Blogging 4 Dummies

If I could write the book, I would- but why read books about blogs when you can read BLOGS about blogs?  If you have ever wanted to write a blog but didn't know where to start, or weren't sure what you wanted your focus to be, I have the perfect answer:  GoodBlogs.com.  It's an interesting little social experiment, in my opinion.  It works like this:

1. Write a blog post.  It cannot appear anywhere else (including other blogs) but on Goodblogs.
2. Publish the blog post on the site.
3. Wait and see if people like it.  Most of the readers are other bloggers.
4. If you make it to the front page (the most votes, tweets and Facebook "likes"), you earn $20.

 If people don't like it, you've learned something about blogging, or yourself.  I find it's a great site for these reasons:

• It's a quick and easy way to get something out there.  The site is a no-frills, easy to use platform.
• I like the sense of community- everyone who reads my blog posts is blogging as well.
• It's competitive.  It forces you to be your best in written form as well as idea form.  It's great practice.
• I have a chance to write things that don't fit into my other blogs.

Here's what I don't like.

• It's become apparent to me that people don't care about grammar.  I'm frustrated by how many poorly written pieces make it to the front page (not all that interesting, either!)  so...
• Is it a popularity contest?  I hate those.
• It's addictive.  My "real" blogs are suffering.  Not cool. 

It is fun, and it's a great place to float an idea and see how it pans out.  I suppose I'll keep doing it, but with better boundaries.  Come check it out- it is fun!