Anatomy of a Civil Trial • Logos: I’m particularly fond of putting logos in
my posts—a post about a particular hospital might include that hospital’s logo; or I might use the Social Security Administration’s insignia.
Depending on your level of “techiness,” you can modify
pictures that you find with Adobe Photoshop. If that’s too intimidating, there’s a lot that you can do with Microsoft Paint (add borders, combine two or more pictures, and add words).
C. Lead Paragraph
Te first paragraph is the moment where your reader decides whether your blog post lives up to the hype of your title and picture. If the first paragraph can’t win your readers over, chances are they will leave your website just as soon as they arrived. It can be tempting to get to your main point by starting at the chronological beginning or with a slow exposition, but consider that many great literary works begin in the middle of the action.12
It helps to establish some
conflict or problem early that compels the reader to continue to the end for resolution.
12 Te literary and artistic worlds use the Latin phrase in medias res. Notable examples are Paradise Lost, by John Milton; Te Odyssey, by Homer; and Kill Bill, Volume 2, by Quentin Tarantino.
D. Main Body Te purpose of the main body is clear enough—it is
whatever substantive information you want to impart upon the reader. As a general rule, blog paragraphs should be kept short for easier reading. Remember—this isn’t a law review article. Bullet points are useful to help establish key phrases or points, and to reward the readers for getting through to that point.
E. Call to Action/Lesson Whatever conflict or problem was presented should be
resolved by the end, or else the reader should be presented with a call to action. If the problem is the latest tort reform bill, you could invite readers to contact their legislators. If the problem discussed is medical malpractice, you could invite readers to contact you or to peruse your website for more information. For some posts, it is useful to invite your readers to comment or offer their insight.
F. Other Things to Keep in Mind •
Opinions: Blogs are the places for opinions. Controversial or unexpected positions (as long as they are sincerely held) can draw readers to you.
Trial Reporter / Spring 2012 53
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