Gwyn's Blogging Do's and Don'ts
As the semester draws to a close, I would like to take the opportunity to give my advice for future 753 students on blogging based on my experience. Who am I to be giving advice? I am unsure myself. However, I would like future blogging students (who feel like their muses fell asleep) to read these thoughts in case they may help. Here it goes:
1.) Blog Often!: Establish a pattern with a set time of day to blog. Blog the entire duration (a 1/2 hour? 15 minutes?) daily, or on odd days. Fit blogtime into your regular life (like grabbing a cup of tea each morning, or feeding the cat) and blog directly after. You decide, just get on a firm schedule, where you are posting every Tuesday and Thursday, etc,. The more blogging, the better. Looking back, I wish I had posted more, because I missed out on many of the good conversations that ensued.
2.) Don't feel like you need something EXTRAOUTOFTHEORDINARY TO SAY: Feel like you must be completely original? You're not going to blog that often, then. It's ok to softly blog about something you read, or start with a paper you wrote for another class to find your voice, and build on your text while linking other ideas and questions you had never quite considered. Some writers may like to have a guided experience, where they are given a topic each week. I would suggest Rory Litwin's "Library Juice", which provides questions and paper starters. This resource is great for getting creativity flowing.
3.) "I" is good sometimes, but not always: It is easy in the context of blogs being like "journals" to talk about yourself more and how you view the world than comment on how others think through the links you provide. Publishing your own material without a middleman is wonderful, but be professional. And if you feel passionate, so will others. But to be important, like any paper, blog entries must be supported by research. Consider each blog to be a mini-paper.
4.) REREAD REREAD; REVISE REVISE: "Quit" instead of "Quite"? "No" instead of "None"? Double check, not just for typos, but for understanding. Does it make sense? Are you repeating the same concept? It's ok to change errors. I would even suggest taking one day to go through as editor rather than writer.
5.) Don't delete bad posts! Keep!: Even if the posts seem trival, keep everything. Unfinished thoughts? Keep. You can work on them later. Of course if you truly feel you should remove an entry, do. But remember once blog posts disappear, they are not easily retrievable.
6.) READ!: If you do not read other blogs, you are not going to be as successful in writing your own. Ideas spread like wildfire, and before you realize, your opinion may already be outdated.
And of course, as they say in every advice column, but I mean this genuinely: HAVE FUN!
Blogging has added so much to our profession. Every voice counts. :)
The other day one of my peers gave his business card, containing a link to his blog. I thought this was great, considering some people would not want future employers reading the thoughts. What a statement to not just let employers stumble across your blog through Google, but to GIVE them the link. His blog link, to me, was the equivalent of showing his authentic, improptu voice as a member of the profession.
When people create their own websites for public viewing, they may use the best pictures and the best writing samples. Since a blog is more current and updated, there is no time for primping and perfecting. Therefore? A blog is REAL. How often to employers allowed to read and understand what topics you have been dappling? A blog can provide a positive sharing experience on paper: informative yet with hints of informality.
NEWS JUST IN! I just realized I didn't have 2 links in this entry, and searched, "business card" and "blog", which lead me to this interesting article about JUST THAT. Again, I came up with an original idea only to realize there is nothing original about it...;). Good thing though, it means others are thinking, and that's ok with me!:)!
1.) Blog Often!: Establish a pattern with a set time of day to blog. Blog the entire duration (a 1/2 hour? 15 minutes?) daily, or on odd days. Fit blogtime into your regular life (like grabbing a cup of tea each morning, or feeding the cat) and blog directly after. You decide, just get on a firm schedule, where you are posting every Tuesday and Thursday, etc,. The more blogging, the better. Looking back, I wish I had posted more, because I missed out on many of the good conversations that ensued.
2.) Don't feel like you need something EXTRAOUTOFTHEORDINARY TO SAY: Feel like you must be completely original? You're not going to blog that often, then. It's ok to softly blog about something you read, or start with a paper you wrote for another class to find your voice, and build on your text while linking other ideas and questions you had never quite considered. Some writers may like to have a guided experience, where they are given a topic each week. I would suggest Rory Litwin's "Library Juice", which provides questions and paper starters. This resource is great for getting creativity flowing.
3.) "I" is good sometimes, but not always: It is easy in the context of blogs being like "journals" to talk about yourself more and how you view the world than comment on how others think through the links you provide. Publishing your own material without a middleman is wonderful, but be professional. And if you feel passionate, so will others. But to be important, like any paper, blog entries must be supported by research. Consider each blog to be a mini-paper.
4.) REREAD REREAD; REVISE REVISE: "Quit" instead of "Quite"? "No" instead of "None"? Double check, not just for typos, but for understanding. Does it make sense? Are you repeating the same concept? It's ok to change errors. I would even suggest taking one day to go through as editor rather than writer.
5.) Don't delete bad posts! Keep!: Even if the posts seem trival, keep everything. Unfinished thoughts? Keep. You can work on them later. Of course if you truly feel you should remove an entry, do. But remember once blog posts disappear, they are not easily retrievable.
6.) READ!: If you do not read other blogs, you are not going to be as successful in writing your own. Ideas spread like wildfire, and before you realize, your opinion may already be outdated.
And of course, as they say in every advice column, but I mean this genuinely: HAVE FUN!
Blogging has added so much to our profession. Every voice counts. :)
The other day one of my peers gave his business card, containing a link to his blog. I thought this was great, considering some people would not want future employers reading the thoughts. What a statement to not just let employers stumble across your blog through Google, but to GIVE them the link. His blog link, to me, was the equivalent of showing his authentic, improptu voice as a member of the profession.
When people create their own websites for public viewing, they may use the best pictures and the best writing samples. Since a blog is more current and updated, there is no time for primping and perfecting. Therefore? A blog is REAL. How often to employers allowed to read and understand what topics you have been dappling? A blog can provide a positive sharing experience on paper: informative yet with hints of informality.
NEWS JUST IN! I just realized I didn't have 2 links in this entry, and searched, "business card" and "blog", which lead me to this interesting article about JUST THAT. Again, I came up with an original idea only to realize there is nothing original about it...;). Good thing though, it means others are thinking, and that's ok with me!:)!
posted by Gwyneth at 8:08 PM
1 Comments:
I could definitely have used your advice as I was blogging. You really put a lot of thought into that entry. You have excellent advice, especially about keeping up with your blog and making sure it stays professional. I never thought of using my blog as a resume builder, but I think it's a fantastic idea. That gives me an extra incentive to keep up with the blog.
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