Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Tips for Bloginners
I recently received an email from one of my readers (because I'm almost as big as Nicholas Sparks now, who, as you all know [or assume, which you know is dangerous] I just adore...I've read all of his books now except for, well, all of them)...Anyway, email from reader...requesting that I email her now and then and tell her to post something on her blog. I'm not emailing you, because since I know you're going to read this, it'll save us both time if I go ahead and say "POST SOMETHING ALREADY!" In a later conversation, she suggested that I create a list of helpful hints for those just starting out in this magical and mysterious world of cyber-spewing-all-your-thoughts-dreams-aspirations-and-inner-demons-out-into-the-internet-for-everyone-to-read-without-the-least-bit-of-discretion-because-it's-essentially-anonymous (-or-can-be-if-you-want-it-to-be).
So although I only have a few minutes before I have to go teach, here goes it:
1. Be yourself...unless you're blogging your novel, in which case, be whoever you want to be. And let me know the address. I love a good novel.
2. Write about stuff in every day life you find humor in, stuff that really makes you think, and stuff you want to take action because of. Try not to write about stuff in every day life that doesn't fit into one of those categories. I don't really care about the fact that you stopped at the Circle K (unless of course strange things were afoot there).
3. Make fun of life, people, circumstances, etc. in a light-hearted way. Cynicism can be funny. Bitterness generally brings people down.
4. Use correct spelling at the very least. I know my grammar veers off the straight and narrow now and again, but I'm a descriptivist with a conversational writing style. What's your excuse?
5. Move into a shed. That'll always spice things up.
6. Write as soon as possible after something blog-worthy happens. You'll remember more details and tell the story better.
7. Take note of blog-worthy things. Hint: If you see/experience something that makes you laugh out loud when you're alone or that makes you want to call someone to tell them about it, it's probably blog-worthy.
8. CREATE blog-worthy moments (social deviance projects [keep it clean], road trips, international trips, tripping over your own feet, no illicit drug trips please...you don't even understand what you're talking about then).
9. Make fun of yourself. That's always good for a laugh...at least in my case.
10. Find something to become obsessed with. Celebrities are always good (special thanks to Whitney for introducing me to Paul Shirley...he is dreamy indeed), hobbies I guess will do for a post or two (after that it's a little freaky), anger at your phone company (I mean who hasn't been there, right?), a band (special thanks to Jessica for rekindling my love for BTE and BTE's lead singer, one Mr. Kevin Griffin...ordinary name, extraordinary just about everything else), etc., etc.
11. Be creative. Use words you've never used in speaking before but only read in classic novels.
12. Pretend this is totally normal, and just write.
Anyone have anything to add?
So although I only have a few minutes before I have to go teach, here goes it:
1. Be yourself...unless you're blogging your novel, in which case, be whoever you want to be. And let me know the address. I love a good novel.
2. Write about stuff in every day life you find humor in, stuff that really makes you think, and stuff you want to take action because of. Try not to write about stuff in every day life that doesn't fit into one of those categories. I don't really care about the fact that you stopped at the Circle K (unless of course strange things were afoot there).
3. Make fun of life, people, circumstances, etc. in a light-hearted way. Cynicism can be funny. Bitterness generally brings people down.
4. Use correct spelling at the very least. I know my grammar veers off the straight and narrow now and again, but I'm a descriptivist with a conversational writing style. What's your excuse?
5. Move into a shed. That'll always spice things up.
6. Write as soon as possible after something blog-worthy happens. You'll remember more details and tell the story better.
7. Take note of blog-worthy things. Hint: If you see/experience something that makes you laugh out loud when you're alone or that makes you want to call someone to tell them about it, it's probably blog-worthy.
8. CREATE blog-worthy moments (social deviance projects [keep it clean], road trips, international trips, tripping over your own feet, no illicit drug trips please...you don't even understand what you're talking about then).
9. Make fun of yourself. That's always good for a laugh...at least in my case.
10. Find something to become obsessed with. Celebrities are always good (special thanks to Whitney for introducing me to Paul Shirley...he is dreamy indeed), hobbies I guess will do for a post or two (after that it's a little freaky), anger at your phone company (I mean who hasn't been there, right?), a band (special thanks to Jessica for rekindling my love for BTE and BTE's lead singer, one Mr. Kevin Griffin...ordinary name, extraordinary just about everything else), etc., etc.
11. Be creative. Use words you've never used in speaking before but only read in classic novels.
12. Pretend this is totally normal, and just write.
Anyone have anything to add?
3 comments:
"tips for bloginners"--what a shame that I didn't notice the clever title BEFORE posting my comment... nicely done, Beth.
You're way cooler than Nicholas Sparks! I met him while I was working at Books-A-Million. He was buying HIS OWN BOOK and was very short-tempered because I didn't know who he was. He WAS NOT as nice or as cool as you!!
As for the "tips for beginners," I can't think of anything else right now. If I do, I will add it. But I would like to emphasize the importance of #s 1 and 12. Not that all the stuff in the middle doesn't count--it does. But I'm bad at practical instruction lists, so I'd probably make a list with only two tips on it. And those two tips would be #s 1 and 12. That's all. Happy blogging everyone!