There's a truly *stunning* volume of advice out there, concerning the entire issue of *"How To Blog."*

And not just *blog,* but also vlog, create memes, build a following, and goodness knows what else. 

![1006-Yellow.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmdx51Z9bjFgFta4hjgue6neC4qtSV1q5Y9wif5EYuWSFV/1006-Yellow.jpg)

I'm sure all this advice is ultimately well-meaning, but 20 years of experience also tells me that the most successful participants in the blogging/writing/content creation space have in common *precisely* that what they offer the world is *not formulaic.*

Around here, we also spend a good bit of time discussing what sort of *content* is best for the community. Do we reach consensus? Is there a magic formula? Hardly...

That said, it inevitably holds true that the *Special Sauce* among the best of the best is *The HUMAN Factor.*

![1016-Rose03.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmem3NKDtGSeq4FuR69297nAMbu1FjDCj2phtriXEUmQdv/1016-Rose03.jpg)

I have said this before, on these pages: we can only get *so far* on an eternal stream of Bitcoin technical charts, or photos of the same bush from 43 angles, or recipes for chicken parmigiana. 

Perhaps this is not a great revelation to anyone that the personal angle matters... but even when I am reading about how to replace a dodgy ABS Control Unit in my aging Volvo, I don't just want IKEA style schematics of *"connect A to B,"* I want that person's *personal experience* of where the possible shortcuts are, and where my knuckles will get skinned, and how to test the new unit without the benefit of a dealer's diagnostic computer. 

That's just an example.

It could be the subject is completely different, like how to overcome depression without pharmaceuticals, or something.

I want *your* experience, not just *THE* experience.

![1046-EveningGrass2.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmQQyLjNCnGaThTyPvce6baGiV8uLpe1TQFT6U7CyBTjWL/1046-EveningGrass2.jpg)

I think about some of my favorite contributors here in *this* community, and there's almost often a common thread: Whatever each person might be sharing, they do so in such a fashion that I feel like I *know* them, and was right there *with* them. As part of the content sharing experience, they make us care not just about the *subject,* but about *them* as individuals.

Now before anyone gets their knickers in a twist, I'm not talking about that nebulous thing we call *"Quality Content,"* without really knowing or understand what that term even *means.*

I'm talking about something that could be quite simple:

The difference between the *same* photo of a cute puppy playing, with one captioned *"Beagle puppy"* and the other captioned *"Snoopy, my new puppy, being adorable!"*

See the difference?

![1093-Clouds.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmVJPHNgSHWVsDCnVzQxaqD9WZQPKVDpNKehbPjuV9Qrtq/1093-Clouds.jpg)

We humans have a very long tradition of *story telling.* And story telling matters, *everywhere.* Story telling was how our *histories* were saved, thousands of years back. When we were in grade school, having the teacher tell a story for the last 10 minutes of class was our favorite thing. When I was in college, my history professor taught through personal anecdotes... and he's the one I remember.

And guess what? I'm not alone in that! When I just looked up Prof. Philpott, guess what I found? A fellow Steemian (who's no longer active) **[actually wrote about him,](https://steemit.com/pizzagate/@rebelskum/the-cost-of-courage-part-vi-dr-tom-philpott-a-man-ahead-of-his-time)** back in 2017. 

Whatever you may be creating, the things — the *content* — we tend to find *memorable and compelling* are the things that include that *Human Factor.*

Which leads us back to the opening question... and the follow-up of whether or not we are creating *compelling* content. Do you leave *some of yourself* on the page, along with the story you are telling? I know quite a few people who *do,* and they are the ones whose blogs I always come back to.

Thanks for reading!

*(Another **#creativecoin** creative non-fiction post)*

***Comments, feedback and other interaction is invited and welcomed! Because — after all — SOCIAL content is about interacting, right? Leave a comment-- share your experiences-- be part of the conversation!***

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*(As usual, all text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is original content, created expressly for this platform.)
Created at 20200216 18:31 PST*
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