Virtual Writing

I have wanted to write about blogging for a while and finally decided to do it for an assignment last semester. Let me know in the comments your thoughts about blogging.

Beginning to write a piece can be intimidating. However, once a post is completed and ready for publishing online, the excitement of sharing it with others via a blog feels great. This virtual writing platform is a great place to share opinions, favorite sources, i.e. videos, websites, and books, and have discussions with readers from around the world through comments. While personally having a number of blogs, three are currently active. Some people might not understand why I have so many, but I think it is fun. Even if I don’t have a huge audience, the fact that I can go back to what I posted, share my opinions/favorites and refer someone else to them, and maybe teach someone out in cyber space something I know and understand, are enough reasons for me to continue blogging. 

I started my first interactive cyber journal on March of 2009 using Google’s blogger about topics I was learning related to Islam. After coming up with a name, I chose a background layout that I thought was aesthetically pleasing. Having changed the background many times since then, it has stayed a nice sky blue color for a while. Included throughout the blog are videos, poems, links, and images to make it more interesting. It was a “goal” of mine to post every Saturday since posting regularly will bring traffic to a blog. Readers can figure the writer(s) is serious/ passionate and they will know to expect a post soon. 

Some other tips I suggest for bloggers include: add good quality pictures, directly link anything mentioned in the post, write in a conversational way rather than too professional (unless it is a professional blog), check for typos and errors that could be distracting, and finally, share links to the blog/post on social media sites. I don’t do this last tip, which is probably why I don’t have a big audience, but if updating social media after every post isn’t a hassle, then definitely share the link, especially if you are on social media constantly.

I remember having to start a blog as a high school assignment and I enjoyed it. Already being familiar with blogs, I realized then that if I could, I would assign my future students a blog project too. For example, they might have to keep up a blog for a few months or throughout the school year on a subject they are learning in school, their opinions on specific topics, etc. Blogging like this would take in-class journaling to the next level by incorporating technology with writing!

Although I still blog about Islam, I have ventured into writing about books and sharing my personal writings, like poems and some school/ college pieces on http://sfraww.blogspot.com/. I also write about entertainment, college advice, product reviews, etc. on another blog. I would highly encourage everyone to start a blog, even if it is for oneself. Who knows, maybe it could be a source of income one day as it is for many others!