Holy crap. I’m goin’ crazy.

Is blogging a right or a privilege?

I had a Xanga in high school, and so did all of my friends. We used it as a way to write about what we had done that day and to talk about our plans and jokes. While I love going back to read about what I was doing in high school, in no way would that blog be interesting to anyone who didn’t already know me. I feel like many bloggers are this way; they simply use the space to ramble about their days and various complaints. For me, many of them lack the significant “Why should I care?” factor. This is the challenge I face; I’m not sure how to make an everyday blog something everyone would want to read. Putting my thoughts out to the world doesn’t scare me because I would never post anything I didn’t want people to read. I actually quite like the idea. I know I should continue to blog and probably will do so. I’m just waiting for the right inspiration….

I think several of us have mentioned that blogging seems to put writers in a very vulnerable position, and I would have to completely agree. There is no copy editor, section editor or web editor between your raw work and your readers, and writing without any sort of insulation/safety net is terrifying. I am sure posting something with a grammatical error or having your work perceived as uneducated is a reporter’s worst nightmare.

I think Tara brought up a good point:

“I am beginning to consider that a website in my name with information about myself and clips of my work might be useful, but is blogging also critical?”

I agree with Tara that having an online portfolio would be great, but I am turned off to the idea of a potentially damaging ‘blog’ with my unedited work on it.

Also, blog comes from the phrase web log. I first heard about it in 2004 because John Kerry had a web log on his campaign site, and now blogs are a standard tool for any campaign.

Molly, you raise a good point: Why isn’t there more emphasis in the curriculum on writing for online? One answer: The industry’s demands are changing at lightning speed. This premium on an online presence didn’t exist even a few years ago when you started school. We scramble to update the curriculum each year — each semester, even. But we will never be “caught up.” Even the industry doesn’t know where it’s headed or what it wants from college grads. Certainly, though, we can and should do better.

The biggest hurdle to blogging is getting started. Technically, it’s not that difficult. But writing the first post is daunting, even intimidating (see Heather, above). Obviously, we shouldn’t blog just to blog. Mindless content is worse than no content. We need to say something of substance. But as writers, we shouldn’t find that hard, should we? Heck — writing is our passion! If we’re serious about pursuing this as our living, we shouldn’t lack for something to say. Blog about the stuff you’re passionate about! Once you start, others join the conversation, and suddenly you’re off and running.

Several of you raise legitimate worries about privacy and about what employers will learn about you online. I can guarantee you that employers will, at a minimum, Google you and check you out on Facebook and MySpace. Be careful about your privacy. Google yourself regularly. Be smart about what’s on Facebook. Think of Facebook as living in a glass house. If you blog, be professional about it. (You can always keep a private, password-protected blog “for fun.”)

Any bonehead can blog — and plenty of them do. But we need writers who can blog responsibly, ethically, accurately and honestly. We need writers who can contribute to and advance the conversation. All the standards of good journalism still apply. Let’s seize the opportunity to inject some integrity and professionalism into the blogosphere. Let’s lead, not follow.

Last year, I randomly ‘googled’ my name and came up with a frightening sight. Someone had decided to quote me on an online Times Delphic article about tattoos and how I had gotten two at a tattoo parlor in Des Moines. This information was totally false, and it scared me that a potential employer could see this and eliminate me from the list of job candidates. I got it removed, but ever since then, I have become more aware of how I could be perceived negatively. However, blogs could turn this around and make one stand out in a positive way.

I agree with Elizabeth about the fear and vulnerability that comes with putting your writing out there for the world to see. Even these comments are tough for me- just the mere thought of my own blog terrifies me! But like Elizabeth said, I need to get over these emotions and learn to promote myself well in order to stand out (in a positive way!)