Comments on: Starting a Blog Part 1: What to blog about

By: Jumper Bailey

Jumper Bailey — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 00:39:24 +0000

This is an excellent start, and as a new blogger, I look forward to learning more from this series.

I am also in the process of developing a helpful series of my own. Though not an experienced blogger, I believe that my “newbie” perspective can be of great help to new bloggers.

Here are some of the issues I am currently working on, and I look forward to any help that any of the more experienced bloggers out there may be willing to lend to a “newbie” such as myself:

LEARNING TO PONTIFICATE

- Proper wording for papal bulls and fatwas
- Where to get a good used miter
- Linguistic shortcuts to use if you don’t speak Latin
- Strategic use of excommunication to enhance your credibility

USING VIDEO TO ENHANCE YOUR BLOG: LEARNING FROM THE PROS

- Mastering CSI-style camera whoosh
- Using soundtracks to heighten dramatic tension
- Placement of the corpse (why you should use a live model instead of a real corpse)

THE UNTAPPED AUDIENCE

- Reaching the non-computer audience
- Reaching across the language barrier (Hint: Babelfish!)
- Correcting misunderstandings caused by Babelfish
- Repurposing your posts as graffiti
- Avoiding graffiti-related prosecution

THE AUDIENCE AND YOU

- The importance of ironic detachment: You want them. You need them. But you must act like you don’t care.

By: Lisa Boucher

Lisa Boucher — Fri, 02 Dec 2005 19:59:37 +0000

What’s a blog? Sounds like something you’d need to scrape off your shoe.

By: Ainslie

Ainslie — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 12:11:09 +0000

I think the one of the most important factors is that you have to enjoy what you are going to write about.

It doesn’t matter if it has been done before, but it does matter if there is no enthusiasm for your topic in your writing especially in your first blog.

By: John Evans (SYNTAGMA)

John Evans (SYNTAGMA) — Fri, 25 Nov 2005 14:43:56 +0000

Also Google Alerts and Technorati Watchlists give lots of material, as does Memeorandum in areas of tech and U.S. politics ... as I point out in a follow-up piece on this subject.

By: Mr. Real Estate

Mr. Real Estate — Fri, 25 Nov 2005 14:38:22 +0000

Speaking of starting a blog, the first review for Jeremy Wright’s new book, Blog Marketing, is out now at Blogcritics (http://blogcritics.org).

Here’s a link to it: http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/11/24/232502.php

Enjoy.

Cheers,

John Mudd
http://insiderealestatejournal.blogspot.com

By: Catherine Collingwood

Catherine Collingwood — Fri, 25 Nov 2005 14:08:58 +0000

This was the approach I took setting up CathColl.net, and it has worked well for over two years. One caution, though, is that this approach probably isn't the best idea for those after huge readerships. For those, you need to have a niche and fresh material.

By: Jorn Barger

Jorn Barger — Fri, 25 Nov 2005 12:05:15 +0000

Another possibility is the original one: log all the interesting articles/pages/sites you find in the course of your surfing, with your personal reaction.

This becomes a personal archive to augment your bookmarks file, and a multidimensional reflection of your individuality.

By: Loren

Loren — Fri, 25 Nov 2005 11:06:56 +0000

Duncan, great introductory piece and I'm looking forward to the continuing installments of your series. Here's a quote from an entry I placed on the Search Engine Journal, referencing your post:

One addition to Duncan's piece would be not limiting your competitive and market research to Google search. Instead, look into similar topical listings and trend measurements on other blog search tools such as Technorati, BlogPulse, Blog Search Engine and IceRocket while also checking out what other blogs may fit into your niche category by flipping through some blog directories like Blog Catalog (albeit chock'd full of ads) and Blog Wise.