review | better blog content ebook

"Better Blog Content" by Amy T Schubert of Lemon and Raspberry $US25

If you've been reading around here lately, you would have noticed that I refer to Lemon and Raspberry a lot. There's a few reasons for that

• Amy is a scrapbooker! It's the fist thing I noticed when I stumbled on her blog.
• She's one half of the team behind 30 days of lists
• she gets blogging, and words, and pictures and combining it all together
• she knows her stuff

Over the last 6 months I've purchased all of Amy's ebooks. And I've read every single one of them (remember, the iPad has changed my reading habits.) I've been meaning to write reviews of them, but have never got around to it. Writing longhand on a plane was the perfect opportunity to scribble some notes.

I stumbled on Better Blog Content when I was researching how to build my blog and make it better. I either found L&R via Campfire Chic, or Campfire Chic via L&R - memory fails me, as these bloggers often collaborate together.

At the very start of the book, Amy tells you how to use the book. This has become a very common technique used in how-to books recently. But this is slightly different from other books, because Amy advocates reading, then reading, then reading again with pen in hand. And if I'm honest, I'll tell you that I read this book ten times before even thinking about putting pen to paper.

There are worksheets included with every chapter, that also come in a separate download that you can print as needed. Because I have the book on my iPad, I used these files to print, but I am thinking about printing all 98 pages out and placing them in a binder.

The book then moves on to an outline of what to expect in each chapter (there are 14 chapters of awesomeness), and then the introduction. The standout line from the introduction is

You've got to fill that space with awesome, unique, relevant content

Each chapter also includes a list of resources, links to blog posts from such blogs as Problogger, Copyblogger, L&R, Hubspot and others. Chapters also include topics such as dealing with burnout, how to write a sales pitch, working with sponsors, as well as basics such as finding your niche, writing your elevator pitch and using images.

This is my number-one-go-to-book for inspiration and advice on blogging. Every time I read it, I find something new to think about.

Disclaimer - I purchased my copy of Better Blog Content. Affiliate links are used in this review.