My Blogging Blog (on Blogger)
A few months ago, I read an article which suggested that daily blogging is a good way to improve writing skills. More recently,as a result of that suggestion, I've been reflecting on the entries that I've made here during the last few months, and how they compare with the entries that I've read for a few of my friends and mentors.
Its been intriguing. This blog, it seems, is a fairly accurate reflection of the things that I'm thinking, feeling, and believing today. Tomorrow, I may move on to something completely different. At first, the entries may seem scattered and random. However, as is the case with other personal blogs, over time, one can begin to see a larger mosaic that portrays my life, my beliefs, and my values.
I've been pleasantly surprised by the lifescape I've managed to paint (albeit largely subconsciously) during the last few months. However, I think that I've made two mistakes.
First mistake: long entries (especially, rants). I suspect that most folks only want to take a minute or two when they sit down to read a blog. When I start ranting on and on about a certain subject, I think I lose a lot of people (just as a lot of other bloggers tend to lose me when they become too verbose). I'm not saying that complex ideas and arguments have no place in the blogsphere. I just think that they are better explored over a series of several bite-sized entries.
Second mistake: too much argument, too little perspective. I like reading about how others think, live, and grow, without being called on to make judgments about whether the same beliefs or lifestyles are for me. Normally, I don't like being told by someone else how I ought to think and act, so why would I want to force-feed my views on the rest of you? In that sense, I want my writing here to become more subjective; inviting you to see life from my viewpoint without telling you that its the only viewpoint.
Anyone want to comment? What are the ingredients of a high-quality personal blog? How could they be better reflected in this space?
Its been intriguing. This blog, it seems, is a fairly accurate reflection of the things that I'm thinking, feeling, and believing today. Tomorrow, I may move on to something completely different. At first, the entries may seem scattered and random. However, as is the case with other personal blogs, over time, one can begin to see a larger mosaic that portrays my life, my beliefs, and my values.
I've been pleasantly surprised by the lifescape I've managed to paint (albeit largely subconsciously) during the last few months. However, I think that I've made two mistakes.
First mistake: long entries (especially, rants). I suspect that most folks only want to take a minute or two when they sit down to read a blog. When I start ranting on and on about a certain subject, I think I lose a lot of people (just as a lot of other bloggers tend to lose me when they become too verbose). I'm not saying that complex ideas and arguments have no place in the blogsphere. I just think that they are better explored over a series of several bite-sized entries.
Second mistake: too much argument, too little perspective. I like reading about how others think, live, and grow, without being called on to make judgments about whether the same beliefs or lifestyles are for me. Normally, I don't like being told by someone else how I ought to think and act, so why would I want to force-feed my views on the rest of you? In that sense, I want my writing here to become more subjective; inviting you to see life from my viewpoint without telling you that its the only viewpoint.
Anyone want to comment? What are the ingredients of a high-quality personal blog? How could they be better reflected in this space?
posted by Matt at Sunday, March 06, 2005
1 Comments:
Matt -
You'll no doubt be surprised to find this comment, but I've been reading, with interest, your comments on Mike Cope's blog and followed the "trail" here. You know how blogging goes. Anyway, I suppose it's because, for one thing, I discovered rather quickly that you're an attorney, and so feel an affinity, as I am one, too, although rather "retired" as of five years ago (you'll have to read back in my blog a bit to understand).
I like what you have to say here, after having read back a ways, and wanted you to know that. That's it. Although, I can also identify with writing blog entries that are WAY too long and that probably cause some of my few "followers" to give up in vain. (I'm doing this as a "ministry," if you will. I need to work on length.
Meanwhile, I'll keep reading your entries. Check mine out if you have a few minutes - or a lot of minutes. Please. I just started a few weeks ago, so it won't take long. And, keep writing and commenting to Mike Cope's blog. I enjoy your "blog" work! Dee Andrews
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