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| Summer |
This will be my last installment on
blogging. It's been a cruel summer in Las Vegas and with so many
things going on in my life, and in a writing mode, I haven't been
posting as often. But I will say this, blogging is like anything
else, you have to love it to do it. There are many reasons to blog as
there are bloggers, but here's my take on whether or not a writer
should start a blog:
I can attest that blogging can be work,
even if you only post once a week. Many bloggers say there is the
constant nag running through their brain about what to write next.
Then there is the writing itself, that often needs to be polished.
Blogging is time-consuming, and takes away from your other writing
tasks. It's why many writers when working on a book or project
choose not to post. And you have to consider whether you have a topic
worth blogging about. It is highly unlikely that you will develop a
following if you only post random musings once in a while. Most
successful blogs carve out a niche that is sustained by regular posts
and is broad enough to support posting, without repetition, thus
gaining a well-defined audience. And within a couple of years it's
possible that there seems to be a conversation going on, especially
if your passion shines through in your topic and voice.
For a writer, blogging is essential to
build a platform. Blogging can make your writing visible to the world
when you have a readership, but they must be responsive. Developing
a readership is often like pulling teeth, you're begging for comments
and often readers won't take action. They'll read the post, and move
on to something else.
Writing a blog can also help you to
identify your audience and their concerns. But wouldn't you rather
hear critical or thought-provoking comments that silence? I know I
would. Blogging can become a way of vetting the soundness of your
ideas, and of finding new avenues you hadn't thought of exploring.
Also, writing regularly will assist you in developing your voice.
And it can take years before you get comfortable and settle into a
voice that marks your blog.
So, do you have a specific subject to
blog about? Are you ready to start writing weekly posts on a variety
of issues within your chosen topic? Can you envision not just one or
two posts on your subject, but many of them? If so, then you may be
ready to start a blog.
I use Google's Blogger for teaching
purposes and my primary platform is Word Press that is connected to
my website. Word Press tends to be somewhat prettier for
photo-concentrated blogs; while Blogger has a more seamless
integration with Amazon. There are many considerations involved in
choosing to blog or not but if you do decide to start a blog, good
luck and shoot me your link!
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