So you've heard the term "blog" and you want to know what blogs are all about. Well you've come to the right place. In this series of four articles we will take you from asking what a blog is to having all the knowledge you need to start a blog of your own so you can share your thoughts with hundreds or even thousands of readers.
WHAT IS A BLOG?
Let's begin with some definitions. A bit dry, we realize, but this is a necessary evil. First we'll define the word this whole site is based around - blog.
A blog is a frequently updated online personal journal or diary. It is a place to express yourself to the world. A place to share your thoughts and your passions. Really, it's anything you want it to be. For our purposes we'll say that a blog is your own Web site that you are going to update on an ongoing basis. Blog is a short form for the word weblog and the two words are used interchangeably.
Here are a couple of other definitions:
"...the first journalistic model that actually harnesses rather than merely exploits the true democratic nature of the web. It's a new medium finally finding a unique voice."--Andrew Sullivan
"[a] collection of posts...short, informal, sometimes controversial, and sometimes deeply personal...with the freshest information at the top."--Meg Hourihan
TERMINOLOGY
As so often happens in the English language, many derivates of the word blog have been created. One who participates in the activities of maintaining a blog is known as a blogger and the activity of keeping a blog is known as blogging. So we could say that the blogger blogs in his blog, but that might cause your English teacher to weep. We are going to use these terms with alarming frequency, so make sure you understand what they mean before you go on.
Blog (noun) - a journal or diary that is on the Internet - Andrew Sullivan has the most popular blog on the Internet.
Blogger (noun) - a person who keeps a blog - Bloggers are revolutionizing the way news is shared.
Blog (verb) - to write a blog - I am going to blog before breakfast this morning.
Blogging (verb) - the action of writing a blog - Blogging is my way of sharing my passions with the world.
Originally blogs were known primarily as places for people to write about their day-to-day activities. Their mundane, everyday tasks became fodder for journal entries. Somehow these writers gained a following and the hobby of blogging was born. Today people write about far more interesting topics. But we'll get to that in a minute.
WHO BLOGS?
So who are these fearless people who would be willing to post about their lives in as public a forum as the Internet? They are people just like you. Once the haven of technical know-it-alls, blogging has suddenly caught-on as a legitimate hobby and has entered the mainstream. Every day millions of people, some of whom have no technical ability whatsoever, write on their blogs. To meet this demand some amazing tools have been created that will allow anyone, even people with very little knowledge of computers, to have their own blog. If you can find your way onto the Internet and follow some basic instructions you can have your own blog. It's just that easy.
WHY DO PEOPLE BLOG?
So you may be asking why anyone would want to have their own blog. We believe the answer lies in the fact that every human has a voice and wishes their voice to be heard. The Internet is a medium that is unparalleled in its reach. Never before have average people like you or me been able to reach a global audience with so little trouble. Bloggers have the opportunity of reaching hundreds or even thousands of people each and every day.
There are still many people who like to share the details of their days. They may post twenty or thirty times a day, detailing when they ate lunch and when they headed home from work. On the other hand there are bloggers who give almost no detail about their lives, but write instead about a hobby or interest of theirs. They may dedicate their blog to something they are passionate about.