Comments on: Blog Writing Series: Separate Fact from Fiction on Your Blog

By: Michael Martine, Blog Consultant

Michael Martine, Blog Consultant — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:27:24 +0000

@Toma – Thanks, man.

@Betsy – True. We can tell when someone is stretching the bounds of credibility when they do it, too, because it’s too much of a leap to make. Citations and references lend instant credibility in some cases, and add a layer of complexity, too. Now we have to judge the credibility of the source. Not that that’s a bad thing. Bloggers are held accountable by their readers.

@Jean – I absolutely agree. As long as we’re still clear on what is fiction and what is fact, there are effects to be achieved by changing the order.

By: Jean Gogolin

Jean Gogolin — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 14:20:18 +0000

I think there’s one example where placing fiction first works well, and that is in using a scary or ideal fictional scenario as the opening of a speech. Once that story is told, you segue to the “nut paragraph” of the speech. The scenario grabs attention and gets the audience thinking. At the end of the speech, you loop back to that opener to reinforce the point.

By: Betsy Wuebker

Betsy Wuebker — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 11:54:41 +0000

Presenting facts first, and then supporting or expanding them, has long been accepted as a basic tenet of non-fiction writing structure. Because of this, many use the format to promote purely fictional ideas, and get away with it due to force of personality or previous acceptance. For credibility, I like to see some sort of citation or reference, as well. It goes a long way, especially if something sounds a little “off” to start with.

By: Toma Bonciu

Toma Bonciu — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 07:35:11 +0000

Hi,

This is very useful and it can help you to plan your article structure much better. The order in which you present your ideas in your articles is very important and it can make the difference between a well written article and a chaotic one.

Thank you for this article