2008 Woodie Awards
So you think you can blog?
John Boschini
Issue date: 10/23/07 Section: Life
It seems like everyone and their mothers are jumping onto the blogging bandwagon these days, and young adults are responsible for the creation of nearly 40 percent of new blogs. Websites like blogger.com and livejournal.com offer a free blog to anyone who wants to share their thoughts. Even MySpace offers a blog application so users can write and share with friends.
Some people choose to write about their lives; their blogs are like online diaries that allow them to communicate their joys, frustrations, and everyday events with friends and family members-or even to keep some things private. Others get deep and introspective, writing about the meaning of life and why people suffer. Still others like to post surveys, jokes, or even lists of which CDs they own.
Regardless, blogging provides a way for people, at their own convenience, to share their experiences and thoughts with others. Want to start one of your own? Here are a few tips that might help you get a jump-start:
-Stick with one site. There is no point in having multiple online journals when one will do. Want to keep a single entry private? Most applications allow you to do this.
-Pick a theme. Okay, this isn't really necessary, and is actually quite difficult, but if you are really interested in say, birds, you could have a blog completely dedicated to them.
-Come up with a catchy title that says something about you and "pimp" your blog. This is especially easy on MySpace, which allows you to change the colors of your page and use a theme if you want.
-Advertise your blog to your friends and family. MySpace allows users to subscribe to blogs, so this way your friends will be able to see every time you post something new. Watch what you write though; word gets around fast. Don't want to tell the world everything.
-Update regularly, or at least semi-regularly. No one expects you to write every single day, but if your blog goes untouched for say, months at a time, don't expect your readers to be waiting when you finally get around to it.
-If you get tired of blogging, don't feel bad. A paper by Perseus Development estimates that up to 80 percent of blogs are abandoned within the first month. Maybe it just wasn't for you.
Blogging can be fun and can be a great creative and emotional outlet, especially for people who genuinely enjoy writing. No matter what you use it for-a way to keep touch, a way to channel your frustrations, a method of getting the word out on your new favorite band-blogging is a means of communication that shouldn't simply be written off.
Some people choose to write about their lives; their blogs are like online diaries that allow them to communicate their joys, frustrations, and everyday events with friends and family members-or even to keep some things private. Others get deep and introspective, writing about the meaning of life and why people suffer. Still others like to post surveys, jokes, or even lists of which CDs they own.
Regardless, blogging provides a way for people, at their own convenience, to share their experiences and thoughts with others. Want to start one of your own? Here are a few tips that might help you get a jump-start:
-Stick with one site. There is no point in having multiple online journals when one will do. Want to keep a single entry private? Most applications allow you to do this.
-Pick a theme. Okay, this isn't really necessary, and is actually quite difficult, but if you are really interested in say, birds, you could have a blog completely dedicated to them.
-Come up with a catchy title that says something about you and "pimp" your blog. This is especially easy on MySpace, which allows you to change the colors of your page and use a theme if you want.
-Advertise your blog to your friends and family. MySpace allows users to subscribe to blogs, so this way your friends will be able to see every time you post something new. Watch what you write though; word gets around fast. Don't want to tell the world everything.
-Update regularly, or at least semi-regularly. No one expects you to write every single day, but if your blog goes untouched for say, months at a time, don't expect your readers to be waiting when you finally get around to it.
-If you get tired of blogging, don't feel bad. A paper by Perseus Development estimates that up to 80 percent of blogs are abandoned within the first month. Maybe it just wasn't for you.
Blogging can be fun and can be a great creative and emotional outlet, especially for people who genuinely enjoy writing. No matter what you use it for-a way to keep touch, a way to channel your frustrations, a method of getting the word out on your new favorite band-blogging is a means of communication that shouldn't simply be written off.
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