Today through email I asked family and some friends if I should write about a certain topic on my blog or not. Most that responded said opinions are okay but better if backed up with research. Thinking it over, they are right, persuasive writing needs knowledge on a subject, and should clearly address and argue the obvious counter points with logic. This suggests the beginnings of an article and not a quickly written blog. Now I’m wondering if I’m setting another rule to follow for how I write my blog.
My main area of writing I stay away from on this blog is fiction writing. I feel fiction is more personal and time consuming with drafts and the thought process. I might as well send them out for publication when I think they are the best I can do. From my recent classes most publications, even online, want original content not posted online before. It would be more satisfying to see my fiction in a publication or a good online journal than simply to post it on my blog. Also I write fiction at a much slower pace, and could never have a story ready each and every week.
No fiction was my main rule for my blog, but I’ve fallen into certain habits. For fiction I write out my stories by hand first, but for my blog entries I use the computer. For each blog entry I open up word, pandora internet radio, and simply type. The majority of my blog entries are written in one sitting. The writing might take anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours, and then I scan carefully for typos. Then I log into wordpress and post the writing entry along with whatever pictures I may have. Then I read it a few more times on wordpress for typos. Then I email my family and post it on facebook.
Believe it or not, this has helped my writing. I can convey my thoughts and edit it timely. Over last weekend I mentioned the topic I wanted to write about to a friend, and she said people are tolerant of opinions on blogs, but not of typos and misspellings. That’s good advice and made me wonder if my approach to blogging is flawed since I don’t do several drafts or edit super carefully. For fiction I type out the story, and then go over it with a pen. Then I’d edit it in word, and do the process over and over. Perhaps not being as careful with editing has turned away some readers. The grammar police have a big online presence, and my blog is not exempt from their scrutiny.
So if I wanted my blog to have a little more substance and sometimes bring up serious topics or opinions I’ll need to change my approach to writing. Or I could take another approach by creating a new rule by not putting serious topics on here. Instead when I think of serious topics with article potential I’d treat them like fiction by revising seriously, researching, and sending them out to publication.
This blog is great to practice writing but it’s good to realize what additionally I can do to make my writing better. All blog rules are individual to the blogger, but periodically thinking over what and what not to do makes sense.
Mallisonwhat's Blog 
I don’t know exactly know what the right formula is for blogging. It’s just writing and hoping that someone may find that writing interesting and inspiring! That’s what I try to go for — interesting, inviting and inspiring and my feeble attempts at humor! :). I agree with you about not posting your fiction writing on blogs though, Matt. I do think blogging has improved my writing but I struggle with it as well. I think most do. As far as typos, I think everyone does that too, but as long as it’s not peppered throughout with mistakes, I think most bloggers/writers are fairly tolerant of that because everyone does it. We can edit and go over and over a piece of writing and still not catch each and every mistake.
I agree that research is needed if one attempts to write about particular subjects but the main objective is to have fun and to write about what you want to, I think. Thanks for the informative post and look forward to more of them.
Thanks Brigitte,
I think I should take it less seriously. I wish I could write with humor, i think that is one of the hardest type of writing.
Hopefully you’re right that people are forgiving of typos because no one has an editor for blogs. Contrary though, I think people are used to reading published materials even online, so they are used to perfect and flawless writing. I’ll try to not worry about that as much.
Thanks again,
Matt