My Ethos on Writing Articles - Value Added Content
I've been playing with the idea to write a post about what adds value to the Steem blockchain. Now, I guess this is something that's different for each and every person, but I'd like to lay out my thoughts about this subject.
Now, this will just be a collection of my personal beliefs on how I try to find interesting topics to write about, and what practices I adhere to when using external sources as a basis for my own work.
Value to the Reader
My main focus when writing a new article is to provide value to the reader of my article. Whether it's a personal blog post or an informative article, I always try to give the reader something in exchange for the time spent reading my post.
Time is more value than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time. --Jim Rohn
Sometimes I'll dedicate entire articles to providing people with information that cannot be found anywhere else on the internet, at least not in the same way as I've compiled it. The more personal blogs will usually contain a message that might be helpful for people who are dealing with similar issues.
The point I'm trying to make here is that, for me, I wouldn't get any satisfaction out of writing if I just did it for the sake of writing (and money). I need to think that, at least some of my content, really helps someone out down the line.
Maybe someone reads my post about finding jobs in the crypto industry and they end up finding employment because of that. Perhaps people will support a Pixabay creator when they hear about the Pixabay Curation Magazine.
Derivative Work & Value Added
Value Added is a concept from economics, which is used to show how much the value of a product is increased at each stage of the production process. This concept can also be applied to writing in a certain sense.
When I am working on an article that's, in essence, a derivative work from multiple sources, I always make sure to provide additional value to the reader. The ultimate goal is to give the reader something that they wouldn't have had, if they had just read each of the source articles.
You wouldn't copy an article word for word and pass it as your own, would you? Well, I think it's also somewhat dishonest to re-write an article in your own words. It's absolutely fine and even encouraged to use external sources, as long as you add your own value to the article you're using them for.
Value can be added in many different ways, the easiest way to add value is to include your own commentary, alongside the information you've gathered from different sources. Maybe you can find a way to compile certain information into something entirely new. Whatever you do, make sure that your final article offers more to your readers than any of the sources you've used.
Value on the Steem Blockchain
It's not that easy to define what's valuable content, but uniqueness might be the most significant factor in determining what's valuable content for the Steem blockchain, especially so when this content provides answers to questions which cannot be found anywhere else on the internet. Now, this is applicable to informative articles, maybe less so to personal blogs, which I also think add significant value.
In the case of personal blogs, they're unique by default. People don't usually have to make use of external sources to write about their personal experiences. There's definitely a big demand from readers for unique personal content.
It gets a little bit cloudy when determining the value of articles which are based on information gathered from external sources. I've touched upon that in the previous paragraph. Content such as that can provide value, if it is not just repeating the basic message of the source article(s).
To Conclude
At the end of the day, it's best to write about subjects that you're passionate about. The only thing that I like to keep in mind while I'm doing that, is to also think about the person who's reading my article.
If everybody just repeats each other, it'll become boring very quickly. It's not wrong to talk about the same subject, BUT there need to be unique elements to each separate article.
I've purposefully not used the word plagiarism throughout this post, because it adds legal elements to it that I don't care to explain now. Though that's essentially what you could be committing, if you make use of outside sources incorrectly.
I will do my best to follow my own rules and add value to the Steem blockchain. I hope you will do so too!
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I once had a teacher that used the exact same words: write what you are passionate about.
When I first started here on SteemIt, I wrote articles of which I thought people wanted to read those kinds of posts. Although I’ve always enjoyed writing, it became a chore.
It wasn’t until I hit rock bottom and posted a rant that I realized that I was enjoying writing it, for the first time in a long while.
Ever since that moment, I have my ups and downs. I’ve written posts straight from the heart. I just started writing without having an idea where it would lead me, and how the article would turn out. So refreshing :0)
But too often I’m still too concerned about whether people would be actually interested in what I’m writing, so I cling to so called safe topics.
When I reread my articles afterwards, I can notice such a big difference in style, in quality. The ones of which I think I have to write them are so forced it’s aweful, there is no joy in them... no soul.
Sometimes, not as often as I would like, I simply write for myself, without wondering whether people will find value in it or not. Those are the ones that are of value to me. And - often to my surprise - people seem to like them.
Value is so subjective, ...
I could write an informative article that will trigger the interest of a lot of people, but which I don’t enjoy to write. Or I could write something that has little useful information, but liberates me and makes me remember how I love writing.
Which one has more value? Hard to say. I guess that depends on the different parties involved.
Wow, my situation exactly. I had no clue what I could offer when I started. I still don't according to my post payouts.
Have tried several approaches and varieties of posts, articles, facts and freewrites. Not picking up much Steem.
But I will be here tomorrow for my own enjoyment.
It didn’t take me very long to stop caring about the money and to focus on the community. I’ve met so many awesome people on here. People I never met, who live on the other side of the world, but who I really consider as friends. By interacting here, I’ve already learned so much about myself...
I love joking around with them in comments section - that is way more valuable to me than writing a million dollar post.
SteemIt is promoted as a place where you can make money, so everyone here signed up for that. It’s a big lie, so loads of people leave real soon, before they can see how strong the community is here and how much fun SteemIt can be if you stop thinking about the money. Enjoying yourself is so much more valuable than the money... :0)
Good points! It is too bad though that a large percentage of the stuff that is on Steemit is just a rehashing of crypto prices or similar. Unfortunately those are the posts that get the big payouts. They aren't even gathering the readers, it is just fluff. I appreciate the content you put out there!
Yeah, how many times can you repeat a certain technical analysis until it just becomes plagiarism. I know there are different methods people use, but it's a bit too much tbh.
I struggle with the posts regarding the Steem platform and Steemit, cryptos, etc. I have wondered why the big payouts as I would think you can only add so much, the rest is same info with new twist.
For sure. A lot of it is so repetitive but still gets huge payouts. It is mind numbing.
And I still don't get all the ins and outs. I know it is much more complicated than I expected to take full advantage of earning techniques,, fairness in voting and supporting the platform.
Trying hard to add value, not bog down Steemit with frivolous posts but am guilty of that occasionally I suppose. I do take it seriously, just don't eat, sleep and breathe Steemit.
If I read too much more on how Steemit works, what to do and not do my mind will turn to mush.
It is pretty intense for sure. Just keep doing what you do. Everyone has their own normal!
Greta advise and a good post, My writing in posts in short but I hope my variety of photos keeps people interested
Yeah value is vital. I think I am guilty of writing for the sake of writing. I would have to ensure that my post gives value. Thank you for this post.
Better to write good, the blockchain is almost immortal, too bad many people don't see how they are leaving a trace that can't be deleted afterwards.
Thanks....I enjoyed the posts and the returned comments!
It is a fine line between putting effort into a post versus turning it into work and not enjoying.
Keeping the reader in mind is importamt but the writer needs to be satisfied as well.
We can all use some good pointers, thanks
Another good one, @daan! This raises some concerns I have been having about the new series I launched this week : https://steemit.com/steemit/@transcript-junky/trending-blockchain-social-media-news-1-june-25th-2018 where I present FIVE current (extrenal source) articles related to the evolving topic of blockchain related social media. I contemplated the ethics of this for a FEW WEEKS before launching, but MY reasoning is that the CURATION of these articles into a CONVENIENT post which saves people the time of searching for it themselves is what provides the value here. Obviously, I have provided the CORE citations, in the simple form of links to the originala articles, and as you can see the post/series IS getting a decent number of upvotes, whcih means that people find the info valuable. What are your thoughts on the ethics of this series, based on the analysis you have provided above? Please feel free to be honest, as this will be most helpful...
Hello daan!
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Nice thoughts @daan. If we can add value it will certainly help, but I think it takes various approaches to find the right direction to attack. But I also think it has to be fun for the writer and this will show in the content. Keep up the good work, you always write interesting content.