# Blog Writing and Markdown ✍ #### November 19th, 2021 --- ## Agenda - Introduction to Blogs - Why write blogs? - Structure of blogs - Platforms and sharing - HackMD - a real-time, multi-platform collaborative Markdown editor - Writing tips - Practical exercise - writing a blog about your project! --- ## Fellows Blog Guidelines This document is meant to guide fellows to write blogs about their projects which will be posted and linked to the fellows’ profile on the website (openskiesfellows.org) The guidelines do not limit you, you can add details depending on the nature of your project and what you want to share but make sure you focus on the key points that a reader might be interested in. For an example of blogs from OMDTZ, see [here](https://omdtanzania.medium.com/) --- **1. Blog Topic:** This will generally be your project and the results you aim at achieving/ you may focus on the important milestones that you have reached or the biggest lesson/barrier that you never anticipated. **2. Headline:** The title must carry the message you want to deliver, make it short, and eye-catching. For example, ‘Using virtual reality technologies to boost the tourism sector in Zanzibar’ **3. Language:** Use simple language that readers will understand; unless it is a technical blog (i.e Julio’s Project). If there are any technical words in your blog, please include footnotes explaining them. **4. Message Structure:** The main message should be in the first two paragraphs of your blog to make the readers interested - the messages can be what you want the readers to know most about your project, or if someone else wants to do a similar project, what should they prepare that you did not. **5. Content:** Avoid talking more about how you are doing it, but rather why i.e what are you trying to accomplish or solve, is your project for learning purposes? Are you proving a concept etc? **6. Beneficiaries:** Mention people that will benefit from the topic /project you are writing about, e.g. students, health sector, entrepreneurs, etc. --- ## Writing Tips 1️⃣ Keep it short. 2️⃣ Write something original (exclusive contents) 3️⃣ Write in a motivating manner that influences others within the ecosystem i.e other young individuals like you. 4️⃣ Try to use as few external links as you can since these may distract readers, taking them to other pages. 5️⃣ Above all, make sure your blog is compelling and with the necessary details that influence youth in tech. --- ## Markdown - [Markdown Guide](https://www.markdownguide.org/) - Go to the cheat sheet | Element | Markdown Syntax | | ---------- | --------------- | | Header | # | | Bold | ** ** | | Italic | * * | | Link | ``[title](url)`` | | Image | ```` | | Blockquote | > | ## HackMD 1. Sign up! https://hackmd.io/ *You can use your GitHub account 2. [HackMD Tutorial](https://hackmd.io/c/tutorials/%2Fs%2Ftutorials) ## Practical Exercise - Write a draft of your blog