Welcome to Lesson 3!
So far, we have talked about what a blog is and how to create a blog. Did you have a chance to try and set up a blog using Blogger or WordPress? if you are under 13 at the end of this lesson, we will tell you how to participate in our group blog, if you are interested.
Lesson 3 is about writing and your blog.
Writing and Blogging
The art of writing is serious business and so is blogging. The two activities have many things in common but they are not exactly the same. Writing is usually done on a piece of paper using a pen, pencil or any other writing material and it can be for various purposes. Someone that does this is simply called a writer and he or she can earn a living from it by being paid for writing services.
Blogging on the other hand is done using a desktop computer or a laptop computer that must have access to the Internet. Without gaining access to the Internet, blogging as we know it cannot be possible. This does not apply to writing which can be done in the comfort of your room. Blogging can also be done for a living.
To do blogging, you need a page on the Internet that is referred to as a blog and the things you write on the blogs are called blog posts and they can be on different topics and issues. However, for some other bloggers, they have decided to narrow down their interests. Some blogs are now dedicated to sports only while some others are for politics, entertainment or home care.
Writing and blogging have their own rules. For writing, the rules are more formal and rigid because of its academic nature. While writing, you are expected to pay attention to the grammatical structure, spelling, lexis, syntax and flow of whatever you have written. For writing, there are so many rules and regulations that can discourage the faint-hearted.
For blogging however, the rules are lighter and not too strict. All you need is a fine grasp of basic grammar and spelling. You must also ensure coherence and organization in your posts. There is room for flexibility too as you can create your own style.
Deciding What Your Blog Will Be About
To have a blog is always a fascinating idea. This is because a blog offers you various opportunities. As a blogger, you can communicate with other bloggers and friends scattered all over the world. You even have the opportunity to learn about other people’s cultures and traditions while also teaching them about yours.
Therefore, to be a blogger is always a nice thing. However, even after putting in so much effort into the designing and launching of your blog, you may remain confused as to what to blog about. In fact, there are times when you simply cannot reach a decision because of fear or anxiety. When you are paralyzed by fear or indecision, you may not be able to realize that wonderful blogging dream of yours.
However, the issue of what to blog about should not really be a problem. Some new bloggers find it difficult to adopt a particular topic because there are just too many things to talk about. To make things easy, all you need to do is to choose a topic that you are very passionate about, one that you really like.
Such a topic can be anything; it can be sewing, poultry farming, painting, music or even cloud shapes. The topic does not matter; the most important thing is the love and passion that you have for the topic. At the end of the day, the topic that your blog will be all about may be popular or not, that does not really matter.
The major reason why you should choose a subject that you are passionate about is that you will find it very easy and smooth to write about something that you really have at heart. Apart from that, your blog posts will be unique and that is something that is very important in the world of blogging. If there is a time that you seem to be running out of ideas, you can discuss something general.
How to Create Interesting Blogs
This century of ours is one where technology drives everything. For example, one of the most impressive inventions ever made by man is the Internet. The Internet has opened up new frontiers, some of which were not even conceivable or thought possible before.
One of such things is blogging. Today, there are numerous blogs and websites that offer blogging and other interactive services. Although there seems to be countless blogs, some blogs are more interesting and popular than others. This is reflected by the huge number of visitors that such blogs create and the degree of blogging activity recorded.
Without doubt, to create an interesting blog is the dream of every blogger. However, to create a blog is one thing. To make it interesting and attractive is another thing entirely. This is possible for any blogger but you will have put in some extra effort. Remember, nothing good comes easy.
To start with, the template or the webpage design that you use for your blog must be one that is very beautiful, captivating and attractive. It is common for people to visit websites and blogs simply because of the brilliant designs of such blogs. The fact is that beautiful and soothing designs are appealing to the eyes and have a calming effect on the viewer.
Once you have an impressive blog design, the next thing that you have to work on is the content. No matter how beautiful your blog is, you will not succeed in making it interesting if it is full of trash. Therefore, you must ensure that the contents of your blog are very interesting and inviting. They do not have to be controversial but they should be unique and must be based on issues that concern many people. One other thing is that you must always update your blogs. A blog that is not maintained for months is not likely to appeal to many.
