How Blogging Changes Writing
Writing for paper - even if not for print - focuses on the document: the letter, the essay, the paper, the note, the journal entry... In blogging, the unit of composition is the post, which is only one post in a more or less steady stream of posts.What about the social role blogging seems to be filling? Blogging took off pretty quickly, and the medium is used to serve a wide ranges of purposes, from the public performance of a personal matters, to recording a daily round, to documenting hobbies and interests, to journalism, to marketing, to scholarship. Blogging can also serve as a method of making connections with people who would be unable to connect without computer technologies.
We became quickly adept at reading blog posts, understanding the topics and conventions of the genre: the lists, the embedded links, the rants, the brevity, the incompleteness of any single post.
These observations suggest that blogging changes writing and reading in interesting, and perhaps significant ways.
So, how does blogging change writing? How doesn't it? What features are salient in prompting changes? What stays the same? Even a list of possible changes will help us.
- writing's place and role in society,
- what people need to know in order to take part in writing in these spaces
- what people write in these spaces
- how people write in these spaces
- what makes an effective wiki topic effective
- what people read and how they read
- ...
- BloggingAsAHobby
Relevant Links about blogging
- ShorthandBlogging
- ImmediacyInBlogging
- InstantGratification
- BlogLinks
- OffTheCuffBlogging
- IntentionalBlogging
- OneSidedConversation
- BloggingCommunities
- RoleOfEditor | LackOfEditor | SideSteppingTheEditor | WriterAsEditor These might work best conflated under RoleOfEditor
- BlogVsWiki
see also HowTheWikiChangesWriting
threads
Writing's Place and Role in Society
It has only been over the last few years that people will ever mention a "blog friend." Like some guy in Pakistan that you communicate with through your blogs. Blogging is not just about writing. It's a strange, improptu networking tool. They are informal (no matter who is writing it, it is nearly impossible for them to feel formal), impulsive, and gratuitous. They are, in short, a very useful socially engaging, unique in all the world, form of communication.
Blogging has made writing a thing that everyone does! It has made writing a common occurrence. It has forced many people who otherwise wouldn't put thier thoughts into words, uh, into words. When you write something down, and then hit publish (while you can still delete it), it has an air of permanency to it. You feel obligated to be honest and straightfoward, or at least honest and straightforward in making your intent clear. Blogging makes writers of us all, and as such, even people who aren't writers by trade start to think like them.
There are many different ways to blog, and in return, many different interpretations of blogs. It is true that blogging has changed writing, but analyzing it completely would almost be impossible. One thing I think we can all agree with is that blogging has made writing more timely. We can now read something that has been written and published within the same 10 minutes. Blogging has also brought together communities of writers to support (or criticize) during the writing process. In addition, blogging may have made writing shorter, because one does not have to explain every aspect or every word because links can provide those. I won't explain it all, but here are some threads that I have collected from this one long thread. I tried to compile everything that had to do with these headings in one place so that conversations about specific topics could happen. Feel free to change or even roll the page back. I just thought this might be a more precise way to talk about such a broad issue. JessicaHodgson
Since the beginning of the semester, I've noticed a lot of businesses are using blogs. [http://www.itworld.com/Tech/5046/060228bloginsight/ Blog Insight] From what I've seen, most companies like the idea but don't quite know how to best utilize their resources yet. At a guess, I'd say that money has a lot to do with it. Blogs can do the same thing as a traditional website, plus allow feedback, so I don't know why it wouldn't be welcome in the business world. As a freelancer, it may be the next best thing to telecommuting - if not better.
SandiPemberton
This entire discussion says more than any 'textbook' about the subject could tell us. It's like the old 'learning by doing', 'learning by teaching others', or 'learning by discussing what we've learned'. All of these methods have enjoyed their day (vogue) in public education over the years. As a retired teacher I want to say 'Class you've done well! Gold stars for everyone!!!'
SharonSimpson
CategoryBlogging
