curiosity, wonder, and hope is explored with humility and enthusiasm. Make no claims to titles and accomplishments to which you hope or aspire. Throw down no gauntlets of supposedly informed opinion that have no basis in fact or your true and ordinary experience!
Just keep it honest and real. Let what is be what it is. You don’t need to dress it up. That betrays it’s magic. Every time that you exaggerate a thing beyond it’s proportion in a blog post, a tweet, or a wall post, a fairy dies.
An honest blog post might not carry you up and away to a happy place, but it will be a step (small or leap) in the right direction. And that’s what we all need more of. All of us need more accurate headings and coordinates. To happiness – of course!
You may even discover that this is what makes a truly epic blog post, tweet, or wall post.
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Feedback
If you think that this blog post sucks, let me know in your comment and don’t forget to include a link to YOUR favorite blog post.
If you think this blog post rocks, tell me why it rocks in the comment. “Awesome,””Great post,” etc. works for me. Don’t forget to include a link to YOUR most recent blog post.
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Stan Faryna
03 January 2012
Bucharest, Romania
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P.S.
No fairies were harmed during the writing and publishing of this blog post.
Follow me on Twitter: @Faryna
The unofficial blog of Stan Faryna 
“Every time that you exaggerate a thing beyond it’s proportion in a blog post, a tweet, or a wall post, a fairy dies.”
Shiver me timbers! I wonder how many times I do that!!
Thankfully I’ve moved into the almost absurd with my writing. It’s for me and me alone, I think, and maybe a few others with the same sense of humor…at least my family history blog.
The other one is where my alter ego lives. She’s no fun, but pretty wise once in a while!
I like this post. Makes me wonder if all of us, each one of us, just needs to discover the beauty within and let it shine out. Sounds easy. Just wondering….
For every fairy that I have killed, I tried to remember to ring a bell as many number of times. Because every time a bells rings, an angel gets wings. [grin]
This post rocks, because you rock my friend.
If you get right down to it, all those moments in time are very fleeting. In sales after knocking down the big one; the epic post everybody is sharing; the great list you just got mentioned on; how quickly it fades and reverts to ‘what have you done for me lately’?
That is why it is important to just be you out there and let the chips fall where they may. My biggest joy is when someone tells me what I wrote made them smile, laugh, or think (or all three).
All I know is I’m not out killing any fairies…….;). I’m enjoying what I’m doing and it tickles me to no end someone is actually reading it. I’m ok with appreciating the little things.
Bill is a proud supporter of faeries and other magical creatures. This statement was approved by Stan Faryna.
Amen, brother.
Hi Stan, I respectfully disagree with you. I have found a blog post to be epic if it helps just one other person, but helps them in a profound way. I wrote a post about a website/app called Locavore that helps the users find organic farms near them that sell to consumers. One person read the article and sent it to their parents who run an organic farm in Wisconsin. They had been trying to join a co-op for years but couldn’t locate one near them. Because of my article, they joined one an hour after they read it.
That article got very little traffic (I guess not that many people care about buying from organic farms) but I consider it to be one of my most successful post. Epic, if you will…
My criteria for a quality blog post is one where I leave knowing more than when I arrived. Your posts are always quality posts, Stan. I will leave it to you to decide whether they are epic or not!
I hear you, Carolyn!
When a blog post makes a world of a difference to one reader – that is meaningful.
If it lifts that one reader up for that brief moment where they can see a bigger picture for them and that glimpse allows them to do something bigger in their lives, you’ve done something important.
Whether that blog post is epic or not, at that point, I think it doesn’t matter. Because you certainly do matter to me and other people too. The person whose life is changed, matters! And I bet you matter to them too.
I’m reading Carolyn’s awesome organic blog post. Click the linked text, “Organic Food” below to read it yourself.
Organic Food
Well, I’m pretty good (in my humble opinion) at being honest… I am not so good at being “politically correct” or using all the pretty words (so I am told), but I must agree with Betsy, Bill and Carolyn!
Stan, those exaggerations, those stretches into magic…. well, “if it isn’t the truth, it’s a lie.” I feel strongly about that. I LIVE that. And to that point, who is to really say that all that magic… ISN’T real? I believe. I believe in magic and I believe in fairies.
(only disbelief ….or LIES kill fairies)
Every great moment ends, Bill is right, but so does the pain (if only for a breath), and bad times.
I judge the posts I read by how it touches me or makes me re-evaluate what I think I know or the best ones, the ones that teach me what I didn’t know.
If I could write long enough, to become good enough, to “touch” someone’s heart, to help someone with a question I ask or an answer I offer up. If I share a memory or story and it makes a difference in someones day, then I did it!
Stan, I love your writing! Sometimes, I sit back and say to myself, “Huh?” and pull out my nifty dictionary or pull up the encyclopedia (!!) and read it again. You have touched my heart. You have taught me so much.
I am buckling down into some serious focus for 2012, Stan and I have taken my first step. I hope I can make a difference, in such a way to allow you (all) to be proud of me.
~Amber-Lee
Funny thing you say that, Amber-Lee.
Your comments, for example, fill hearts, lift spirits, and, on occassion, leave me dizzy, heart pounding, and smiling. And, sometimes, smiling for hours.
That’s good writing. It’s genuine. Your pure heart shines through your words.
You move hearts. Ten or more at a time.
Yes, shame, pain, glory, and honor may have their moments, but they were never meant to be forever. Not for mere mortals…
Reason it is epic? Because it is refreshing to be thinking about killing fairies for a change instead of kittens. ;-p
What really resonates within isn’t necessarily that a post is uplifting, but that it is written in a genuine voice. My favourite bloggers are those that have the ability to write just as they speak. I appreciate your own sense of whimsy and humour in this inspiring piece.
Big hug to you Kelly!
You said it perfectly.
“What really resonates within isn’t necessarily that a post is uplifting, but that it is written in a genuine voice.”
P.S.
Speaking of kittens, I have followed more than a few Twitter accounts in order to save kittens. Them kittehs have sum serioz debts to me!
One person at a time works for me. I would love to impact more, but if I can help one person every day I think good things are happening.
Can’t say that I am doing that now, but I am trying and isn’t that part of what makes the world work.
You exaggerate, sir!
You throw strikes – not gutter balls. You impact ten or more at least once a week. On occassion, two or three times in a week.
Jack’s humility is appreciated, however.
Trying, really trying, counts. Sometimes. But what you do is not trying, Jack. It is doing.
I appreciate that. Life has reminded me on more than one occasion to be humble. I sometimes fail at that too, but those “gentle” reminders help. 😉
I’ve got to agree with some of the others here–if a blog post helps or inspires a single individual, then I would call it epic. It’s not about numbers, it’s about personal impact. This post is one of my favorites so far, Stan, and I hope 2012 will be your best year yet!
My intention was never to belittle the impact of making a difference one life at a time. But we all know that. [warm smile]
Numbers are strange, I agree. They can offend us and they can delight us. For a moment. Oh Numbers! Wonderful Numbers! Cruel Numbers!
They can fascinate us, grab our attention, and they can, just as easily, mock us.
Numbers…
Speaking of numbers, I don’t have to imagine that your numbers, Sandra, crush my numbers. And I know that we are not talking about imaginary numbers in that regard! [grin]
If your blog post makes YOU feel good, then as far as I’m concerned, it’s epic…
All my friends are here. What am I chopped liver (Bill Dorman)?
Couldn’t resist that…heh.
EPIC blog posts? Who knew? I think this post has provided me with a post. If you’re blogging for others besides yourself; that’s the fail.
The reward is to write like you mean it, from the heart with a passion so infectious you can uplift one reader, Carolyn, or 10, Stan.
Too much pressure on bloggers placed there distinctly by selves.
Perhaps the equation is as simple as Epic = authentic. I love how you “keep it real” Stan. Now every time I write a post I will be asking myself am I ” saving the fairies” this time? And of course I will smile too :-). Happy 2012 Stan! Wishing you a magical year!!!
Big hug to you Susan!
I appreciate you stopping by my blog. Love it!
May we all do amazing and beautiful things this year.
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