Can Blogging Help Make Better Writers?

A blog is basically an online journal, where entries are written chronologically, and usually displayed in a scroll-down fashion, with the oldest at the bottom. The term blogging was created as a shortened version of "web log." It can also be used as a verb to mean the writing of blogs. A blog can be professional or personal, and be about a specialized subject (e.g. food, music, politics, news, technology) or can be a personal journal. It can contain photos, links, videos, online ads, and links to related blogs. There are literally millions of blogs out there, with Technorati tracking 71 million in May 2007.

The popularity of blogging can be attributed in part to its accessibility. Anyone who has something to say can join a popular blogging site, such as WordPress or Blogger, register, and have their very own blog up within a matter of hours. It's instant publishing and has changed journalism as we know it, at least to some degree. Journalism is now more interactive, thanks in part to political and news blogs that allow readers to comment. You are your own editor and publisher! There is no one to pitch to, no one to approve your story, and no one to make you go back and do a dozen edits. You can write whatever you want, when you want, and how you want.

The ability to link your blog to other blogs (this is usually called a blogroll) has also increased their popularity and visibility. The blogroll is usually found in the site's sidebar. There are also people who write sponsored blogs for advertisers through companies like PayPerPost, and earn a little money on the side. Because there is minimal money and time investment for bloggers to get started, there are thousands of new ones being created everyday. Another way to increase readership of blogs is to list it with sites that compile or do RSS feeds of blogs, such as Technorati, digg, reddit, and Slashdot.

The pros say that in order to be a good writer, you must write everyday. Without fail. Writing daily posts to a blog is certainly one of the easiest ways to do this, and there are writers who state they started their blogs for this very reason. Some writers give themselves assignments; topics to write about everyday, for the purpose of honing their skills in that area. Think of it as your own personal online creative writing class. Blogging also generates ideas which could later blossom into something else.

One big concern for many published writers, is that having a blog might somehow damage their reputations or diminish their more serious work. Blogs are often seen as frivolous and self-indulgent, and not something that "real writers" would do. Many bloggers write about their relationships, families, personal struggles and other very intimate topics. It's easy to forget that you have no control over who might be reading your blog as long as it isn't on a private, members-only site. Revealing too much might turn some readers off. There are also legal liabilities to consider. Many people have gotten fired from their place of employment for writing satirical or negative commentary about their jobs. Even attempting to keep the blogger's and employer's names anonymous are not guaranteed protection. Avoiding defamation and libel is important too.

On the flip side, this increased exposure might benefit a published writer. Those with novels or published articles, can link to these from their blog. It's also not unheard of for an unpublished writer to get a book deal because of their highly popular or entertaining blog. Los Angeles-based television writer Pamela Ribon, beloved creator of pamie.com, is one example of someone who went on to get a book deal and had an instant readership because of her blog.

Ready to join the blogosphere? The first step is to find a hosting service where your blog will live. The easiest, fastest way to do this is use a blog hosting site, such as Blogger or Wordpress, both which are free unless you opt for a premium account. These sites have easy-to-follow instructions for setting up your blog. The next step is to get your blog noticed so that you'll have actual readers. One way to do this is to link to other bloggers, comment on other people's blogs, and get your blog listed on a blog search directory such as Technorati. Of course, the best way to get noticed is to have entertaining and provocative blog content. Read other blogs for inspiration, and experiment with your writing style until you find your groove.

Heidi Anspaugh is a writer/editor from the Bay Area who has been writing exclusively for the Internet for the past 9 years. She has written content for many different types of web sites, including search directories, technology news sites, music magazines, retail companies, consumer-facing lead generation sites, business resources, and software products.