Well I’m a bit late to help John Connell with his session at BBC’s Glasgow HQ!
But I like the blogging questions and think others would be intrigued by my answers.
1. How did you get into blogging?
I’m sure lots of people that are very glad I’m blogger would be totally surprised by the fact that initially I really struggled with the concept of blogging — Why anyone would blog and why others read their blogs?
It took almost a year from being shown what a blog was to becoming a blogger.
The turning point were a result of:
- Subscribing to blogs (which gave me a greater appreciate of blogs)
- My strong desire to reflect on what I was learning.
2. What were (are?) the motivations?
My podcasts and wiki were excellent for sharing information but weren’t great for other aspects.
Blogging gave me what podcasting and my wiki lacked; the ability to reflect, collaborate, exchange ideas and connect with others. These aspects plus my strong motivation to help others motivates why I blog.
3. How does your “private” blogging relate to your work?
Well my ‘private blogging’ developed into my work.
And if you had told me when I first started blogging that within 8 months I would end up employed by a blogging company — I’d have said Get Real!’
Key events that lead to this were Darren Rowse’s 31 Days Project that made me a better blogger and James Farmer who saw potential!
4. How do you achieve a balance of personal voice and authority
Sorry but I really don’t like words ‘authority’ or ‘expert’
We each have our own personal voices and own opinions — when we share and collaborate together we all gain in knowledge and skills.
5. What can be achieved through blogging that can’t through ordinary news/reporting routes?
Any one, any time, any where can share their thoughts, opinions and beliefs. We can now make the news, report the news and connect in ways we couldn’t previously.
6. How do you follow other blogs and other forms of “public conversation”?
By subscribing to blogs and using twitter.
7. How does your blog connect to others in a “conversation”?
Wonder how John Connell answered this question? Boy that’s a hard one.
My blogs help others become bloggers, or hopefully better bloggers. Working together through engaging in conversations in comments we connect and help with each other.
8. Are there other bloggers you follow especially, others you think are exemplars of the practice?
Really hate those types of questions. Reading blog to me is like reading a novel. Some people like romance, or horror, or sci fi or …… PS don’t make me read a romance 😎
9. How do you feel about “lighter” practices such as Tweeting, facebook status updates etc…?
I think it’s s a mistake to see them as ‘lighter’ practices… a very bad mistake. They are both complementary and becoming increasingly important for bloggers.
Many readers now prefer to grab links to posts from twitter. Others like to read the posts as updates in Facebook.
Blogging is all about making your blog be more easily read by your audience. Twitter, Facebook, RSS feed and email subscription all make it easier for your readers.
FINAL THOUGHTS
So that is my journey… would love to read your responses to John Connell questions!
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