Why do you blog?

[brainshrub]

This is for those of you following the DU Journal: Brainshrub - Best. Journal. Ever! (SEO tips for political bloggers.)

Before we go into more SEO tips, let's start with the basics.

Why do you have a political blog?

This might sound like a silly question at first, but by answering this for yourself early you can avoid a lot of frustration and disappointment later.

There will be days when you check your site-stats and see that only 3 people visited your blog all week. There will be times when you spend all day writing what you consider a deeply profound post, only to watch the rest of DU ignore it. There will be whole months when it will be easier to pound sand into your ear than punch out new content.

When these moments arise, you have to have a clear understanding about why you are blogging in the first place.

Here are a few reasons I can think of right off the bat:

1) Frustrated with the corporate media.
2) Money.
3) Desire for fame and recognition.
4) Social outlet for reclusive people.
5) Desire to help create social change.
6) Peer pressure.

The important thing is to recognize that none of these reasons are better than any other.

For the longest time I struggled to write political essays like The Plaid Adder, but my mind was like a dry sponge. No matter how hard I squeezed, something seemed something worth writing about.

Then one day it clicked - I admitted to myself the real reasons I wanted to write.

I don't have kids. I want a legacy that will live on after I die. More than anything else, I want to be remembered for something great. And I want recognition for this greatness in my lifetime.

For years I was ashamed that my motivations were not 100% altruistic. I felt that because I was not a saint, I was not worthy to write.

I realized that this shame was ridiculous. Do you think that when the Beatles were just getting started they didn't want fame and fortune? Do you think Skinner, Lockhart Steele, or Markos Zúniga are all blogging for charity?

Once I let go of the guilt of desiring a legacy, it freed up a part of my mind that allows an infinite amount of creativity.

Now admittedly, I have not achieved fame and fortune yet. And it's possible that I will never reach this goal. However, when I don't feel like writing. When I feel like giving up. When I feel like everything I've done thus far doesn't amount to much - I remember why I'm blogging:

I blog for a legacy. I am not interested in just being famous today. Centuries from now, I want professors to show my blog to their students as an example of excellence.

And then everything falls into place.

All the SEO tips in the world will not help if you don't love blogging. Blogging is an art, just like any other type of literature. Until you can verbalize WHY you love blogging, your inner "A-lister" will not be able to develop fully.

The reasons you want a political blog will change with time, and that's okay. But we have to start somewhere.

So answer honestly: Why do you have a political blog?

[dorktv]

1. sex, money and power...What else?

[brainshrub]

2. Good for you!

The devils in our nature have just as much to offer creatively as the angles.

[Bobbieo]

3. The desire to help create social change

I have a blog entitled "Native Unity" as I am of Native extraction and
the goal this year is to get American Indians to the polls and vote - hopefully for Democratic candidates.

Depending on the day of the week , I get between 25 and 70 visitors to the site. I feel, in my own small way, I am making a contribution to the American people.

[brainshrub]

4. What is the URL?

I'd like to take a look.

[Bobbieo]

7. Go to http:/nativeunity.blogspot.com

My story today " UN Finds US Guilty Of Human Rights Violations - Tonight I am posting "Supreme Court OKs Native Use For Hallucinogenic Tea". That ought to be a "grabber" Wednesday it's "Census Taking on the Rez" and why it is failing.

[brainshrub]

18. Quick tip

On DU, put the URL in the message box. Like this:

http://nativeunity.blogspot.com

This way, people can follow it easily.

Don't worry about it being too long. Long URLs automatically truncate, but they will still work.

Your blogg is pretty cool. Blue is my favorite color.

[dorktv]

5. Joking actually but thanks. :p

I write blogs because I am an opinionated person who likes to tell everyone everything I know.

And because I like to get comments. :X

[Mythsaje]

6. Because I'm an opinionated bastard

and I don't necessarily want to get too preachy in my fiction. Though, I have to admit, I touch on a subject here or there, or give some of my characters political views outside the mainstream. I write because it's part of who I am, and I'm politically aware, so it's inevitable that the two would meet somewhere in the middle on occasion.

[brainshrub]

11. Have you ever considered giving one of your characters a blog?

For inspiration, check out this blog:

http://underodysseus.blogspot.com/

It's very addicting.

[Mythsaje]

12. No, I haven't, actually...

That's a very interesting idea.

[Nutmegger]

8. It's cathartic. [nt]

[Bobbieo]

9. I have posted almost 375 articles and NEVER Get comments.

I wonder why, as on any given day there are between 25 an 70 viewers or more. Many of them are repeats and I get submissions from about a dozen people to be posted in the column when they have a topic they want to be viewed.

[brainshrub]

28. From looking at your blog, let me offer some quick suggestions:

I notice only people with Blogger accounts can leave comments. Change that setting to leave anonymous feedback.

Also, throw in a few pictures with all that text. The human eye can only read a few paragraphs on a computer screen at a time without getting tired. Reward your readers with some stock pictures.

Consider breaking up those long essays into 300 - 500 chunks. People don't leave feedback if they never finish the article.

[KoKo]

10. Because Skinner, et al set up a way to do it.......and I'm not sure

WHERE they are going with this because anyone here on DU is not doing an "independent blog" but is attaching themself to this site to get their "training wheels" or because they think "what the hell."

I wouldn't do an independent Blog..too worried about keeping the Freeper Trolls off and not technically proficient enough...but if you are addressing this new DU BLOG thing...then I would say..."I'd like to do it" because "I'd like to learn the new technology and what I would call "geek speak" about "modules/skins and html."

I don't have access on my own to people who can help me with the NEW Internet Publishing Terminology...but I have a Book Publishing Background and a few classes in "graphic design" from the "old days" before the web...so I figure...it's good to learn and I have lots of opinions on issues that we are facing so I ought to try it out....



Oh ...if only you "guys/gals" could learn to speak to us from the old "Publishing Days" to help us understand "Modules, Skins and html..."

:D ...just saying. Those who love Language and Communication will always find a way to communicate with each other...but many of the "Old School" seem very intimidated...:shrug:

IF you are only talking about DU'ers who have their own INDEPENDENT BLOGS...then just disregard what I just said......

[brainshrub]

13. I will be getting into that.

I am already writing a little tutorial for the DU Journals. But for now, I'm trying to set the groundwork.

You'll notice I haven't touched my journals layout yet although I feel competent enough to do so.

I suspect that the admins have a lot more features that are coming. So before I start publishing my little handbook I want to see how the technology shapes up. (For example, I'm curious if there is a categories system that will be available... or should I start attempting to use Technorati Tags?)

I don't think DUers understand how revolutionary combining forums with blogs is. DU is going to be the 600 pound gorilla in political blogs very soon.

[KoKo]

19. What the hell are "Technorati Tags?" Didn't you understand Many of US

don't understand what you are talking about? :shrug:

Could you please not write a "Microsoft Training Manual" and speak to those of us who don't have a clue as to what a "Tag" is...much less a "Technorati Tag!"

Don't take my post as a Diss of you...you just need to understand the gap between your level of expertise and many of us here on DU who don't get what the hell you are talking about!

I am TRYING!!!!!! :-)'s and no offense...but just expressing FRUSTRATION!!!

[brainshrub]

20. Take deep breaths

Just keep an eye on my Journal, all will be explained. ;)

We'll go step-by-step.

Do you think I learned all this overnight?

Well I did!

Overnight, overnight, overnight, overnight. You get the idea.

I used to be just as frustrated as you.

[KoKo]

21. Okay...deep breaths...heaving chests.....

(not going to get into that "sex stuff" :D (but waiting)

If I miss your post with "TIPS" then please PM it to me so I can get up to speed.

As I said...not dissing you but there are MANY OF US...who are literate and wanting to move forward...but some are "afraid to ask" and others wouldn't do a Blog...and others are feeling very "intimidated."

If you can manage to "bride the gap" between what "WE KNOW" of the "Old School" and the NEW WORLD then I give you Kudo's and Kissies.

and :applause:

But what the hell is that "techonrati tag" stuff? :shrug:

[brainshrub]

23. Technorati Tags in a nutshell

Before I get into this very quick explanation, I should make two points clear:

1) It's not that important for new bloggers to know.
2) I am not sure they work for DU Journals. (I haven't experimented yet.)

Now that that is clear, Technorati Tags are special code bloggers put into their posts to make it easier for the Technorati search engine to index their site.

Technorati is like Google, the difference is that it uses tags in order to put information into context.

There are several ways to put the code into the text. For an example, take a look at the bottom of this post on my blog:

www.brainshrub.com/torture-elite

You will see a series of words after the word "Tags"

Tags: Torture - no blood no foul - Task Force 6-26 - Iraq - elite - inquisition - Black Room - American values

Now, I've just skimmed what these tags can do. But for now that should be enough.

If you want more info, visit the Technorati website: www.technorati.com

[KoKo]

24. Thanks...I agree..."technorati" isn't something I need to know right now

and thanks for seeing that. It's way beyond what us "rudimentary" folks have to deal with...

[Crazy Guggenheim]

14. To win back this country! BTW, marketing never hurts either ..........

:popcorn: :popcorn:


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[brainshrub]

16. LOL!

LOL!

If that was a post on a regualar blog, it would have nailed by the spam filter.

[applegrove]

15. Cause on occasion, I trip over something I feel is important. And I'd

like it to have a place to go - in case someone else is feeling the same way.

[BlooInBloo]

17. Um, why do boys do anything?

Chicks. It's all about the chicks.

I'll let you know how awesome it is when I'm successful.

:rofl:

[Buns_of_Fire]

22. All of the above: for the babes, for the money, for HTML practice,

to share information, to leave something -- anything -- behind, to wail my woes to the sky, for the catharsis, for the vast amounts of money I'm getting out of it *chuckle*... but mostly for the babes.

I've got one of those "independent" blogs outside of DU that is a virtual potpourri -- a rich compost, if you will -- of snarky smart-ass one-liners (sort of like what I do here), a little politics, a little about money (or usually, the lack thereof), a few links for my worldwide fan, a little pissing and moaning, a little about RVs (my current wild hair), a little journaling, a little song, a little dance, a little seltzer down your pants, and a little just plain screwing around. I'm trying to get back in the discipline of writing daily, so I can finally finish my third Great American Novel (ha!) -- of course, when one considers that most of my output is in snarky smart-ass one-liners, that's probably going to take a LONG time. (FWIW, it's at http://wedgiemaster.blogspot.com if a current non-blogger wants to see how they can be made to function by a total HTML boob. It's really not that hard. Really.)

Did I mention the babes?

To anyone a little leery of doing it (either "independently" or on DU): please reconsider. I put it off for a long time, but I've now found it really doesn't hurt too awful much. The blogosphere is the Great Equalizer of Written Opinion, and your opinion is just as valid as anyone else's. The universe awaits you!

And so do the babes*. :evilgrin:


* or the hunks, or the small, furry, woodland creatures, depending upon your gender and/or proclivities.

[KoKo]

25. So....to do a Blog with "influence" let's get the

Babes in G-Strings and some links to soft porn?

Or...just do a little "tittlation" and figure that no one will come after you? :eyes:

[KoKo]

26. Woodland Creatures with "big boobs?"

Give me a BREAK! :puke:

[DeepModem Mom]

27. I see my DU blog as a way to spread info beyond DU --

I'm getting to the point where I'm ready to give the link to people I know and encourage them to share it. Besides some of my own DU posts (the great majority of which are from media sources) I have headline stories and links, links to my own recommended posts by other DUers, and a little not-so-serious stuff.

I'm a news junkie. I love this opportunity, and offer my thanks once again to DU's great admins.


:toast: