(Please note: Nothing here makes an allusion to any of the bloggers I currently follow.)
I am a better reader than writer. Nearly six years on WordPress conferred upon me the fortune of reading the blogs of some of the best writers I’ve ever laid eyes on. Most of them – to my bafflement – have never gotten their imprints on the Freshly Pressed Hall of Fame. Many of them have also stopped blogging completely.
Aiming to gain an eye on what sets them apart from the rest, I checked out the permutation of their words, taking note mostly of their strengths than weaknesses.
I’ll take the case of Blogger “C” who has earned wide readership and accolades for his polished blog posts.
Sophistication and cleverness as among the virtues of this popular blogger no doubt helped him furnish his site with his well-thought-out and well-constructed compositions.
Flawless spelling and punctuation plus precise use of vocabulary have been affixed to his system, too.
But there’s something more.
While most of us merely assemble the words to express our thoughts and send them out as soon as we deem them comprehensible, he wouldn’t think of publishing a post without making sure he’d been watchful of his selection of his most favourite words during the crafting of his sentences. You’d never catch him employing terms he personally holds in distaste.
Let me illustrate (The examples are my own whilst similar to his style):
Rectifying the situation has done the service of solemnizing my pledge.
That certainly sounds more exotic than: Resolving the issue has the favorable result of formalizing my promise.
He also makes ample use of phrasal verbs, being attentive as to their every execution.
My arm shoots out across my son’s chest to ward off a probable injury.
Once again, sounds cooler than: My arm prevented my son’s chest from getting hit by something.
His style has been described as smooth. It’s hard for me to exactly pin down his special technique but I’m sure you discern we’re most probably talking of cohesion here.
His obvious intent isn’t just clarity: Elegance and fluidity are aspired as well.
I am not suggesting Mr. “C” is the epitome of the consummate blog writer. His cogitation could become boring. He lacks bounce in his words. His topics mostly impersonal and the contents of his writings more often bland.
But still, the pains he took in generating all those pages are worth the recognition.
If I may digress, there had been a few bloggers who discouraged me from utilizing the thesaurus when drafting a piece — which is something I don’t understand; something I can’t heed. What purpose does a thesaurus serve then if it can’t spur us writers? Besides, I prefer variety in expression. For a word lover like me, the counsel against its use is like telling me to cease from drinking my favourite blend of milk tea.
Okay, that’s an understatement. I hug my thesaurus as if my globe of words depended on it.
And so I’ve learned one or two from my own observations as to special writing styles of a few inspiring bloggers. I am sharing them with you because I believe in us helping each other out in our goal to become better writers.
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Bohemian Sentiments 
Interesting post, LFM. I, too, appreciate the written word and I see nothing wrong with using a thesaurus to find the perfect word for the occasion. Mr. “C” sounds like a blogger who would be worthy of examining more closely.
Doobs, pardon me for the delayed response. I slept early last night and had a long day today due to peak season at work.
I’d be frank to admit I’m more fond scribbling with the use of the English language than with our own here. I have still a great deal to learn, though, and don’t even come near the writing giants like you.
No worries about the timeliness of your response, LFM. I had never heard of Mr. C, nor been to his blog. Looks like his last post was his farewell post this past October. I will have to peruse his blog when I have some time. Thanks for sharing.
Painters have access to a palette, and so writers have access to a thesaurus. You have an awesome command of the English language yourself, and that is why I enjoy your posts!
I can’t believe who I’ve got here: My most favorite lawyer on wordpress! Thank you thank you, Mr. SB and welcome. I am elated by what you have said and would cherish your compliment for the rest of my blogging life.
I think my writing is actually getting worse the longer I drag on. I see this degradation as a kind of progress though.
I had thought of you as a wonderful writer, remember? It hasn’t changed. You could surprise your reader with anything or something valuable to read — done in near perfection — if you wished to; I had seen some from your sites.
Nice to see you again. Pardon me for misinterpreting that you were somewhat upset with me, based on your last comment. 🙂
I hope you’re doing well. Warm Regards.
Not upset at all. I’m sorry. I am not very clear lately.
You are very a supportive and awesome and real blogger. You are building community out there, and that is awesome.
You may find this hard to believe but building a community is the farthest thing from my mind; I’m a little too shy to do that. The problem with me is whenever I appreciate a blogger’s piece, I can’t help myself from expressing gratitude by clicking Like or commenting at times. You may not be aware how I had flicked a few blog pals in the past just so I could continue to write whatever I want here without offending any of them. Funny — I seem to have ended up with a new set of blog pals these days.
You haven’t been active lately and I understand why. I know you must take care of more important matters. Just don’t forget I’ll be here for you. Do take care.