I'm thinking of starting a blog
- Thread starter RedRalph
- Start date
aelf
Ashen One
You will either not get many (relatively intelligent) readers or you will get many trolls and idiots. I'd much prefer the former, which is why I wouldn't promote it on a forum like this one or whichever if I were you.
Or you can do a fashion blog and get hundreds of enthusiastic readers a week.
Or you can do a fashion blog and get hundreds of enthusiastic readers a week.
Winner
Diverse in Unity
Make sure you'll still want to write updates in few months time. I have (had?) a blog in which I mostly discuss(ed) (geo)politics and other stuff that I find interesting, but it's hard to maintain the pace after some time, especially if you have a lot work and you just don't feel like writing anything. I was feeling I was getting either repetitive or too reactive (something is on the news, I comment; something happens to me, I comment). Also be prepared that the readers might not necessarily be supportive (enough) to boost your motivation.
But if you're not as lazy as I am, you'll be fine
Also, you'll write in English, which should be easier (more prospective readers, wider reach).
But if you're not as lazy as I am, you'll be fine
Also, you'll write in English, which should be easier (more prospective readers, wider reach).
RedRalph
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We got upgraded to XP in work recently, so ye can now look forward to having my articles linked, ye poor, overworked, confused little darlings.
Yeah, I expect it will get a lot of criticism, if anyone reads it, but who cares. Any ideas what so good sites to start up on are?
Cheezy the Wiz
Socialist In A Hurry
Make sure to include the random insanely absurd hypothetical scenario. I would of course read it anyway, but those are always roflsome.
aelf
Ashen One
Blogspot?
It's actually hard to get good criticism (which I presume is what you care about) until you're sufficiently established. It helps to have your blog on as many blog indexes as possible (e.g. Bloglovin) and it also helps to include at least a picture every entry so there's something that can be displayed as thumbnails at some indexes and so as to make your blog look less like a wall of text.
Also, unless you're just whoring your URL on every possible place on the internet or you just have that many interested friends, I think you can expect to have several readers a week if you update every week. Not too bad. Better than a lot of personal blogs. But I don't think it will be hot cakes.
Gabryel Karolin
Gammelgädda
You and Winner should start a blog together, it would have potential for awesome. 
Cheezy the Wiz
Socialist In A Hurry
It would be like the Odd Couple.
I've been blogging regularly for a long time now (I keep a blog on my teaching experiences that a lot of OTers read, its in my sig).
I prefer Wordpress to Blogspot by a lot. Blogspot is slightly easier to use, but WP has a much better stats collection system, more plugins, and has a great tag feature that can help direct people to your site.
Advice for blog writing:
1) Update on a regular basis. If you want people to read your blog, you need to write 2-3 times a week, preferably on regular intervals. I'm not great at doing this, but my traffic plummets when I forget.
2) Comment and read other blogs! Try to leave a handful of comments every day. WP makes it pretty easy to find blogs on similar topics using the tag surfer. This is how you'll build a community around your site, get regular commenters, etc. Twitter is actually really good for this as well.
3) Be specific. The best blogs typically have a strong, coherent theme.
Good luck, and have fun! Blogging has been one of the few good things I've gotten out of my experience here so far.
I prefer Wordpress to Blogspot by a lot. Blogspot is slightly easier to use, but WP has a much better stats collection system, more plugins, and has a great tag feature that can help direct people to your site.
Advice for blog writing:
1) Update on a regular basis. If you want people to read your blog, you need to write 2-3 times a week, preferably on regular intervals. I'm not great at doing this, but my traffic plummets when I forget.
2) Comment and read other blogs! Try to leave a handful of comments every day. WP makes it pretty easy to find blogs on similar topics using the tag surfer. This is how you'll build a community around your site, get regular commenters, etc. Twitter is actually really good for this as well.
3) Be specific. The best blogs typically have a strong, coherent theme.
Good luck, and have fun! Blogging has been one of the few good things I've gotten out of my experience here so far.
This forum is your blog, and guarantees you a certain quantity of readers immediately, and the discussion or mocking that ensue. A real blog has the considerable possibility that no-one will read the thing, making your efforts seem wasted - may as well write a PhD thesis!
RedRalph
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Of course not, Ir ealise that. Is there any issue around me using photos form news sites, etc?
aelf
Ashen One
Personally I found WP difficult to get started on and I'm just too lazy to learn the ropes. Not the IT whiz anymore. I got myself a nice template on Blogspot (not one of the standard ones offered, but something designed by someone--you can find plenty on the net) and just started writing. Thought of having fancy designs at first, but a nice simple layout seems good enough. If like me you're only interested in writing, then doing the same will probably work for you.
Generally, no. If you want to be really polite about it (e.g. when you use someone's picture taken off the person's blog/website) you should ask for permission. But if you found a random pic on Google, especially something that's been used a lot, I don't think it matters unless you're turning your blog into a business.
Generally, no. If you want to be really polite about it (e.g. when you use someone's picture taken off the person's blog/website) you should ask for permission. But if you found a random pic on Google, especially something that's been used a lot, I don't think it matters unless you're turning your blog into a business.
Don't. Get more of Real Life instead. Might sound a bit impolite, but it's honestly given.
RedRalph
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As a happily married man with a full-time job, a full and enjoyable social life, a mortgage, a newborn son and a big family which I see regularly, I assure you I already have a real life.
there's no harm in indulging my interests
Go for it. You won't know if blogging is your cup of tea until you try it. 
Blogspot is easiest, in my opinion. And Google has a collection of groups where you can get all kinds of "how to" advice on doing the technical stuff like tweaking your template, posting pictures, etc.
BTW, they'll encourage you to put ads on your blog, but you don't have to. And for what it's worth, I rarely read blogs with ad links on them.
Blogspot is easiest, in my opinion. And Google has a collection of groups where you can get all kinds of "how to" advice on doing the technical stuff like tweaking your template, posting pictures, etc.
BTW, they'll encourage you to put ads on your blog, but you don't have to. And for what it's worth, I rarely read blogs with ad links on them.
MobBoss
Off-Topic Overlord
I would suggest doing a blog on something that you actually know.
Since you just had a son, I personally would find a blog about you raising the lad more interesting than anything you would have to say about geopolitics. It would also be a great legacy to give your son eventually when he becomes a dad...
Shekwan
Kim Chi Quaffing Celt
Go for it. Who knows, if its good enough it could develop into something you'll be paid to do. That would be my motivation anyways, getting paid to write about something you'd read up on anyways.
Yes! That is a great idea. I'm not kidding, it would be great to see a blog that presents both sides of the argument on a particular event.
You and Winner should start a blog together, it would have potential for awesome.
Yes! That is a great idea. I'm not kidding, it would be great to see a blog that presents both sides of the argument on a particular event.
RedRalph
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Winner
Diverse in Unity
Haha
That would be awesome, I've seen something similar on a blog jointly run by two columnists from one of the reputable Czech dailies. One writes and article and the other usually inserts notes into it ("That's nonsense, I thought you knew better..." etc.) and later writes a full article in response, if necessary (and the other guy also inserts his commentaries). It's usually pretty witty and fun to read, yet it still holds some informational value Similar threads
