Use Your Words: Blogging Advice

Today’s post is a monthly writing challenge. If you’re new here, this is how it works: participating bloggers picked 4 – 6 words or short phrases for someone else to craft into a post. All words must be used at least once. All of the posts will be unique as each writer has received their own set of words. That’s the challenge, here’s a fun twist; no one who’s participating knows who got their words and in what direction the recipient will take them. Until now.

At the end of this post you’ll find links to the other blogs featuring this challenge. Check them all out, see what words they got and how they used them.
I’m using: reminiscent ~ compensate ~ manage ~ dismiss ~ organize ~ completion
They were submitted by: Battered Hope.

I always think it’s fun to start these posts by trying to use my words all at once. It’s sort of a challenge within a challenge:

I was hoping to manage to organize my junk drawer, reminiscent of the time when it wasn’t so stuffed full of crap. I was forced to dismiss the hopes of taking the task to completion when I found myself incapable of discarding most of the  . . . well . . . crap. I may need to compensate by buying a bigger house.

OK, that’s not going to happen. But I can always just go into the kitchen and work on a recipe. That always helps me to forget what I haven’t achieved and concentrate on something else.

Peanut Butter Turtle Cookies

Speaking of what I’m concentrating on, one of the things I’ve been thinking a lot about lately is the result of requests I’ve had on my Baking In A Tornado Facebook Page. Many times over the years and twice just last week people have asked me about starting a blog. I’m certainly no expert, having started mine when I was completely oblivious. Although I’ve made some colossal mistakes, learned as I went along, and remain to some degree oblivious, I’ve also been supported by very generous bloggers and techies both experienced and new. I love being able to pay it forward in whatever way I can so I always answer questions and offer insight into what has and what hasn’t worked for me.

There are things I don’t say, of course. These are not about the logistics of blogging, but about the content. Really, what other people choose to say is none of my business. But if I were ever to give advice about content, it might be this:

Being reminiscent is great, we all write from experience. Remember, though, that I don’t know your Cousin Crazy Cathy, Bonky Brother Beelzebub, Husband Hairy Harry or your neighbor 3 houses down Nosy Neighbor Ned. Nothing ruins a post more than spending the whole time wondering who the hell you’re talking about.

Don’t write out of anger. If you’re considering exploring an issue and you’re passionate, go for it. I have to say, though, that I’ve read more than a few posts bashing in-laws, calling friends a “ho”, telling others’ secrets, and graphically espousing theories about what genetic inefficiencies a former boyfriend needs to compensate for. No bueno.

I know that the urge is strong, but if you could manage to keep the explicit descriptions of body parts and bodily functions to a minimum, that would be a great help in keeping my lunch down. I wrote a whole post about this a while ago. It’s called Virginia is the New Furt and it’s about what had been a popular subject when I started blogging, “furts” (those noisy things that escape your hind quarters) and how the newer fad was discussing “virginias” (a woman’s nether region, figure it out or click on the link and read about it).

Dismiss the urge to describe every ache and pain, symptom and doctor’s visit. You’re just going to send me to the internet in panic mode. I’m pretty sure it’s a proven fact that hypochondriacs keep Google in business, no reason to help out unless you’re taking a cut.

Organize your thoughts. Do not give your readers whiplash unless you’re willing to pay the chiropractor bills (or the bar bills as the case may be).

Be sure to take your story to completion. If I want to read a story and be left scratching my head wondering how it all worked out, I’ll re-subscribe to our local yokel newspaper. So no premature eventuation, please.

So that’s it, all the advice I’ll never give. Unless I just did, that is.

Links to the other Use Your Words posts:

Spatulas on Parade

Follow me home

Battered Hope

Stacy Sews and Schools

The Bergham's Life Chornicles

Evil Joy Speaks

Juicebox Confession

Eileen's Perpetually Busy

Confessions of a part-time working mom

Sparkly Poetic Weirdo

Peanut Butter Turtle Cookies

                                                                            ©www.BakingInATornado.com
 
Printable Recipe 
 
Ingredients:
1 stick butter, softened
1 stick margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
Approximately 48 rolo candies
Approximately 48 pecan halves

Directions:
*Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Either grease baking sheet or cover with parchment paper.
*Toast the pecan halves by spreading them out on a small baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 to 14 minutes, until they begin to change color. Remove from pan and cool to room temperature.
*Cream the butter, margarine, brown sugar, eggs, peanut butter and vanilla.
*Mix in the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and baking powder.
*Roll the dough into balls and place on prepared baking sheet. 
*Bake for about 12 minutes or until the bottoms just starts to brown.
*When they come out of the oven, immediately put a rolo candy in the center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheet.
*As soon as the rolo starts to melt, press a pecan half into the top of the cookie. 
*Allow to set as the cookie cools.