In the open ocean

Cutting me loose??? I guess it's kind of a baptism by fire, but I hope I can keep up. I still haven't found my direction completely in this class, but I'm thinking I can manage. I really just don't get it though. I've been reading other students' blogs, (I think Look to the Sky is a great one) and some other blogs on the web. It doesn't seem like anybody else has this problem. Which in a way, has kind of helped me. My blog is kind of turning into a sort of "One guy's journey to discover what blogging is all about." (Wow, that sounds like a description of the most boring movie ever.) But seriously, my blog is actually a kind of experiment. Will I ever see more in blogging, or will I forever stay lost in the open ocean, without a clue where to go? The thing is, I really don't know what the outcome will be. The only way to find out is to just put in the time and start typing. If anyone has any helpful information, please post a comment. I need all the help I can get.

Cutting you loose

This week begins your first week of official blogging for the class. Starting this week, you'll need to post at least three substantial (defined as no fewer than 200 words) entries to your individual blog, and you'll need to post at least one entry to the class blog. You'll also need to comment on blogs: see the syllabus for details.

As you blog ahead with full steam, ethical issues may arise. What are the ethics (and legal ramifications) of mentioning someone by name on your blog? What if a future employer finds your blog? What if you have strong political opinions on your blog? And on and on. To think through some of these thorny issues that may arise, or that you may want to consider before they arise, I've assigned readings on blogging ethics and blogging legalities. I'm especially curious to know how you would respond to Rebecca Blood's guidelines, and also if (before reading these texts) you brought any particular ethical, professional, or legal concerns with you. If so, what are they?

Nice cover

Blog mastheads as cover art. (Along with an article about the political potential of blogs.)

via Clancy at CultureCat

blog reflections

Frankly, I didn't have a positive view of blogs before coming in to this class. I had always thought blogging was nothing more than online journaling that often just served as a soapbox for anyone, no matter educated or uneducated, to spout off about their likes or dislikes. I think much of this sentiment stemmed from reading my friends' LiveJournals in high school - sure I liked my friends, but I honestly didn't care to read an account of their daily activities or what song they were currently listening to.

Since class has started, however, my definition of blogging (and thus my opinion of blogging) has changed. I never knew, for example, that blogs are generally centered on a specific topic such as politics, music or celebrity gossip. Sure, a personal journal could be considered a specific topic, but I'm starting to feel that online diaries are separate style of blogging. Realizing the true definition has opened my mind; I have more respect for the blogosphere and take it more seriously.

My flawed definition of blogging is also why I never kept my own. Since I didn't really care to read about my friends' lives, I couldn't imagine why any one would want to read about my own. Plus, as a sometimes shy person, I'm not so sure I would want others to have that opportunity. As I read topic-focused blogs, however, I can see that a blogger's personality is what makes his or her blog great. Good writing often contains a voice specific to the author, and I admire all bloggers for being able to put themselves out there like that. I want to write with personality and voice, so I'm going to have to put my shy impulses aside.

That said, I think my greatest challenge for my blog will be finding a focus topic for it. I've always thought its best to write what you know, and what else do I know better besides my own life? I realize that question completely contradicts what I said above, but I'm not sure I know enough about anything else substantial to write a meaningful commentary. Hopefully reading more blogs regularly will give me some ideas.

Blogging as good conversation

I say something. You say something back. I reply to your reply. Someone else joins in.

Yep, that's conversation. And that's what much good blogging is like. It isn't rocket science. And it's hard to appreciate if you get just a snippet. (Did you hear what she said? Why did she say that?) Really good conversations are things you have to invest some time in. You have to be willing to listen to the person talking, and then you have to be willing to add to the conversation. Not just a nod of the head, but real words and ideas. Adding on. Linking to. Starting your own conversation in another space, but a conversation that bears the marks of the last one.

Although this metaphor of conversation isn't quite what Will Richardson says, I was thinking of him as I wrote it. Here's a piece of what he said in one of the readings for today:

Blogging requires effort in ways that make it a valuable use of my time. I need to read and think and write, all the while testing my assumptions and editing what comes in and what goes out. In the three-plus years that I've been keeping this blog, I've read tens of thousands pieces of writing from thousands of other bloggers, and with each one I'm mining it for something to use in my practice or to write about. Ironically, it's one of the biggest changes in my process since I started blogging, this reading for ideas that I do. I never used to read to write. Now that's almost all I do. And the writing identifies and clarifies the learning. That's really what the good blogging is here, a learning log.

I do nod my head, often, when I read Will's blog. I'm really attracted to this idea of blogging as a space where I allow myself to be challenged. I read other's blogs, looking for ideas that might spark something. I take that spark, I go to my blog, and I see where it might take me. Might not take me far. Or it might take me farther than I imagined. But there's something really fun--joyful! even--about that process of generating new ideas. And putting them out there for a potential audience. And sometimes I get a response, and it makes me think even more.

So I'd like you to try it today. Take a chunk of text that you like from one of today's readings. Or, if you prefer, from something you've read in a blog in the past day or so. See where you go with it.

And don't forget to read and comment on each other's blog entries here and on the individual blogs.

Most blogs are annoyingly predictable.

Traditionally, I've always thought of blogs as a kind of sob story outlet venue. Site after site is filled with detail-laden versions of the same basic story: "Life is terrible, and all I can do is write about it, so that everyone can see how terrible it is for me, personally." Or worse, the "There is nothing in my life to do, so I'll write about how unfulfilled I am" theme.

My cynical point of view has only been reinforced, since I found out about tools like Technorati and Bloglines. What I saw then was a third, more chilling alternative sub-message: "I'm right, you're wrong, and here are 40,000 web sites to make you see that." Rightwingnews.com is maybe a less than stellar example of this, but I just want to cite this guy to raise awareness that this idiot actually has a following. Something like 6,000 links to his site. Honestly, I'm not having a bad day. This is just part of what I see on the Interweb these days, although I know I only see a fraction of all that is posted out there.

To be fair, there are other blogs, which number far less than they should, but are actually useful. How To's and niche-oriented blogs are clever references to validate hobbies and exotic interests and to unite distinctly isolated groups of people. There are over 1,000 posts about Star Wars action figures. There is a blog devoted to a cooking show by Rachel Ray, where devout watchers post recipes for 30-minute meals and then comment on how well they worked out or how they changed the recipes.

Even better are the news sites. These pages function as mega-connections between worthy news outlets. The other day I found an article which cited different pieces of information broadcast from the BBC, NPR, the Associated Press, and Fox News. So I can't stand Fox News, but still, this capacity to draw a line between competing sources and to offer immediate comparisons is an amazingly helpful use of Web space.

Yet, the thread I see running through privately operated sites is the (somewhat desperate) hope that someone will care about what we have to say. Obviously, we all have our own opinions about things, but it seems hard to pull off a blog in which you share your views, without sounding self-important. I'm by no means saying that my own blog will succeed where others have failed. God knows, I have a lot of things to say that I've never gotten out. I'm the youngest of four very opinioniated and well-educated daughters, so I've done a lot of listening in my time.

But I think the difference between the sob sites and the salutary sites, is just the author's level of expectation that people will want to read what they post. Those really great sites are the ones written for the sake of writing, not for the sake of telling, and in the process can drown out the blaring violins playing behind those ill-conceived online diaries.

[Cross-posted from Post-december]

Just heard it: blogging in the news

I just heard a bit about blogs on the PBS Newshour. Seems that the Washington Post shut down comments on their blog. Here's the Newshour story (you'll need to scroll down to find Tuesday and then the headline "Online Feedback Goes Offline"). To find out more, try searching on Technorati.

Any comments on this story? As up-and-coming bloggers, does it give you pause at all?

Bloggers Anonymous...

I'm totally new to blogging. I knew it was a big internet thing, but I didn't know how big. Last class opened my eyes to this whole world of blogging. And after trying it out for myself, I see why. This thing is addictive. I've made one post and already I'm ready to post another. It's not that I feel like I have to inform everyone else about my life, or that I even think others will read much if any of it, but I love venting on my blog. It's a drug, man, once you get your fingers going and the thoughts are on a continuous flow from your mind to your computer, it's hard to stop. I just typed a couple hundred words in ten minutes! And here I am again, making a new post immediately after I finished my last one. Darn you, Donna! You've got me blogging and I can't stop! But seriously, I'm learning that blogs aren't just an online journal. They can be valuable tools in the real world. I thought it was interesting in Anton Zuiker's post about the early pioneers of blogging. It still blows my mind when I think about how one can communicate with anyone on the world in a fraction of a second. I'm sure it was even more amazing to these early pioneers of the web. I don't think I'll ever be an expert on blogs, for that I recommend Rebecca Blood's blog. This lady knows blogs. I was intrigued by her three reasons people blog. It's taken us so far that now, according to Georege Siemens, blogging is an art form. I couldn't agree more. I mean for now, my blog is still pretty primitive, just text and a link here or there, but I hope to harness my skills and really create something I can be proud of. Through practice and patience, as in real artisitc masterpieces, I hope to achieve my goal.

Moving beyond blogging assumptions

I'd like to start class today by asking you to post an entry to your individual blog. Here's what I'd like you to write about:

What kinds of assumptions about blogs do you bring to the class? What did you think of blogs before you arrived here? Are these assumptions being challenged in any way? Has your reading (whether the assigned reading or your own reading around in blogs) given you any insight into how you might want to focus and/or shape your blog?

I would then ask you to create a second post, a post of links, like you read about in some of the material for today. The links should be to the readings for today, and you will add a little text to remind yourself (and to tell any readers) what you found most useful at each site.

Finally, please choose one of these posts to cross-post to the class blog. (Copying and pasting works well for this.) You might indicate in both posts where the cross-posted entry can be found.

Presentations

As you can see on the schedule, individual presentations to the class start next week.

Tuesdays will be reserved for technical presentations (how-to, hands-on demonstrations of how to alter your blog). As you're reading blogs (onsite rather than through bloglines), you may notice a feature that you would like to emulate. (For example, I added a site meter to this blog today. That's pretty easy, however. But you get the idea: notice cool things that you would like to see on your blog.) Try to find out how to do it. The idea here is, in the geek spirit, to teach yourself how to do something. And, then, in the geek network spirit, to share that "hack." Luckily, Blogger is already in the spirit, and they offer a nice menu of "hacks" that can get you started. Feel free to use one of their hacks as the template for your presentation. (My only request is that you don't repeat a hack that we've already learned.)

Thursdays will be reserved for presentations about blogs in the news, in the world, in discussion. The idea is to find a recent article about blogs, something that might stir up discussion or that might be otherwise generative. Tell the class about it (you're also welcome to blog it), and then add your commentary. Ask questions to get the class talking. You might even ask them to blog about it.

Right now, we obviously need two good people to volunteer to be the first: one person for Tuesday and one for Thursday. After that, I'll just fill in the blanks. Please let me know right away if there's a day when you can't present.

Oops: note on links

I just noticed that if you try to click on the links for tomorrow's readings you'll be directed to an error page. Try cutting and pasting the links instead, but get rid of the closing parenthesis: )

That should do it. And please be ready to write about what you've read.

Finding blogs, reading blogs

In order to write in any genre, you need to read widely in that genre so that its defining features become second nature. With blogging, reading blogs is itself a defining feature: bloggers regularly read, respond to, and refer to other blogs.

To get you started with wide reading of blogs, we'll explore two tools:
(1) blog-specific search engines, especially technorati
(2) rss readers/news aggregators, especially bloglines

After finding several blogs that interest you with technorati, you can set up a bloglines account that will allow you to read all the blogs you want in one space, and you can use a script from bloglines to create a blogroll.

As you read blogs today and in the coming days, notice what does and doesn't appeal to you. Keep a record of the features of blogs that seem unique to and/or characteristic of blogs: use your blog as a placeholder for these notes.

Welcome!

Welcome to English 4040: Blogging in Theory and Practice. This blog will serve as the "mother blog" for the class. Whereas your individual blogs will be on topics of your choosing, the mother blog is a place to blog about blogging. You'll often have a chance to blog here during class time, but you're also welcome (and, indeed, encouraged) to add information about blogging here as you find it.

Here's what I have planned for our first class meeting:

(1) The obvious: go over the syllabus, see who's here, etc.
(2) Hear from each of you about why you're here, what (if any) experience you've had with blogging, etc.
(3) Begin talking about blogs, especially their technical features
(4) View blogging software options
(5) Set up a starter blog

Update: Other texts to take a look at:
David Weinberger, "The New Is"
"Blogging as Breathing" via mathemagenic