It’s often a more convincing way to learn isn’t it, to look at where we don’t want to end up, and then adjust our path to take us to the Awesome place we want to be

Joanna

I might not be getting the time to write about writing with aloha just now… but it is often times in my mind, and I hope those attitudes, values and approaches will always infuse my writing… leading to a compelling attraction

Joanna

These five “A’s” are all critical to effective blogging. It would be tough to choose just one, because you really can’t have just one without the others to support, strengthen, temper, and/or round it out.

Though I tend to think Authority is an indispensable “A” which “qualifies” a blogger by giving that blogger credibility within his or her niche, Authority simply isn’t enough.

Authority without Approachability = Arrogance (another “A” by the way, but not one we want to have on our list of writing resources).

Authority without Attraction = Alienation (yes, another negative and undesirable “A.”)

Authority without Authenticity breeds Antipathy. (There seem to be quite a number of “A’s” we’d do well to avoid.)

And, finally, Authority without Audience interActivity = Aloofness. (Apparently “A” can go either way for us.)

So, as important as Authority is, it simply can’t stand alone. Otherwise it invites all these other “A’s” that we definitely don’t want to have hanging around!

Loved this post, Joanna!
Jeanne

It’s a very interesting point you make on approachability. Very similar to a phone conversation I was having with another blogger this morning – we also felt that it’s wasn’t just about conversational style, because lots of people do that and don’t follow up with the *practice* of being conversational and approachable.

So I think you’re right, that is something we can only gauge over time, by observation, by listening, by seeing how people respond in practice – rather than how (or what) they write in the post.

Joanna

There was a lot to digest here (too much maybe…)

I guess I look at it in two ways – one is, which of these do we need to work on or develop right now? the other, an overview of what we’re trying to do, which I’d also construct as some kind of formula, like

Authenticity + Authority + Approachability = Audience = (over time) Authority (squared)

(Maths not my strong point!)

Of course I realised when I was writing this that the missing “A” was Aloha, I just couldn’t think of a way to work it in. Maybe it’s a post we could dream up together some time

Joanna

Authenticity + Approachability = Authority better Appreciated and thus better Accepted by your Audience, who very likely were Attracted by your Authenticity + Approachability in the first place.

I like your take on authenticity. As I said to Catherine, it’s a hard one to put your finger on, but I like that way of putting it

“how comfortable I am with the person’s writing. If I feel “at home”, then that’s authenticity for me. I can consider them friends, even if we’ve never met.”

Which doesn’t mean the other person needs to be ‘like’ us – more that we get some sense that they’re being themselves, which puts us at ease too…

Your comments on approachability are interesting too. I know what you mean about tying things up in a bow, I think all of us struggle with this in one way or another (expect perhaps for the queen of blogging relationships…) and the story format you use so well probably lends itself to that too. On the other hand I’d say that you write stories that have universal appeal, that make a connection with readers beyond the specifics of the story, which is what opens up the room for conversation.

I’ve always enjoyed the chat in the comment boxes at MZM (it was one of the things that helped me realise it was just that – a different kind of zone where you could take a load off.. and all that) and been impressed by the audience participation you have going on there (supported not least through WILF)…

So it will be fun to see where more engagement takes us – is there a zone beyond the zone? I guess so, and if there is, well, I’ll be coming too

Joanna

Authenticity is a fascinating topic – I spend a whole month exploring it last autumn and still didn’t get to the bottom of it!

It’s interesting how we notice that spark of creativity and originality in others – and I guess that is a part of what we mean by authentic, but for me it can equally well be writing in a plain, simple yet powerful way… telling it like it is, from your own unique perspective. Which I think is how you try and write too

Joanna