It’s day 13, and we are still going strong with yeah write presents ProBlogger’s 31 days to build a better blog series.
Step away from the computer
You read that right. Step a-way from the computer.
Today’s lesson, while still aimed at developing your blog, asks you to take a break and head to the mall.
I know what you’re saying: I don’t like people! I don’t want to be out in public! It’s Saturday, and the mall is going to be so crowded!
I get it, but sometimes the best thing we can do for ourselves as writers is to take a step back and observe the world around us.
If you don’t have access to a mall, find another place where people congregate, commerce is alive and well, and action is happening.
If you can’t get out you can still participate, albeit to a lesser extent, by tuning into a home shopping channel or flipping through a magazine. For purposes of this discussion, we’ll stick with the mall scenario.
Take it all in
Arm yourself with a notebook and a pen. Walk around a bit and use all of your senses to observe.
* What and who do you see?
* Where are the people going? What is catching their interest?
* What do you smell? Hear?
* Note the atmosphere—the colors, designs, brightness (or not) of your surroundings.
* What’s the vibe like?
* Have you been taking notes? You were supposed to take notes.
After about 30 minutes, get yourself a little treat (hey, you deserve it!) and find a place to sit. Review what you noticed during your stroll and see if it sparks something in your brain.
What’s the point? Life isn’t worth living!
It’s just the mall, hermits. ProBlogger’s main goal in this exercise was to have you observe the techniques marketers use to grab a customer’s attention. Maybe there is a new angle your blog could take on or a discussion you could begin about a product or service. By noting the styles that are currently popular, you can enhance the design of your blog to be more appealing to the reader’s eye, thus holding their attention a little longer.
I want to take it a step further though, particularly for those of us who aren’t necessarily marketing something or teaching with our blogs.
For storytellers, this little jaunt can be just as useful. Getting out in the world, interacting with others, and stepping outside of our comfort zones can offer a wealth of new stories to write about. New adventures can trigger trips down memory lane, inspire us, and even call us to action. Writing is a solitary activity, which is often what pulls some of us toward it. However, any opportunity to contemplate the world around us can be turned into a post.
A writer goes to the mall. Discuss.
If you go out today, tell us about it in the comments below. What did you learn most about yourself or your blogging habits through this exercise?
This challenge couldn’t have been timed better as I had already arranged to meet a friend for lunch, not in a mall, but in the city centre…which is where the shops are, which is kind of the same. So, I was up for this challenge. Taking notes was a different matter, if I am blogging a ‘day in the life’, I usually do it in photos, but getting into the habit of writing stuff proved really useful
http://cheerfulreasoning.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/a-trip-out-to-sunny-city.html
Sorry for the delayed reaction to your comment!
I’m glad you found it helpful. I think doing things a little out of the norm is always helpful. Even if all you find out is that you like your way better, at least you learn something.
My first instinct when reading this was, “I’m not going to do that.” There isn’t a mall right in the town where I live, so I could chalk it up to inconvenience. But then I began wondering why I’m so resistant to the idea. And then I began pondering about how maybe doing something out of my comfort zone really would be helpful.
Thanks for this post, Michelle.
I know that getting out and doing something solo can be hard for many people. Then when it’s inconvenient or out of the comfort zone, it’s that much easier to put off or skip completely. I do think it would be worthwhile to do it, even if all you get out of it is an afternoon out and a food court treat. But, I will admit that a few of these exercises I originally wrote off because they were intimidating or not of immediate interested. I will go back and do them, and I hope that you’ll find some time to try this one. When yo do, let us know how it goes!
I’m frequently in the mall – at least twice a week because when I go to the city, the shuttle station is right beside the mall, and to get there, it’s more comfortable to walk through the mall. Yesterday, I noticed these things: because it was a Saturday, it was full of shoppers. I listened in to people’s conversations and overheard several foreign languages – Asian tourists, probably Koreans and Malaysians. Restaurants were full, and many people obviously shopped because they carried several bags with designer labels. If I were to gather stories from this one experience, I would come up with these:
Malls have become regular weekend getaways ( a sad statement, because there are a handful of parks and a profusion of malls)
Is the Philippines becoming over-malled? I live in the suburbs and no kidding, within a radius of seven kilometers, there are six big malls, and another one in construction, not to mention the smaller malls – around 4.
How healthy are malls? Is the quality of air conducive to health? What is the rate of sound pollution?
Plus of course, the human interest stories….senior citizens in wheelchairs; a child lying on the floor, throwing a tantrum while his father and brothers wonder what to do; a teenager and a mother arguing about a purchase. You’re right, the mall is a treasure trove for story materials.
I live in an area with quite a few malls as well, about as many as near you. I actually did not go to one yesterday, though I’m planning to head to one soon to try this out. Sounds like you were able to get a lot out of this exercise!
The mall…and the nail salon. the nail salon is an observational gold mine, at least for me. Visiting NYC this week what I’m noticing is…skin. People have a lot of skin here in the States, and they don’t mind showing almost all of it.
Noticing also? Way more homeless people than when we left two years ago. Weather? City cutting budgets? I don’t know but it’s really tough…
You’re absolutely right about the fact that if you’re a storyteller, you need to be “out in the field,” as a social scientist would say, gathering stories!
Great advice.
I agree about the nail salon. Every single time I go I feel like there’s some character in there just begging to be written about. Last time I was in the city it was colder, so I didn’t notice the homeless population being more or less. I suspect because the weather’s been a bit more temperate this past week they would be outside more than when I was there. It’s really a shame either way.
I almost went to the mall today but didn’t get out of the house until this evening. I went out to dinner in Princeton and it was interesting. Pouring rain and I almost caused a guy to wipe out on his bike while crossing the street. Blog gold. 😉
Yes, this does sound like blog gold! I can’t wait to read more about the poor soul on the bike.
The mall is a frightening place where I live. I’ll probably get mugged. I’m brave, though. Wish me luck!
Now that’s the dedication to a blog I like to see! Good luck 🙂
I’m going to a pizza arcade and buffet, does that count? Guess I could take a few notes as I run inside Walmart, but I’m usually too busy avoiding the cart with the hair of dead hookers caught in its wheels.
You have ruined Walmart carts for me. Thanks a lot.
Why did I take a sip of coffee before reading your reply? I should know better than that. Now that I’m wearing a bit of coffee on my sleeve (old robe, no worries) I must say that you rock!
I don’t think I own a single piece of clothing that doesn’t have a droplet of something I was once eating or drinking, if that helps. Except my robe, oddly enough…
I went to the mall today! Then I came home and read this post, doh! I did observe things, though not necessarily with intentionality. I did not take notes. I did get myself a treat! And sneakers! And envelopes, which ARE related to my blog as I will use one of them to mail out a blog promo postcard!
Hmm, what else… I streetpassed (on my 3DS) with a lot of little kids. Maybe I should write a post about how creepy it is to slow down while walking past little kids in order to streetpass with them.
What is streetpassing? I googled it, I’m still confused.
If you didn’t get enough out of your trip to make the exercise, you could always head back. Then you have an excuse for another treat!
Well, I have it all backwards. I went to the mall *yesterday*, before reading this post. But I did go to two awesome places to take notes (although I didn’t know I was supposed to): 1. The Genius Bar and 2. Everything but Water (swimsuits – gah!). Next time I’ll come armed with a pen and paper!
You were actually probably at the mall yesterday before I *wrote* this post. I’m sure you can pull something away from both of those stores you visited, even if you didn’t know you were supposed to be taking notes.