I have not taken the time to reflect on blogging in quite a while. Writing for the Web has been on my mind lately, as has the act of writing with purpose and the latent networks and communities contained in each Web page.
Here's a video that sets the stage nicely--a set of fresh eyes, ears, and minds, sharing their reflections on blogging and their "business:"
Recently, Chris Brogan triggered a desire to rethink my blogging stance by posing an innocent enough question:
"How does your blog relate to your business?"
As a young educator-surveyor, I started my weblog as showcase for my writing--as a way to refine class assignments into something that could be shared with a general readership. Along the way, I have received invitations to present and publish my work based on the traffic I drew to my blog. I saw it as a value to cultivate my skills as a public intellectual, finding ways to translate my ideas into a more citizenly discourse that speaks across disciplinary boundaries and communicates with a diverse audience.
Ultimately, I see it as my business to blog. It permits me to circulate my research findings and those of others more broadly and to respond to contemporary issues in a thoughtful and timely manner.
So what are you blogging for? Why is it your business to blog? (Pssst... pass it on.)
Acknowledgments::
With much help from Henry Jenkins, Chris Brogan, Nigel Robertson, and Drew.
Keywords: bloggers, blogging, blogs, business, Chris Brogan, computing, educational technology, Henry Jenkins, learning, Nigel Robertson, participation, social media, social software, teaching, zen
Comments
RE: "Do you find people more likely to respond to a blog posting than to commenting in a public forum face-to-face?"
It depends on the person. Some people prefer speaking publicly, face-to-face; others prefer the space an online environment permits. It seems to be a personal thing.
What has you're experience been?
Any suggestions?