JOIN USBlogging is a newfound way to keep one’s thoughts organised and make it shareworthy. And women today are increasingly making use of this tech tool to go places, writes Swatee Jog
There was a time when a woman had few platforms to express herself – a chat with a friend perhaps, a sit-down talk with children over dinner, at parks with friends, or at a family get-together. But for more personal thoughts, a diary or a journal was her confidante.
Her innermost thoughts - that of anger, pain, happiness, intelligence, humour - were all buried deep in the annals of either her mind or a few pages of an obscure notebook. But that has changed since. Oh and what a change it has been!
A recent groundbreaking platform for the world, and particularly for women to express themselves, came in the form of the blog. What started off as a board to express oneself, has now evolved into a forum for intellectual discussions.
Today’s bloggers are much more refined and express their thoughts with finesse. Women, especially, have taken to blogging like flies to sugar. Thinking and sharing have long been the preserve of women and with blogging, they are finally getting their due.
While different media offers the scope for expression, nothing is as personal and responsive as the Internet, which lets you know exactly who is reading your writing, and what they feel about it. Comments, threads and tags allow your writing to reach far and wide, within a matter of a few hours.
If you haven’t joined the bandwagon yet, lets look at why you should, particularly if you are a woman:
You have the freedom to choose the topic of your blog, without anyone’s intervention. ‘Write what you feel’ is the bottomline. Edit it at will, or just design it the way you want it to look, it’s all your world.
A blog, unlike print, starts a conversation with readers, at times even diminishing boundaries of writer-reader. Some blogs attract avid readers who offer a valuable critique of your piece and thus enrich it further. Blogging lets you share your mind from the precincts of your home.
A blog has no limitations when it comes to choosing a subject. Whatever is your field of interest or study can be the subject of your blog. Parenting, raising children with special needs, people suffering from certain ailments, new mothers, teachers, women with culinary skills, sewing, embroidery or language skills, sports, technology, makeup, education, hobby classes, poetry, spirituality, tarot, Feng Shui...everything is perfectly acceptable in the world of blogging. And appreciated, too.
If your writing has substance, your link may be picked up by people and
popularised on social media.
It takes time for a blogger to gain repute, but when she does, it can become a vibrant community of readers who share your thoughts and contribute by means of comments and added information. You then know exactly how your views have been perceived, allowing you to get better.
Writing a blog is a great way to put your time to good use, especially when you are recuperating from an illness, are a stay-at-home mom, who’s professionally qualified or an avid hobbyist.
It enables you to not only share your expertise, but also to get feedback that allows you the feeling of staying socially connected. People who have a day-job, but pursue a totally different subject of interest, can also develop their alternate world through blogging.
Blogs offer a world of space to express, unlike other media where space is at a
premium. Post a step-by-step guide, add pictures, insert links or just a tutorial video into your blog to make it more interesting and informative. All this at your own discretion.
Informative and popular blogs may have thousands of readers and this does not escape the attention of advertisers who would want to place ads, earning you some bucks in return. One must, however, maintain a certain decorum while writing a blog.
Even if a blog offers the advantage of speaking your mind out, don’t use it for
personal propaganda. Posting pictures of your artwork, recipes, products that you make and market can all be written about, but stay away from boastful comments. Do not, as much as possible, propagate your business through your blog. The main
purpose is to be informative.
Use refined language and stop short of abusive words and derogatory remarks. Close threads when things turn acerbic or resort to moderation.
Learn to take criticism in your stride. Reacting to every comment can be tiring and not worth your time and effort. Many times, readers who like or agree with your words themselves take care of such critics. However, step in to clarify something that may be misunderstood or to respond to queries; it shows you are a part of the conversation.
Avoid copying matter from others’ websites or blogs. Many search engines today have software that can detect copied content and may blacklist you for plagiarism. Give due credit to content and photographs if you have picked them from some source. Post links to the work of others when you have liked it, but don’t make it a mutual admiration club. Readers are wise enough to know what you are upto.
Keep your blog clean and neat. Too much colour, selfies or unedited stuff makes it a nightmare for readers. Avoid placing too much content on one page and divide it into sections if need be. Be regular in posting and let the gap between two blogs be not so much, that it loses connect with readers. Stick to your schedule. It is better if you chart your blogging schedule into modules in advance. This way, you follow a sequential pattern and don’t have to search for the next post’s idea.
Blogging is an extremely effective and creative mode of expression, a medium to share your knowledge and express your thoughts, and the best way to connect with your readers. Keep it simple to make it an effective and joyous experience for both, you and the readers.