Starting this week, I’m going to change up the format I’ve been doing Ask Brian! in for… well, it’s only been one post so far!
Overall, the response to this feature has been amazing, but I want to do everything I can to make engaging posts. Some of the feedback I’ve been given involves making my answers to the questions more accessible from the get-go–answer the question first, then dive into the details for those who are curious!
If you’ve had this thought, you’re not alone. My wife tells me the same thing every time I try to share some exciting new bit of nutrition science with her. “Tell me the point first, Brian!”
I have to admit, this approach goes against the way my brain is wired–I love the story behind the answer more than answers themselves!–but I definitely appreciate that the point is critical, and that maybe I shouldn’t bury the lead!
SO! This is what I’m going to trial this week:
- Bullet Points! The blog post is going to be primarily bullet points to sum up my answer and the reasons behind it!
- Audio! I’m going to start doing a podcast where I go into the details for each question. I love writing, but audio has some distinct advantages. Combined with the summaries, I’m hoping this will be a great compromise for those who like to read and those who like to listen.
- More Posts! (This will actually start next week) It’s becoming clear that if I mean to answer people’s questions in less than four months time, I’m going to need to do more posts. Next week I’m going to do 2 posts (which should be easier in an audio format), one on Wednesday and one on Friday. If I continue receiving plenty of questions, I’ll make it tri-weekly (Mon, Wed, Fri). If this becomes crazy popular, I may even need to do one for every weekday! But, I’m getting ahead of myself!
In coming weeks, I want to add video as well. Some of the questions I’ve received are begging for visual aids, and recording a video will allow me to answer certain questions as clearly as possible!
Have any comments about the changes I’m proposing? Please let me know in the comments section below!
