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*** Monthly Feature Column ***
About Blogging |
One of the first lessons I teach in Blogger Boot Camp is the difference between a blogger and a writer. Trying to define blogging is difficult, because many people believe that anything written online should qualify as blogging, while others (such as myself) believe that blogging is a behavior distinct from writing.
The lesson goes like this:
There are over 1 trillion web pages on the internet. What makes yours stand out? A writer publishes content online and sits back, expecting people to come to their site because of the brilliance of their prose. Most don’t get that satisfaction, and so quickly quit writing, citing the lack of traffic as a reason.
Some writers have the benefit of a large company or their personal reputation to drive traffic. If you write for a local newspaper, or if you are a recognized author or celebrity, you can get away with being just a writer, but don’t kid yourself. If you wrote anonymously, no one would read you.
Writers write. It’s a noble profession, and many are quite good at it. But writing isn’t blogging.
Think of it as a riddle. Blogging requires writing, and writing can be blogging, but writing is not blogging though blogging is writing.
Enough with the semantics – let me explain why blogging is fundamentally different than writing. We’ll break down the definition by describing seven habits of highly successful bloggers.
- Write great content
- Read other blogs
- Link to other blogs
- Leave comments on other blogs
- Make contacts with other bloggers
- Joining with a community
- Investing in that community.
Writing great content is a must. The definition of great can mean many things, but it’s either beautiful writing, intelligent insight, relevant commentary, funny humor or simply genuine opinion.
Reading other blogs is necessary to understand what other people are actually writing. If you don’t read other blogs to determine what other people are saying, then you are a writer, not a blogger.
Blogs link to each other. It’s a sign of respect. It’s a sign of integrity and etiquette, and it’s way to tell our readers who we associate with and who we read. Links are the currency of influence online, and the backbone of a community. And if you don’t link out, other people won’t link in.
Leaving comments is something that readers do to encourage feedback and introduce oneself to another blogger. If the blogs you are reading aren’t inspiring you to comment, then you need to find new blogs. The goal behind commenting is the free flow of information. Bloggers won’t blog without feedback, and they don’t get better without comments.
Making contact with other bloggers is a Blogging 300 level course, but it shouldn’t be. Online friendships are tenuous, and break easily. Friendships strengthened with e-mails, phone calls, and in-person meetings tend to last, and bring much higher benefits. People we meet, speak to, and write with are more likely to become and stay friends, then those whom you read once a week.
Joining a community means being more than a reader. One of the great advantages of the Web 2.0 is being to self-label. When you join a community, which is done by commenting, linking, and adding people to your blogrolls, you’re telling the world the type of person you are by listing those you associate with. A community protects you, inspires you, and is the basis of your influence. Together, a group of voices is louder than each of us speaking alone.
And finally, investing in a community means putting time and money and effort (in whatever way you can afford it) by supporting others in that community. Purchasing products, clicking on ads, and giving contributions are monetary ways of helping out, but so is running contests, helping each other with templates, and sharing knowledge. Communities don’t grow without investment, and bloggers understand this because what they get is greater than what they give.
Blogging is more than writing. It’s forming friendships, and sharing inspiration, and working with others to build something greater than you are alone. How is that for a definition?
shiza says
Thank you for this. A few of my previous favorite blogs drove me to GOMI and for awhile I couldn’t figure out why. I guess it all boils down to honesty and a sense of realness, something I feel a certain blog threw out the window when they started photoshopping their thigh gaps and bought a house to fill with expensive furniture their readers could never afford.
I think what all of us want is to feel like we’re not alone, an acknowledgement that life isn’t always sunshine and rainbows, and that things aren’t always pretty, a major downfall of a lot of popular blogs. GOMI exists because there are many of us who can’t handle watching such venues perpetuate a false narrative of a perfect life. It’s harmful and in my eyes, the new Vogue magazine – displaying a standard of perfection that most of us will never achieve.
Anyway, for what it’s worth, I’ve NEVER felt your blog to be anything other than honest and that’s why I keep coming back (and why there’s no board dedicated to you on GOMI). Thank you so much for being real in a sea of fake. I apologize if this isn’t well articulated – it’s been a long day of teaching middle school resource and it’s springtime – I’m sure you can imagine what that’s like!
Vastari says
Excellent tips. This should be a great help to those beggining blogging, including me!
Tina says
This is a great article. Thanks for the info! I am a writer, but when I blog I am a blogger. It’s very different.
Debbie says
I just started to blog and found your information very helpful. Thanks!!!
Andrea says
Excellent article! This also helped clarify the difference between using a website and a blog in promoting my business and illuminated some the of social etiquette tips I hadn’t previously been aware of. Thanks for sharing.
so grateful to be Mormon! says
wow, great article and points. well written. really enjoyed this. thanks for posting this!
kathleen
Jenny in Ca says
really good post, and great tips. I was really surprised by the community I found in the blog-world. I felt surprised to find the whole blog-sphere existed and so many people were linked and connected to each other-and that I had no idea is was all out there.
this post summed it all up.
kimBinAK says
Thanks for the great tips! I started my blog(s) just to share myself with others – thoughts, creative work, photographs – and am slowly learning my way through it all.
Appreciate your input!
Cindy Swanson says
Excellent advice. Thanks for passing it along!
Heather says
It is true…and then there are those of us who consider ourselves writers AND bloggers.
I still don’t have much traffic or commenters, but it is growing. I try, but not TOO hard, since I like to live my real life too.
Melissa Moog says
Loved this blog! As a first-time blogger myself this is great advice. I will definitely take it to heart!
Kathy says
I love that I’m not expected to be a writer. I’d never thought of it that way before. Great article, thanks.
An Ordinary Mom says
Most excellent post!
Briggie says
this is a great piece for new and experienced bloggers alike. thanks
Emily says
great way to put it…I have met so many friends through blogging…people I consider to be closer than my in life friends for that matter….!!!
Aol journals is a pretty close community and I have found to like it there.
hope you have a good day
Emily
Megan says
This is so true!! Great post! I am still a “new-bee” to the blogging world and it has amazed me to see how the community is so open. I love the fact that people are so willing to give help, advice and LINKS to share without even knowing each other… not to mention that it has given me an outlet to share what I know without having to leave my house!
Gliding through motherhood says
Great tips – I think I need to find some new blogs because I don’t feel inspired to comment a lot so maybe I’m not reading the right things…
and if I find the kinds of blogs I want to comment on, maybe they would be the kinds of readers that would be inclined to comment on my blog!
Thanks!
Adria says
This has been on my mind lately, so I appreciate the article.
Jae says
Great tips!! And it’s so true, the deep linking, which so many don’t think of using, gets your name out there. I don’t use my blog for any more then sharing motherhood stuff, but I like to impart what wisedom I have to anyhow willing to read.
Thank you for the tips!!
J.
Jen E says
Great article! I started blogging because I just wanted to put some thoughts to “paper” but it’s really evolved into so much more. Thanks for the tips!!
Rachel says
Great article!I like how you added not to try to be a writer. It seems so many others are trying to tell bloggers to be good writers. While your blog does need good content is doesn’t need to have the writers feel and I love that. Thanks!
Amy Jane says
Well, I must be a writer, not a blogger, b/c, while I read (and comment!) on a number of blogs, that number is about 8, because I’m trying to focus on mothering more than blogging…
And I’m still not balancing that very well, b/c my 4-y-o (when I was rattling off the things I do around the house) added “Blogging!” to my list. {*Blush*}
I don’t suppose you have any “shortcut” tips for us blogging “wannabies?”
Karen says
What a wonderful way to define the differences between writing and blogging. This was a great read for someone still fairly new in the blogging (not writing) world! Thanks!
oh amanda says
What a perfect description of blogging! Great post!
tanyetta says
hmmm……….very interesting.
Kilikina says
Ehat a great article. I love that advice!
Barb says
Absolutely great article. You’ve outdone yourselves, girls, having Jim as a guest contributor. Hope lots and lots of bloggers read this – truly good advice.
Melissa says
Wonderful piece! I am glad to discover that I do “blog” and am not a writer!
Laura says
Great tips! Thanks for sharing!
Sarah says
Great piece. The community aspect is so important and is what separates it from just writing. My social loner brother writes. He tried blogging, but couldn’t hack it; too much social interaction.
Jenny is Live & In Color says
Very good article. Thank You.
Jennifer, Snapshot says
I agree completely! I started off blogging to practice and refine my writing. What I found instead was something I never would have imagined in the way of community. I still occasionally post what I would consider “good writing,” but I’ve realized that is not the necessary end to all blog posts.
SingForHim says
Thank you for this! What a great way to describe what we do.
Mama Zen says
Excellent tips!
Ruth :) says
LOVED this piece 🙂