编者按:我知道我的头衔有点傲慢的一个d in my defense, I normally do not write basketball related FanPosts. I added the "if you are not me," because it would be really easy to call me out on this advice.

With the exception of an introduction, the FanPost should be about your subject and not you or the audience. The fewer personal pronouns the better, even if it is an opinion piece or a rant, the fewer times you use, "I" or "you," the better. Using those two words takes the focus off the subject of your FanPost, and places it on the author or the audience.

Whenever it is possible, use a spell checker and proofread the FanPost before you publish it. If you publish your FanPost and notice a mistake, you can edit your post. Simply go to "Manage FanPosts," then got to "Actions," then click the icon that looks like a sheet of paper with a pencil over it. No matter how many times I proofread, I always find a mistake after publishing. You can easily fix broken links and misspelled words using those two steps.

Always research your subject. The quickest way to lose credibility in a FanPost is to make a mistake, misquote, or use an incorrect stat that could have easily been researched by Google. You can say you like one player more than the other, but do not say he is a better rebounder without first checking the stats. Perception can be deceiving.

Feel free to take a stand. If you are an advocate of a certain player, state your case, and be mindful that some of the folks that will read your post might agree with you, so do not accuse everyone of disagreeing with you. I personally hate being accused of something when it is not true.

When you write a trade proposal, do two quick things, see if it will work on something like theESPN Trade Machineor theRealGM Trade Checker, and try to look at the trade from the perspective of the other team’s fans. Do not bother pretending to be the other team’s GM, pretend you are a fan of that team. If you envision yourself trying to rationalize the trade instead of being excited about it, then it is probably unrealistic.

Try to not to use clichés and strive to be original. The first step in originality is looking at the recent FanPosts to make sure you are not duplicating a post.

More than a few of my grammar instructors told me not to use the passive voice. Admittedly, I have been known to use the passive voice. I do think it is important to be aware of it.

Don’t use contractions and don’t end your sentences with a preposition no matter where you come from. I’m kidding on this one, sort of.

After you post your FanPost, let it simmer. A compelling fanspost will have folks who agree with you and who disagree with you, give them time to hash it out before you reply. Then you sound like the wise person who wraps up the thread instead of that guy who replies to every comment. FanPosts need time to mature.

I am sure I missed some things and I am not an authority on any of this. Please take it for what it is worth. I do think that following my advice will lead to more recommendations for your FanPost.

Luv,

Tom