Twelve Ways to Glorify God with Your Blog

As Christians we want our writing to shine as a beacon into our world. That means if we have a blog ministry, we want it to be the best. Here are twelve ways to provide your readers with God glorifying copy:

1. Use compelling content--stories from your own life or retold Bible stories with life application.
2. Insert scripture with or without Bible address. God's word does not return to Him void.
3. Use good grammar and spelling. Nothing stops my reading faster than poor writing.
4. Avoid purple prose (adverbs). Use active verbs (Try not to use helper verbs like "is, was, were, have, had, has, to be, would, could, should. . .")
5. Use pictures. The Internet offers many free graphics and photos. I use Plus! Image or my own photos.
6. Keep posts short. Aim for less than 300 words. No more than 500 words.
7. Engage your readers by asking questions or opinions.
8. Read and comment on other blogs. Link to other blogs or websites.
9. Use labels that are likely to be used in searches (i.e. God's love, God's grace, Jesus loves me, Bible story titles)
10. Choose topics that appeal to readers. A good example today is how to find joy in a troubled world.
11. Use Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, and Linked In to publicize your posts.
12. Use compassion when responding to comments on your blog.

You Can Write for Chicken Soup

Chicken Soup for the Soul is looking for inspirational, true stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Stories that warm the heart and rekindle the spirit touch the souls of readers and help them discover life principles they can use. Isn't that why we are here?

You can write a story for Chicken Soup. The basic ingredients of a winning CS story are:

• True first person story
• Powerful hook and compelling scenes that lead to a memorable takeaway
• Inspires the heart and soul
• Brings hope and encouragement
• Causes tears, laughter, goosebumps or any combination of these
• Stimulates emotion
• Motivates compassion

Chicken Soup is currently accepting stories for these upcoming books with their deadlines:

Brides and Weddings, April 30, 2011
Christmas Stories, June 30, 2011)
Family Caregiver, July 15, 2011)
Food and Love, May 15, 2011)
Home Sweet Home, August 30, 2011)
Marriage and Married Life, May 30, 2011
Think Positive for Kids, December 31, 2011

Here is the link to CS guidelines: http://www.chickensoup.com/cs.asp?cid=guidelines
I know each of you have powerful, inspiring stories. Write them well and submit them two or three weeks before the deadline.