So You Want To Be A Blogger
by freeandflawed - October 31, 2008
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It seems as if everyone and their mother has a blog today. I'm proud to say that not only does my mom blog, but my 87-year-old grandpa has his own blog. Blogging has become less foreign in the last 2-3 years and more people are starting to hop on board. But what do you do when you decide you want to be a blogger? How do you get started and where can you go for help? Part one of So You Want To Be A Blogger will try to help you figure out if blogging is for you, and if so, what type of blogger do you want to be.
What does "blog" mean?
I don’t mean the technical definition of a blog. That can be Googled (don’t you just love how that’s now a verb?) A blog is anything you want it to be. It is your own space on the web. Your space to do whatever you want with.
It’s a diary when you need to share secrets, support group when you need comfort, a therapist when you need advice and a best friend to share inside jokes with.
Despite rumors, blogs aren’t going anywhere. If anything, they’re growing in number. Wired Magazine believes that sites like Twitter and Facebook are killing blogs. I’ll admit that there are bigger and badder blogs out there, but they’re not holding us personal bloggers down. Sure they pop up first on search engines, but we’re growing in number every day.
The most important thing to remember while blogging
Have fun with it! If it turns into a chore, take a break. Step away from the computer. When you stop blogging for yourself, it stops being fun.
Anything goes! It’s YOUR blog!
Before you start...
Decide what kind of blogger you want to be. This can be pretty difficult if you’re new to the Blogosphere because so many different bloggers exist. Not all blogs are personal blogs. Blogs are being used for many different purposes these days. Magazines and newspapers are incorporating blogs into their websites, businesses are using blogs to communicate to the consumer. There are how-to blogs, fail blogs, fashion blogs, political blogs, etc. Think you’re an expert on a certain subject? Blog about it and get your information out there!
The lines can blur. Just because you’re a personal blogger doesn’t mean you can’t be anonymous. Just because you’re a themed blogger doesn’t mean you can’t be a personal blogger. Identifying your intentions can help get the ball rolling when it comes to ideas for your blog. Blogging isn’t a black and white topic – there is a lot of gray area and that’s okay!
Anonymity
Choosing to remain anonymous on your blog should be the first decision you make when starting out. Anonymity allows you to be a bit more open – kind of contradicting eh? You can share as much as you’d like without consequence – if you’ve covered your tracks correctly. By that I mean you have to create a new identity for yourself in order to be anonymous. Real names can’t be used and typically sending the link out to friends and family members takes away from it.
- Create a fake name that you’ll go by. Don’t pick a childhood nickname or anything that a family member/friend would recognize easily.
- Don’t post from work. IT can see everything. You never know who may stumble upon it.
- Create an email account solely for blogging purposes. This is where your comments will be sent and it will also be the email account you use to post comments with.
The Anonymous Blogger
Joy at Big Time Fancy does an excellent job of maintaining her anonymity. She gives just enough information about her life to keep her readers interested. Plus, with her sense of humor and great wit, she doesn’t need details to get us hooked. We love Joy regardless.
Another Anonymous Blogger
This is another great example of an anonymous blogger at her best. The blog is engaging and interesting, as well as a fun read!
The themed blogger
When you find yourself writing about a certain topic more than others, sometimes that topic might be strong enough to develop a blog around. Themed blogs are great because people who know what they’re looking for will find you. You’re not lost in a land of obscurity among thousands of other personal blogs. Your blog stands out a bit.
This genre includes Mommy bloggers, food bloggers, political bloggers, etc.
Oh! How Lovely!
If you’re going to branch off, maintain a piece of your original blog by adding onto the name. For example, Oh! How Lovely turned her themed blog into Oh How Lovely Shops. Her second blog is still associated with her first. This is a great example of a personal blogger branching out and creating a themed blog. She really knows how to draw a crowd and effectively market her own brand.
Dr. Katie goes to medical school
Dr. Katie is a great example of a personal and themed blogger. She didn’t branch off from a personal blog (that we know of.) She writes about her life as it relates to her becoming a doctor. It’s all about her journey through medical school – plus she shares some great studying tips. You don’t have to be interested in becoming a doctor to enjoy her blog, and that versatility is one of her greatest strengths.
I'm a themed blogger
On my personal blog I had a weekly feature called “Geeky News.” During these posts I’d share my favorite random gadgets and news concerning new laptops, cell phones, etc. It was getting such a great response, but it was taking away from the personal feel of my blog.
I decided to move it to its own blog to create more boundaries for myself. Maintaining two blogs can be difficult, but it’s possible!
Wordpress help from Guidespot
Rebekah’s three-guide series about Wordpress is extremely helpful if you’re thinking about going that route. Definitely check them out!
Wordpress.org (Not Free)
Wordpress.org (not to be confused with .com) is not a free blogging platform. It’s not the best site to start off with if you’re new to the Blogosphere. WP.org allows you to purchase web space and host your own blog. (Confusing, I know!) This platform is for the more advanced blogger who wants more customization and plug-in options.
Personal Bloggers
Personal bloggers have a story to tell. Some of the most interesting blogs I read are personal bloggers. Some say we are self absorbed because we believe that people want to read about our lives. Do you know how interesting some people’s lives are?! You’d be surprised how quickly you get sucked in. I find myself regularly checking in on blogs just so I can feel caught up on their life – and I don’t even know these people outside of the Blogosphere.
Be careful
When you decide to lose the anonymity and go all in, you’re taking a risk. Your identity is known and you’re now accountable for what you say. Not everyone is comfortable having their life broadcast online. So be careful when blogging about friendships, relationships and especially work.
I am a personal blogger
I would consider myself to be a part of this category. Like Oh! How Lovely, I have branched out and launched a theme blog, but my personal blog will always be my home in the Blogosphere.
I am pretty open with my emotions and identity. My blog is a pretty accurate portrayal of my life. I’m excited to look back a year from now and read where I was in life. There are some things that I don’t talk about, for example, work (and not just because my boss reads my blog!) There are just some things I don’t feel comfortable discussing on an open forum. Intimate details of a relationship are kept secret. I don’t delve into political debates or heated topics. I draw boundaries for myself and hope that my readers can respect them.
I write for myself. It’s a place for me to get all my thoughts out and poke fun at myself. I am incredibly humbled by the comments I receive. Because of it I have met a fabulous group of Chicago bloggers and have become friends with most of them – hell, I’m even dating one of them!
Everyday Adventure of Me in the City
Everyday Adventures is a great example of a personal blog. She has a great flow and balance in her writing. (She also happens to be one of my best friends – I’m so getting a great Christmas gift for this plug!)
Blogging is social
You’d be surprised how quickly you can develop relationships with other bloggers. The blogging community is phenomenal when it comes to networking, friendships and even relationships!
Join a Group!
Joining a group specifically for bloggers is a great way to determine if blogging is for you. Talk to the other members and find out what they like most or least about blogging. Get some helpful tips from the seasoned members.
Twenty-Something Bloggers
This group was created for the twenty-something blogger. In very little time it went from a handful of members to more than 1,500.
Thirty-something Bloggers
Even though most bloggers seem to be in their twenties, there are many 30+ bloggers.
BlogHer
This group is mainly for female bloggers, though they do have a few male bloggers! This is an example of a truly diverse and supportive blogging community.
Brit Bloggers
Another blogger reminded me of this site. There are so many sites full of American bloggers, but where do the brits go when they want to share information and plan meet-ups? Brit Bloggers.ning.com of course!
Now what?
If you think you’d like to give blogging a try, your next move should be to try out a blogging platform. By that I mean which site you’d like to use.
Wordpress.com (free)
Wordpress.com is a great site for bloggers who are just getting started. It’s a user-friendly platform that allows for a great deal of customization. One of the best features of WP.com is its stats counter. Most sites require an external counter, but with WP it’s all done automatically. This allows you to view how many people are coming to your site, from where, who’s linking to you and it keeps track of your most popular posts.
Blogger (Free)
Blogger is another easy site for new bloggers. I don’t have much experience with it as I’m a Wordpress gal. This is one of the more popular platforms since it’s run by Google.
Cool Stuff for New Bloggers
“Roadmap to Becoming a Blogger” is a helpful book for those just getting interested in the Blogosphere.
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ThankYouThankYouThankYou!!! I was looking for a network on Ning for ages and couldn’t find one… But Brit Bloggers is right for me! Thanks!
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Blogging is a great way to say what you need to say but it’s even better when you want to hear what other people have to say about it too. Opening your ears…eyes?…internet browers?…is key to getting the most out of blogging.
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Yay! Fellow blogger here. :)
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