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[nodressrehersal]

Here's a link to my latest blog post over at Home Solutions of WNY. I think it's a topic that most people can relate to in one way or another, either for themselves or someone they know. Let me know what you think. I'm trying to keep them under 400 words, which makes them (hopefully) quick enough to read while noodling around on facebook. My stated

Comments

[ecosopher]

Spot on :D

[nodressrehersal]

Thanks!

[patrick_vecchio]

As always, you write well, with flavor and a unique voice.

You may want to rethink the first graf. I think the reader wants the Aretha "payoff" to come next-or almost next. It's distracting. You could drop that first graf without harming the piece in the least. In fact, I think it's a much stronger piece without Reetha. The story unfolds nicely, with lots of appeal to the senses, which is strong writing.

[nodressrehersal]

Thanks for the great feedback. I get what you're saying, but here's the intended method behind the madness, as the saying goes. Between my business coach, my marketing mastermind group and my social media learning sessions, I'm encouraged to do a multitude of things with these blog posts besides write. So one thing is to use hooks to get an otherwise uninterested reader to commit to the whole blog. Another is to maximize SEO via phrases, images, etc. that might bring in readers that weren't necessarily looking for me. Blah, blah, blah, more marketing stuff, blah, blah, blah still gotta be me, blah, blah, blah. So that's why I thought using the title I picked would serve some of those purposes and then keep them reading. The first graf was just frivolous, but I thought it needed something to verbally acknowledge the title and the image. If I eliminate the first graf, do you think it works ok if I keep the title and the image?

[patrick_vecchio]

You're a good writer with good instincts, so write what you think works best. I'm out of bounds if I start quibbling about authorial intent (method and madness, etc.).

[nodressrehersal]

I'm more comfortable with the writing part than the marketing part or knowing what works best. This is all a work in progress and a process that I hope to get the hang of without chewing my nails to the quick.

[kabuldur]

I accidentally misread 'place of honor' as 'place of horror'. That pretty much describes it, doesn't it?

I'm glad you have now got those plates out into the dining room and being used and not forgotten about. Yes, she will remember her grandmother more often, now :)

I just hope that she doesn't break any!