Literature and writing continues to develop especially in the last 10 years. Blogging has joined the ranks of article writing, novel-writing and e-books as a major contributor to the world of literature especially with the advent of the Internet. The question has to be asked is blogging the next big thing or will it be a literary flash in the pan? Many people spend MORE time on the Internet than they do watching TV which is a fairly new phenomenon and one that is destined to send the popularity of blogging into the stratosphere.
George Herbert said that "good words are worth much and cost little." This appears to be the case with blogging bringing not just traffic to the Internet but money and even film deals! Many people believe that what is said will be forgotten but I am not so sure about that! This article will introduce you to the world of blogging - what you know, what you don’t, and some interesting facts that I thought you ought to know.
So tell me what a blog is…
Well…it is a personal website which provides commentary, insights and personal thoughts on a wide variety of subjects. The blogger can include graphics, videos and pictures. They usually displayed in reverse order i.e. meaning that the most recent entry is the one that is displayed on the page or at the top of the page. Just to add confusion, blog is not only a noun but a verb. So ‘blog’ also means to maintain a blog.
What purpose do blogs serve really?
Well they can provide insight into current events or a specific subject or they can just be like an online diary. Many of them allow people to leave comments and feedback. Although they can include graphics and videos, some blogs focus on different types of art from writing to photographs to music.
Where did it all begin?
The birthday of the blog is 17th December 1997 when a certain Jorn Barger coined the phrase ‘weblog’. The word ‘blog’ was created by Peter Merholz. He jokingly broke the word into the phrase we blog and putting on the side of his blog which can be found on www.Peterme.com in 1999. Soon after that Evan Williams used the word as both a verb and noun and the word blogger was born to describe someone who creates and maintains a blog.
The blog that we know today evolved from the online diary (Bridget Jones anyone?). This was a place where people told others about their lives and what was going on. The labels journalists or journalers was born out of the creation of the online diary. The first person to be known as a blogger was Justin Hall (who started in 1994) and then Jerry Pournelle. The oldest and longest running weblogs is Scripting News created by Dave Winer. The first one to include video and pictures as well as text was EyeTap.
Are there different types of blogs?
Yes there are. They are as follows:
- Personal blogs - commentary, entry or insights. The blogs may not be read by many people but that is not the main reason for writing. The bloggers just love writing and that is enough for them. Although there have been tales of people securing fame and fortune because of their blogs, this is the exception rather than the rule although some blogs do get a following quite quickly. The advent of Twitter has taken personal blogging to a new level where a blogger can comment on what is going on around them instantaneously and share it with friends, family and followers.
- Business blogs - businesses are increasingly using blogs to enhance their communication within and without the firm. These help to enhance their image and branding as well as informing employees of events and changes within the organizations.
- Subject blogs - These cover a specific subject from fashion to music to politics. Vlogs are blogs comprising videos; linklogs, photoblogs are blogs comprising photos; linklogs are blogs comprising of links. You get the picture.
What do I need to look out for? Are there any problems?
Yes. A blogger must be careful. Companies can sue if they believe the contents of an employee’s blog are defamatory so be careful of this. There are also copyright issues to consider to make sure you take these into consideration if you are wanting to become one of the many bloggers out there.
Can I get paid for it?
There are blogging jobs out there but they are not usually very well paid. A good place to start is www.aboutfreelancewriting.com.
There is no denying the ubiquitous nature of the blog and its considerable influence on the development of writing and communication today. For all of you that have something to say, a blog can be the best medium to express your thoughts. It does require discipline but the effort is worth it in the end.
Keep watching this space…
© Angelique Fyre - October 2009
