Youth Guide to Action on Maternal Health - Women Deliver

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3. Get Connected11• Writing a blog can help draw attention <strong>to</strong> your work, and it can be a formof activism in its own right.Websites like Amplify Your Voice (amplifyyourvoice.org) and Conversationsfor a Better World (conversationsforabetterworld.org) are spaces for sexualand reproductive health activists <strong>to</strong> express themselves and connect with eachother. Use them <strong>to</strong> write your own blog, stay up <strong>to</strong> date on others, and connect <strong>to</strong>writers and readers. You can also read blog posts and comment on the Deliver for<strong>Youth</strong> blog (d4y.womendeliver.org) <strong>to</strong> share your thoughts.Free, easy <strong>to</strong> use platforms like Wordpress and Bloggeroffer another option for you <strong>to</strong> start your own blog fromscratch. Starting your own blog requires a bit more workwhen it comes <strong>to</strong> building an audience and tapping in<strong>to</strong>a network, but it can be a great way <strong>to</strong> make a name foryourself and your organization.Add media elements,like pho<strong>to</strong>s, videos, ormusic, <strong>to</strong> make yourposts more dynamic.Use keywords and phrases thatwill encourage your readers <strong>to</strong>click through <strong>to</strong> the full post.When writing your post, keepit short and link <strong>to</strong> otherwebsites, articles, and blogsas much as possible.Use tags & categories <strong>to</strong>help your readers find whatthey’re interested in.
3.Get Connected12Blogging Tips123Write what you know, but don’t worry about knowing everything!In your day-<strong>to</strong>-day work as an activist, student, or maternal healthprofessional, you will run in<strong>to</strong> <strong>to</strong>pics that make great blog posts assoon as you start thinking about it. Report on your experiences,including the events you attend and the work you do; interview yourpeers, teachers, and leaders you admire about their experiences; anddiscuss news, policies, and research in the field and what they meanfor your work.Have a goal. What are you trying <strong>to</strong> accomplish with each blog post?For example, you cannot end maternal mortality with one blog post,but you might be able <strong>to</strong> convince a skeptical reader that maternalmortality can be eradicated.Know your audience. While you may not know exactly who is readingyour blog, assume that you are communicating with a variety ofreaders—some who agree with you, some who do not. But mostly,you’re communicating with readers who want <strong>to</strong> learn something new.• Start with the basics: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?• Write in a conversational <strong>to</strong>ne, using language that everyonecan understand—avoid jargon and abbreviations, and providedefinitions of technical terms (feel free <strong>to</strong> use the definitions inthe glossary, Appendix A).• Make it your own—write in the first-person in present tense, andshare your opinion—whether you are writing because you areexcited, frustrated, or confused. Make sure your readers knowwhat inspired you <strong>to</strong> write this post.• Post often! Your readers are much more likely <strong>to</strong> become —andstay—engaged if you publish new posts frequently.45TipMake it visually appealing. Effective, compelling blog posts are morethan words on a page.• Use pictures, pho<strong>to</strong>graphs, and other illustrations, <strong>to</strong> make yourpost distinctive and compelling. Flickr.com is a great resource forpho<strong>to</strong>s. Search through their Creative Commons database andfollow pho<strong>to</strong>graphers whose pho<strong>to</strong>s you like.• Keep it short. Most blog posts should be 500 words or less.Of course, there is room for longer posts, but when you star<strong>to</strong>ut, stay concise.• Use paragraphs, headlines, and sub-headings <strong>to</strong> break up textand organize your points.• Highlight main points—feel free <strong>to</strong> use bold or italicize text <strong>to</strong>highlight a few main points.Keep conversations going.• When you read or learn about an interesting finding, news s<strong>to</strong>ry, ornew project, use your blog <strong>to</strong> link <strong>to</strong> it! It is a great service for yourreaders, and it might lead <strong>to</strong> new links—and readers—<strong>to</strong> your blog.• After you publish your post, make sure <strong>to</strong> check back forcomments and reply in the comment section below.Blogging Safety TipsPrivacy – Only provide as much personal information onyour blog as you want the world <strong>to</strong> knowProfessionalism – Assume what you publish is permanent,and accept that some of your readers and commenta<strong>to</strong>rsmay disagree with your opinionsLegality – Don’t libel or attack others, don’t plagiarize,and always cite your sourcesCaution – Spammers often pose as commenta<strong>to</strong>rs somoni<strong>to</strong>r your posts often
Page 1 and 2: Youth Guid
Page 3 and 4: 1.Get Inspired2Get inspired by the
Page 8 and 9: 2. Get InformedWhere?Of all health
Page 10 and 11: 3. Get Connected9Delivering for wom
Page 14 and 15: 3. Get Connected13Two common types
Page 16 and 17: 3. Get Connected15When you find a b
Page 18 and 19: 3. Get Connected17information they
Page 20 and 21: 4. Get Moving19Build a Team1.What m
Page 22 and 23: 4. Get Moving21NEED SOME IDEAs for
Page 24 and 25: Appendix A: Glossary23Key Terms Rel
Page 26 and 27: Appendix B: Blogroll25Group Blogs

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