Comments on: How and why to get started with blogging: The REAL answer http://www.contentious.com/2007/12/19/how-and-why-to-get-started-with-blogging-the-real-answer/ Amy Gahran's news and musings on how we communicate in the online age. Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:39:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Dave Irwin http://www.contentious.com/2007/12/19/how-and-why-to-get-started-with-blogging-the-real-answer/#comment-1208326 Dave Irwin Sun, 23 Dec 2007 07:57:42 +0000 http://www.contentious.com/2007/12/19/how-and-why-to-get-started-with-blogging-the-real-answer/#comment-1208326 Excellent essay, and excellent comments. I would agree with everything that you have said. Only problem--I can't seem to follow that advice in my own blog. I combine classical music, politics, and environment, etc. in my blog. I realize that some people find that offensive and unfocuse, but that is just how I am put together. I can't understand musicians who don't have something to say about the current political world and the current environmental situation. Signed, Unfocused in Florida Excellent essay, and excellent comments. I would agree with everything that you have said.

Only problem–I can’t seem to follow that advice in my own blog. I combine classical music, politics, and environment, etc. in my blog. I realize that some people find that offensive and unfocuse, but that is just how I am put together. I can’t understand musicians who don’t have something to say about the current political world and the current environmental situation.

Signed,
Unfocused in Florida

]]> By: Jeremy Osborne http://www.contentious.com/2007/12/19/how-and-why-to-get-started-with-blogging-the-real-answer/#comment-1208129 Jeremy Osborne Fri, 21 Dec 2007 19:32:43 +0000 http://www.contentious.com/2007/12/19/how-and-why-to-get-started-with-blogging-the-real-answer/#comment-1208129 Today's "societies," and the conversations happening within them, are also evolving. Only by participating within your community can you keep up and evolve with the ever-changing needs of those around you. What I think is my current value today might be worthless 6 months from now. And what appears to be worthless right now might be valuable 3 months later. Seems like it's time to update the old question, "What should I do with my life?" to "What should I do with my life right now?" Today’s “societies,” and the conversations happening within them, are also evolving. Only by participating within your community can you keep up and evolve with the ever-changing needs of those around you. What I think is my current value today might be worthless 6 months from now. And what appears to be worthless right now might be valuable 3 months later.

Seems like it’s time to update the old question, “What should I do with my life?” to “What should I do with my life right now?”

]]> By: Amy Gahran http://www.contentious.com/2007/12/19/how-and-why-to-get-started-with-blogging-the-real-answer/#comment-1208026 Amy Gahran Thu, 20 Dec 2007 17:50:32 +0000 http://www.contentious.com/2007/12/19/how-and-why-to-get-started-with-blogging-the-real-answer/#comment-1208026 Thanks, Jeremy. Yes, being able to demonstrate what you're about is definitely one important and useful way to use a blog or social media. What I'm getting at here is slightly different: If you're trying to figure out what you should be doing to make a living, it helps to use online or social media as a way to get to know and get involved with communities relevant to your skills and passions -- and basically let that context help guide how you choose to define what you have to offer. Two related yet separate purposes, both important :-) - Amy Gahran Thanks, Jeremy. Yes, being able to demonstrate what you’re about is definitely one important and useful way to use a blog or social media.

What I’m getting at here is slightly different: If you’re trying to figure out what you should be doing to make a living, it helps to use online or social media as a way to get to know and get involved with communities relevant to your skills and passions — and basically let that context help guide how you choose to define what you have to offer.

Two related yet separate purposes, both important :-)

- Amy Gahran

]]> By: links for 2007-12-20 at iJump.co.nz http://www.contentious.com/2007/12/19/how-and-why-to-get-started-with-blogging-the-real-answer/#comment-1207967 links for 2007-12-20 at iJump.co.nz Thu, 20 Dec 2007 04:26:58 +0000 http://www.contentious.com/2007/12/19/how-and-why-to-get-started-with-blogging-the-real-answer/#comment-1207967 [...] contentious.com - How and why to get started with blogging: The REAL answer (tags: blogging) [...] [...] contentious.com - How and why to get started with blogging: The REAL answer (tags: blogging) [...]

]]> By: Jeremy Osborne http://www.contentious.com/2007/12/19/how-and-why-to-get-started-with-blogging-the-real-answer/#comment-1207962 Jeremy Osborne Thu, 20 Dec 2007 03:46:33 +0000 http://www.contentious.com/2007/12/19/how-and-why-to-get-started-with-blogging-the-real-answer/#comment-1207962 I believe Amy is right 100%. Just jumping in and thinking you can make money blogging your opinions, altruisms, stories and whatnot is a conversation I remember too well from just a decade ago, one that sounded like, "Hey, time to buy a house, I have 10,000 shares of stock in ariba.com!" Nowadays is not the yesterday. Companies will google you when you interview with them. Potential dates will find out just how wild you are through Myspace or Facebook. You really can't hide anymore... and that begs the question: "What do you want people to know you for?" and, "What is your unique contribution to the world?" Being part of the online community is your chance to act first, your chance to plant a stake and say, "This is who I am, this is what you can count on me for." When people know you, trust your opinion, and well, even like you, doors will open that you never expected. I believe Amy is right 100%. Just jumping in and thinking you can make money blogging your opinions, altruisms, stories and whatnot is a conversation I remember too well from just a decade ago, one that sounded like, “Hey, time to buy a house, I have 10,000 shares of stock in ariba.com!”

Nowadays is not the yesterday. Companies will google you when you interview with them. Potential dates will find out just how wild you are through Myspace or Facebook. You really can’t hide anymore… and that begs the question:

“What do you want people to know you for?”

and,

“What is your unique contribution to the world?”

Being part of the online community is your chance to act first, your chance to plant a stake and say, “This is who I am, this is what you can count on me for.” When people know you, trust your opinion, and well, even like you, doors will open that you never expected.

]]> By: Amy Gahran http://www.contentious.com/2007/12/19/how-and-why-to-get-started-with-blogging-the-real-answer/#comment-1207955 Amy Gahran Thu, 20 Dec 2007 02:02:36 +0000 http://www.contentious.com/2007/12/19/how-and-why-to-get-started-with-blogging-the-real-answer/#comment-1207955 Karoli -- Yes, focus helps a lot, but I'm thinking the best focus starts to emerge from the process I described, no? That is, pay attention and see what's available and needed first, and that'll largely tell you what to do -- or focus on. - Amy Gahran Karoli — Yes, focus helps a lot, but I’m thinking the best focus starts to emerge from the process I described, no?

That is, pay attention and see what’s available and needed first, and that’ll largely tell you what to do — or focus on.

- Amy Gahran

]]> By: Karoli http://www.contentious.com/2007/12/19/how-and-why-to-get-started-with-blogging-the-real-answer/#comment-1207948 Karoli Thu, 20 Dec 2007 01:09:00 +0000 http://www.contentious.com/2007/12/19/how-and-why-to-get-started-with-blogging-the-real-answer/#comment-1207948 I would add "focus" to that list. If you're looking to start blogging with an eye to making money at it, you'd better be focused on a specific target rather than shooting at many. There are so many blogs out there already to read -- if you want yours to stand out, be focused on a topic people want to read about. On your other bullets, this was exactly the lecture I gave my husband last night -- he has a great idea for a weblog, very focused, very interesting. But I told him not to just launch off into it without first reading lots of blogs first from all facets of the area he's thinking about blogging in. I would add “focus” to that list. If you’re looking to start blogging with an eye to making money at it, you’d better be focused on a specific target rather than shooting at many. There are so many blogs out there already to read — if you want yours to stand out, be focused on a topic people want to read about.

On your other bullets, this was exactly the lecture I gave my husband last night — he has a great idea for a weblog, very focused, very interesting. But I told him not to just launch off into it without first reading lots of blogs first from all facets of the area he’s thinking about blogging in.

]]> By: Dan http://www.contentious.com/2007/12/19/how-and-why-to-get-started-with-blogging-the-real-answer/#comment-1207920 Dan Wed, 19 Dec 2007 18:31:09 +0000 http://www.contentious.com/2007/12/19/how-and-why-to-get-started-with-blogging-the-real-answer/#comment-1207920 To everyone: I'm the sociology student that Amy shared this information with. It's already proven to be valuable. I was making media the goal instead of the needs of online communities. I can now begin to conclude what I should be doing as a business or career using education as well as primarily addressing the real needs of people. Thanks, Dan To everyone:

I’m the sociology student that Amy shared this information with. It’s already proven to be valuable. I was making media the goal instead of the needs of online communities. I can now begin to conclude what I should be doing as a business or career using education as well as primarily addressing the real needs of people.

Thanks,
Dan

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