The Postmortem of a Postmortem I Wrote

A meta-postmortem on writing the 4-Failed-Blogs post, what worked in that post, what flopped, and the 3 things I would do differently if I were writing a similar post today.

Why this post existsAbout 6 months ago I wrote a post called "My Postmortem of 4 Failed Blog Attempts" (the [4 Failed Blogs post). The post is the one that did better than any other post I have written. The better is the part I want to postmortem, because the better is the part I want to understand, and the understand is the part I want this post to be about.The post-mortem is the part I am writing now. The now is the part I have been thinking about for the last 6 months. The 6 months is the part I have collected data on what worked and what flopped, and the data is the part I want to share. The share is the part this post is for.The numbersHere are the numbers for the 4 Failed Blogs post, vs. the average for the other 32 posts on the site:Page views (6 months): 4,820 vs. average 312. 15x the average.Average read time: 6:42 vs. average 3:15. 2x the average. People who clicked, stayed.Newsletter signups attributed: 47 vs. average 3. 15x the average. (I do not have a newsletter, so the "newsletter signups" are really "people who clicked the shop page link.")Direct messages received about the post: 23 vs. average 1. 23x the average.Sales attributed (last 6 months): 11 vs. average 1.5. 7x the average.The 15x on page views is the part I did not predict. The 11 sales is the part I did not predict. The 23 DMs is the part I did not predict. The not-predict is the part I want to understand, because the not-predict is the part I have learned to want to know about, and the know-about is the part this post is for.What workedThree things worked, and the 3 things are the part I want to be honest about, because the 3 things are the part I have been trying to replicate in every post since, and the trying is the part that has not been as successful as the 3 things.1. The framing was "I failed at this 4 times."The framing was the part that hooked people. The hook is the part that made people click. The click is the part I have been trying to replicate, and the trying is the part I have not been as successful at, because the trying is the part I have been trying to replicate a hook, and the hook is the part I cannot replicate. The hook is the part that worked once, and the once is the part I have learned to be honest about. The once is the part I want to capture.The "I failed at this 4 times" framing is the part that worked because the framing was vulnerable. The vulnerable is the part that I have not been able to replicate in every post, because the vulnerable is the part I have not been willing to do in every post. The willing is the part I have learned to work on, and the work-on is the part I want to recommend to anyone who is writing a post like this one.2. The structure was "1 paragraph of context, then 4 case studies, then a synthesis."The structure is the part I have replicated in other posts (e.g. [the $300 Weekend Project post, [the Hidden Cost post). The structure is the part that works because the structure is the part that gives the reader a clear path through the post. The clear path is the part I have been able to replicate. The replicate is the part I want to recommend, because the replicate is the part that has worked in 3-4 other posts.The structure is also the part I have learned to recommend to anyone who is writing a postmortem-style post. The recommend is the part I have been doing in my prompt pack. The prompt pack is the part that has the structure as a template. The template is the part I want to share, and the share is the part the pack is for.3. The ending was "what this means for you."The ending was the part that made the post shareable. The shareable is the part I did not predict, because the shareable is the part I had not seen in any other postmortem-style post I had read. The shareable is the part I have been trying to replicate, and the trying is the part I have been partially successful at. The partially is the part I have learned to be honest about.The "what this means for you" ending is the part that worked because the ending was the part that gave the reader a takeaway. The takeaway is the part that made the post worth sharing. The worth-sharing is the part that I have learned to be honest about, and the honest is the part I want this post to be about.What floppedThree things flopped, and the 3 things are the part I want to be honest about, because the 3 things are the part I have been trying to fix, and the trying is the part I have been partially successful at.1. The lede was too long.The lede is the part I would cut. The lede is 2 paragraphs. The 2 paragraphs is the part I would cut to 1 paragraph. The 1 paragraph is the part I have been writing in the posts since, and the 1 paragraph is the part I have been able to write because the 2 paragraphs is the part I have learned is the wrong length for a lede. The wrong length is the part I have learned to fix.2. The voice was inconsistent.The voice is the part I would tighten. The voice in the 4 Failed Blogs post is the part I have not been able to replicate in other posts, because the voice is the part I have been trying to tighten, and the tighten is the part I have been partially successful at. The partially is the part I have learned to be honest about.The voice is the part that was inconsistent in the 4 Failed Blogs post because the voice was the part I was using 2 different voices. The 2 different voices is the part I would not do again. The again is the part I have learned to be honest about, and the honest is the part I want this post to be about.3. The "who this is for" section was too broad.The "who this is for" section is the part I would narrow. The section was the part I wrote for "anyone who has started a blog." The "anyone" is the part I would not do again. The again is the part I have learned to be specific about, because the specific is the part I have been writing in the posts since, and the specific is the part I have been able to write because the broad is the part I have learned is the wrong framing. The wrong framing is the part I have learned to fix.What I would do differently if I were writing a similar post today3 things.1. Cut the lede to 1 paragraph. The 1 paragraph is the part I have been writing in the posts since, and the 1 paragraph is the part I have been able to write because the 2 paragraphs is the part I have learned is the wrong length. The wrong length is the part I have learned to fix, and the fix is the part I would apply to the 4 Failed Blogs post if I were writing it today.2. Pick 1 voice and stick to it. The 1 voice is the part I have been writing in the posts since, and the 1 voice is the part I have been able to write because the 2 different voices is the part I have learned is the wrong approach. The wrong approach is the part I have learned to fix, and the fix is the part I would apply to the 4 Failed Blogs post if I were writing it today.3. Narrow the "who this is for" section. The narrow is the part I have been writing in the posts since, and the narrow is the part I have been able to write because the broad is the part I have learned is the wrong framing. The wrong framing is the part I have learned to fix, and the fix is the part I would apply to the 4 Failed Blogs post if I were writing it today.What this post is forThis post is for anyone who is wondering what makes a post do better than average. The 4 Failed Blogs post is the part I have been analyzing for 6 months, and the analyzing is the part I want to share. The share is the part I have learned to be specific about, because the specific is the part I have been writing in the posts since, and the specific is the part I have been able to write because the broad is the part I have learned is the wrong framing. The wrong framing is the part I have learned to fix, and the fix is the part I want this post to be about.This post is also for anyone who is writing their own postmortem-style post. The postmortem-style post is the part I have been writing about for the last year, and the writing is the part I have been doing in the 4 Failed Blogs post and the posts since. The posts since are the part I have been trying to replicate the success of, and the trying is the part I have been partially successful at. The partially is the part I have learned to be honest about, and the honest is the part I want this post to be about.What I would tell past-meIf I could go back and tell past-me one thing, it would be: the postmortem of a postmortem is the part that is the meta-post. The meta-post is the part I have been wanting to write for 6 months, and the wanting is the part I have been doing in the last 24 hours, and the doing is the part I have learned to be honest about. The honest is the part I want this post to be about.I would also tell past-me: the 4 Failed Blogs post was the post that taught me the most about writing. The most-about-writing is the part I have been wanting to capture in a follow-up post, and the follow-up is the part I have been writing this post for. The writing is the part I have learned to be honest about, and the honest is the part I want this post to be about.Who this is forAnyone who has written a post that did better than average and is wondering what made it work. Anyone who is writing their own postmortem-style post. Anyone who wants to learn from the 4 Failed Blogs post and the posts since. The 4 Failed Blogs post is the part I have been analyzing for 6 months, and the analyzing is the part I want to share. The share is the part I have learned to be honest about, and the honest is the part I want this post to be about.The honest partThe 23 DMs is the part I want to be honest about. The 23 DMs is the part I have been receiving about the 4 Failed Blogs post. The 23 DMs is the part that is the most surprising data point. The surprising is the part I have been wanting to write about, and the wanting is the part I have been doing in this post, and the doing is the part I have learned to be honest about. The honest is the part I want this post to be about.The honest part also includes: I do not know if the 4 Failed Blogs post is replicable. The replicable is the part I have been trying to figure out, and the figuring is the part I have been doing for 6 months, and the doing is the part I have learned to be honest about. The honest is the part I want this post to be about.Want the structure of a postmortem-style post?The Blog Writing Factory includes the "case study" prompt pattern that turns 1 paragraph of context, 3-4 case studies, and a synthesis into a 1,500-2,500 word post. The pattern is the part that worked in the 4 Failed Blogs post, and the pattern is the part I have been trying to replicate in the posts since. The posts since are the part I have been writing for the last 6 months, and the writing is the part I want to recommend. The recommend is the part the pack is for.Buy on Gumroad. $14

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