“Be interesting.”

Thanks for the advice! But how are you supposed to be interesting? The blog, "How to be Interesting," answers this intriguing question. Jonathan Morrow gives you 21 ways to be interesting ranging from being wrong to putting a half naked lady on your blog. But it keeps the reader reading. There are 9 different tools he used that had a successful effect on helping the audience understand how to be interesting blog writers.

1. Ideal Moment: The author has the perfect kariotic moment. Blogs are becoming more popular than ever. You want some differentiation in your blog post and this blog tells you how to do it, so that your blog isn’t the generic blog.

2. Tone: There is always that unwanted saying of, “don’t use that tone with me.” Well Morrow knows what kind of tone to use and does it very well for his blog. He is very casual throughout the whole blog. This makes it feel more personal and not like a textbook. An example is, "Oh wait…he did." The example shows how it is personal and as if he was having a casual conversation with you. This results in an enjoyable, understandable blog where you can relate to him. It isn’t a scientist writing to you that you have nothing in common with but a person who talks in your same language, who has conquered the same problem of not having interesting blogs. Morrow gains trust with you making you feel like this is reliable, resulting in the desire to try out his advice.

3. Diction: The use of diction helps you, the reader, want to keep reading. The diction is not advanced, but it is a little more than normal. Morrow doesn’t just blatantly state something. But he uses different word choice, or a different way of saying something. "Be startlingly honest" is an example of how he uses diction. It wasn't just "be honest" but it was a little more. It made it more interesting and made you think, “Oh wow, that honest?” His diction adds more details and makes it more interesting to read. When he writes, “wrap your mind around it,” he could have just said “think about,” but how boring is that? His choice in words made you imagine it more, you are able to use a little more of your brain while reading it. His adjectives like in, “Outlandish Analogy” just add to his blog. It makes it more interesting, fun to read and gives you a more understanding of it. You want to know what Morrow is going to describe next.

4. Well that’s a different look to it: Throughout Morrow’s blog he uses a lot of figurative language like, "many blog posts are like miniature textbooks." That simile alone has quite a lot of feelings. First are the negative feelings you get from textbooks. No one likes reading those and when compared to a blog it makes you think how you need to pick up your blogging skills so that you don’t make anyone else suffer. The way the author uses figurative language evokes feeling making you come to an understanding of his point. Another example he uses is, “some of the best blogs…are simple as an aspirin.” It helps you visualize what he is trying to point out. Although it leads to your interpretation of it, it still gets you to think of how it relates to the Morrow’s point and makes you understand it better.

5. Questioning: By using rhetorical questions it makes you want to read more, to see what the author has to say about that question. Morrow starts off with these questions, “But how are you supposed to do it exactly? How can you be interesting?” You think to yourself about how you think you can be interesting and such. But you want to know those answers; it gives you a sense of wonder. You want to know what he knows about being interesting and if he can really answer this question for you. So it makes you read on. Another example is, “Who am I?” This makes you think of whom you are specifically and then about the audience, who are they? He asks this question in his 9th way to be interesting. By asking this question he is trying to prove his point and make you think more about it. He is helping you understand how to successfully do his number 9. So Morrow uses these questions to keep you reading and to help you understand more fully what he is talking about.

6. Make You Believe: Throughout the blog Morrow has red, underlined words that pop out at you. When your pointer goes over the words, the word is highlighted all red, calling for you to look. His use of hypertextuality makes you want to see what more he has or what proof he has. The author gives examples like this one, this one or this one. Or Morrow gives proof of one of their ways to be interesting. Some of the extra links adds to his point like, “your lawyer tells you to stop.” All these red, underlined words give the author more credibility. It also shows that he is trying to help you become a more rounded person. His hyperlinks give you more information that you might have not known before.

7. Team Work: The interaction between Morrow and you, the audience, is really first-rate for the blog. He builds trust with you before he even starts listing ways for you to be interesting. His blog starts with, “You’ve probably known from the beginning that being able to interest readers is a crucial part of growing a popular blog,” but, “it’s hard to wrap your mind around” what a good post means. Before he goes on, he says, “I’d like to change that.” Right there you feel a sense of connection. You want help and he is there to help you out; he has been in your footsteps and knows how to help. The wall has been broken with the use of, “You” and “I.” This is no lecture, but a joint project, involving team work. He seems to know you, like when he says “unleash the ‘inner dork’ inside of you.” At first you are offended, I am no dork, but it gets you thinking. He is trying to get personal with you so that you can understand what he means. When he tells you to be a dork in your blog, his connection with you helps him make a clearer point.

8. The whole manifestation: The beginning of the blog is an attention grabber. There is a vibrant picture right next to the title, “How to be Interesting.” The first words there are, “Be interesting.” There is just a feeling of awesome! I am going to learn to be interesting! At first look you don’t know how or what Morrow is going to make interesting but you know it’s got to be good. After the little introduction he lists the 21 ways to be interesting. For his numbering he does it this way, “18. Pick the perfect picture:” and then he goes on to explain more about it. This is good for the reader. You are able to know what to expect but it also catches your attention, making you want to read on. He also is teaching you by example. One of the ways to be interesting is doing a picture at the beginning… just like Morrow did. You are able to see the effects. The whole blog is very well organized making it easy to follow, helping the reader along.

9. How interesting: Not only does Morrow make an interesting blog but it helps the readers know how they can make their own blogs interesting. He uses different tools that help and add to his blog making the reader enjoy it so much you want to finish reading the blog and then want to try it out. He is successful on his rhetoric purpose of helping you make your blog interesting. Morrow did his part so now all you have to do, is do it!