Blogs (web-logs) like most everything else on the internet started humbly and exploded in popularity. Blog sites now offer amateur and professional bloggers alike a means of mass communication. The degree of separation between you and a blogger is probably less than six; between you and a blog that number reduces quickly. When is the last time you visited a blog? Chances are if you're any kind of internet user at all, you have landed on one at least once during a search session. That's how prevalent they have become.



What is a blog? It's is a chronological record of entries with the most current entry being the first displayed. They are used to rant, rave, promote and sell. There are political blogs, travel blogs, fashion blogs, business blogs and personal blogs. It's basically a form of participatory journalism where the subject matter can be about anything. The biggest differentiator in the blog arena today is the quality and correctness of content.

How well is this blog connected to the source of information they purport to know about? Is this a reliable source of information or is a watered down version of facts derived from other watered down sites. With the ability of most anybody to blog these days, it is very easy for someone to simply log onto a site and begin a tirade that may be rooted in fiction or fantasy. How will you know which is which? Using some common sense when interacting with a blog can avoid getting taken in by some bad information.

Be subjective in using a blog. Start with determining what the blogs specialty is and compare that to what you want to find. Simply put, don't go to an entertainment blog for information other than entertainment. Once you choose one, a simple search of the history can give you some insight into their credibility. If you can, check into who subscribes to it and what other media outlets use the blog for information content. It's safe to say that if a main stream media outlet is using a blog as a content provider, that it will suffice for information in that field. When considering blogs, like considering anything else on the internet, taking face value comes with associated risk. It's always best to do some research yourself.

So now you're ready to create your first post. If you haven't done a lot of writing, this may prove to be the most difficult part. If you don't have a lot of experience, keep your posts short. Develop momentum. Get the hang of it. Stick to what you know. You probably take for granted the fact that you have a great deal of specialized information that others will find helpful-possibly even fascinating.

So now that you have gained experience and confidence blogging, are you ready to start your own blog? Don't be put off because it sounds difficult. It really isn't. You won't need to become a geek. However, you will have to make some decisions about how you want your blog to look. You'll have to decide on a "theme" meaning the colors, number of columns, and the overall look and feel of your blog. You may want to include your picture. If so, you'll need a digital copy. Regardless, this is something you can tweak as you go.

Finally, I would suggest that you be patient with yourself. Writing is like anything else. The more you do it, the better you get. If you have a little talent, and stick with it, you'll eventually get into the rhythm and joy of it.