Blogging's Antecedents

Blogging wasn't born yesterday. Literary history affords countless examples of writing that is lively, topical, opinionated, personality-driven. Parody, satire, and withering critique have been around since humans communicated by way of stone tablets. Ditto the powerful testimony of the eyewitness and the sage (or snarky) council of the advice-giver. Over the next couple of weeks, as we explore the roots of blogging in a broad range of texts and writers, we will be pursuing two important, related goals:

• to improve our blogging practice by studying well-written examples from the past;

• to deepen our understanding of our practice by putting it in historical context.

In the read-write world of the blogosphere, the more you read the better you will write, so let's get reading. (Other details on the Blog Roots assignment are here. Make sure you read that post.)

To simplify things, I have selected writers and texts that are accessible online, mostly by way of a collection of "Classic Essays" on About.com. In a few cases, I point you toward other sources, but they are all accessible without passwords. This list is by no means exhaustive. You are welcome to browse around the essay collection or elsewhere to find other writers and essays you'd like to study and present on. Touch base with me if you have other ideas.

By class time on Wednesday, 2/29, you should leave a comment on this post indicating what writer(s) you would like to work on. There are 21 students in the class. We will have 9 groups with 2 presenters and 1 group with 3 three presenters. That means not all the writers below will get covered.

Addison, Joseph (1672-1719). English essayist, poet, playwright, and politician. Co-founder, with Richard Steele, of The Spectator, a topical magazine aimed at developing taste among the members of England's emerging middle class. "Defence and Happiness of Married Life." "False and True Humor." "Laughter." "The Musical Instruments of Conversation." [Adam & Hannah, Mon.]

Bly, Nellie (1864-1922). The list of External Links on Bly's Wikipedia entry will take you to online editions of some of the works of this pioneering American woman journalist. [Jessica & Carla, Wed.]

Douglass, Frederick (1818-95). An escaped slave who would become a leader of the movement to abolish slavery in the United States. "A Glorious Resurrection" is a chapter from his autobiography, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave (1845). See also W.E.B. Du Bois, "Of Mr. Booker T. Washington and Others." (From The Souls of Black Folk [1903].) [Matt & Stephen, Wed.]

Fern, Fanny (1811-72). Fanny Fern is the pseudonym of Sara Willis Parton, a popular American columnist, humorist, novelist, and author of children's stories in the 1850s-1870s. In 1852, she became the first female writer with her own regular column; by 1855, she commanded $100 per week for her New York Ledger column and was the highest-paid newspaper writer in the United States. A selection of her writings, Fern Leaves from Fanny’s Port-Folio (1853), is accessible here. Let’s look at “Self-Conquest,” “A Practical Blue-Stocking,” “Kitty’s Resolve,” “A Chapter on Literary Women,” and “Children’s Rights.” [Marriam, Wed.]

Franklin, Benjamin (1706-90). Author, printer, inventor, diplomat, and a founding father of the United States. As a young man, Franklin published letters to his brother James's newspaper, The New England Courant, under the pseudonym of "Mrs. Silence Dogood." "Advice on the Choice of a Mistress." "The Art of Procuring Pleasant Dreams." "The Temple of Learning." "The Whistle." [David & JD, Mon.]

Mencken, H. L. (1880-1956). An acerbic critic/observer of American life and culture well known as a literary critic for The Smart Set and as a founding editor of The American Mercury. His political views were sometimes controversial, but his strong vernacular style has been influential and remains highly readable. "The Libido for the Ugly." "The Lower Depths." "The Hills of Zion." "The Penalty of Death." "Portrait of an Ideal World." [Heather & Marie, Wed.]

Parker, Dorothy (1893-1967). A wisecracker and satirist well known as one of the members of the Algonquin Round Table in New York in the 1920s. "Good Souls." "Mrs. Post Enlarges on Etiquette."

Pyle, Ernie (1900-45). An early embedded journalist, Pyle wrote powerful first-hand accounts of life and work alongside ordinary soldiers in World War II. There is an excellent archive of some of his wartime columns here. [Michael Venetti, Wed.]

Roosevelt, Theodore (1858-1919). The twenty-sixth president of the United States was a larger-than-life character and a prolific writer who published 18 books and regularly contributed to magazines. [Jack & Mariah, Wed.]

Stanton, Elizabeth Cady (1815-1902). An organizer and leader of the movement for women's suffrage in the United States. She is the principal author of the "Declaration of Sentiments," a document signed at the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848. See also "On Women's Right to Vote" by Stanton's friend and collaborator, Susan B. Anthony.

Swift, Jonathan (1667-1745). Author of what is considered by many to be the finest satire written in English. "A Modest Proposal." [Laura Cathcart, Mon.]

Twain, Mark (1835-1910). You know this guy, right? "Advice to Youth." "Corn Pone Opinions." "On the Decay of the Art of Lying." [Amie, Courtney G., & Mike B., Mon.]

Woolf, Virginia (1882-1941). British novelist, essayist, publisher, and critic. "Writing for My Eye Only." (This is a diary entry.) "The Patron and the Crocus." "Street Haunting: A London Adventure." [Briana & Courtney W., Wed.]

Monday, Monday

Blogs go live, with at least a birth announcement post, by class on Monday, so your primary focus over the next few days should be getting ready for your debut.

In class on Monday, we will have one more Blog Tracking presentation. We'll also talk about the upcoming Blog Roots assignment. We’ll do some show and tell and partner work on blogs.

Part of our discussion will be focused on what we might call The Anatomy of a Good Blog Post. (Google that phrase, by the way, and you'll get some helpful results if you are interested in advice from professional bloggers.) Below are links to five posts on five very different blogs. They are all high quality, effective posts. Read them closely and try to figure out what makes them good. (If you don't think they are good, well, we can have a conversation about how subjective taste is and how writers in the blogosphere have to keep that in mind.) Take some notes on each post. Try to get at what is working and why. What tips about style, technique, argument, or storytelling might you be able to use in your own blogging?

• Allie Brosh on Hyperbole and a Half: “Adventures in Depression”

•  Amelia on Bon Appétempt: “Serious Food: In the Kitchen with Grandma”

•  Mark Sample on Play the Past: “What Comes Before the Platform: The Refuse of Video Games”

•  Shane Ryan on Grantland’s The Triangle Blog: “About Last Night: Linsanity”

•  Will Danger on New Queer on the Block: “Birthdays and Death-days: An Absence/Presence Story”

Have a great weekend of blog-building and blog-reading. See you on Monday, Monday.

Blog Birth Announcements

Blogs may be "always in process, never completed," as Steve Himmer claims, but they all have to begin somewhere, with a first post that announces the existence of a brand new bouncing baby blog. It's an important step, one that might feel a bit daunting and monumental. How do you want to present yourself to the world? What tone, stance, or style do you want to use? How detailed will you be about what your blog will do? How will you address the audience you hope to have? What kind of images will you use to convey your message visually as well as verbally? There's a lot to think about, but bear in mind that your first post is just one post. You'll have plenty of opportunities to adjust, shift, recalibrate, and even repudiate anything you say in your birth announcement, even if there's some truth in the old saying that you only get one chance to make a first impression.

To help you prepare for your big debut, we will gather here some examples of blog birth announcements. Send me links (by e-mail) to first posts that you come across as you work on your Blog Tracking presentations, and I will add them to this list. Click back here over the next several days so you can check out the examples. We'll discuss them in class next week as time permits. Remember that your blogs need to be up and running by Monday, February 20.

I selected one example just to get the ball rolling. "(Yet Another) Academic Blog" is the first post from Tenured Radical, a well-known academic blog written by historian Claire Potter. The inaugural post is from October 2006. It's short, pithy, and just a bit snarky. Even in this first post, you can see both the style and the substance that help to explain this blog's popularity and influence among educators.

"well, good morning!" is the first post from A Lovely Morning, a design, craft, and food blog followed by Amie Brown. Amie commented that she liked this post because the blogger "seems slightly overwhelmed (as I think most first-time bloggers are), and because someone commented immediately in encouragement."

"Hello, Pittsburgh" is the first post from Tom Singer's Change for a Nickel, a a Pittsburgh Pirates blog in the MLBlogs network. Baseball fan Michael Venetti submitted this one, impressed by the efforts of a new author to take over an existing blog and quickly establish rapport with the audience.

"An Open Letter to My Neighbors (My Neighbor Saga Part 1" is the debut post of Hyperbole and a Half, Allie Brosh's sly, hilarious doodle blog. Carla Lake likes this one because of the way the writer "just dives in," displaying the humor and engaging storytelling that would become the blog's trademarks, even though this first post doesn't have any illustrations. You might also want to check out the blog's FAQ page, which has some good advice for new bloggers. For example: "There really aren't any special secrets to being successful with blogging. Be nice. Try hard. If someone offers you a million dollars, say yes. Aside from that, the best advice I can give you is to just focus on what you can give to your readers."

"A Slight Introduction. . ." is the introductory post from Joey Pinkney as he joins a group blog called Hip Hop Blogs. Mike Barnes, who is designing his own hip hop blog, submitted this one. The post is a straightforward mix of introducing the blogger and explaining his approach to the subject, which he describes as "a little off centered."

"Save the Red Line"  is the first post on Japers' Rink, a Washington Capitals blog. Matt Mitchell picked it because it stands out as a first post that doesn't talk at all about being a first post. It jumps right in, taking a position on a proposed rule change in hockey.

"Welcome to 'The Girl That Runs'" is the first post of a runner's blog by that name. Adam Kerlin selected it because he has similar interests and liked the way the writer/runner introduced herself.

"Welcome to Everyday EMS Tips" takes a short, strictly business approach to the genre of the first post. Laura Cathcart selected this one because the blog is an important resource for EMS providers and managers.

"Angry Ravens Fly West" is another first post that plunges right in without explanation or introduction. Baltimore Beat Down is a Ravens blog. Stephen Pimpo likes the just-get-started style, but thought this post had a certain random quality to it that wasn't entirely appealing.

"Welcome to College Fashion. net" takes a little more time to introduce the blog and the blogger and to invite readers to become involved by sending in tips and ideas. Marriam Shah submitted this one and thought it did a good job of establishing the tone and direction of the blog.

Keiko Lynn's first post on her style and fashion blog is called simply "Introduction." Mariah Cooper selected this one because she found its personal glimpses, through photographs, into the blogger's world (dog, cats, boyfriend) and her sensibility to be effective at establishing a connection with the blogger and a clear sense of what her blog will be about.

"Motivation" is the first post on A Running Girl's Blog. Its first sentence might resonate with those of you who are wrestling with the uncertainty of the first-time blogger: "Getting started with this blogging thing is hard." Briana Kichaven selected it.

"My First Blog Entry Ever" is the first post on a Sparkpage blog that launched yesterday. Courtney Whitaker stumbled across it and submitted it because the writer talks about having a tendency to start things and then not finish them.

Yalabe Dukuly submitted an example from a friend's blog that has become quite successful. To his surprise, though, her first post is "horrible," in his judgment, because it doesn't introduce her or her blog, Good Hair Blog, at all. The moral of the story may be that bloggers, like piano players, get better with practice.

Heather McWilliams selected "Have a Merry. . .and Preppy. . .Christmas" as her example of a blog birth announcement. It's from a blog called College Prep, authored by a college senior who "love[s] anything preppy." This is another example of someone who just jumps into blogging without much fanfare.

David Clifford Turner offered "Worst Campaign Idea Ever," the debut post of men's fashion blog Magnificent Bastard, which he describes as "a cocksure entry into the blogosphere" because of its bold and confident self-presentation. The post, from July 2007, is short and snarky. In my judgment, its snide remarks about Hillary Clinton's appearance are also ageist and misogynistic, but it's got the kind of edge that often gets noticed in online writing. To each his -- or her -- own.

(Image Credit: Via.)

Blogs We Read

Here are links to some of the blogs mentioned in comments on the previous post. I figured they'd be easier for us to find and discuss this way.

By the way, it is possible to embed hyperlinks in blog comments so that readers don't have to cut and paste the URL to which you refer [which few of them will likely do]. It's a simple matter of using some basic HTML coding.

Here is how it's done:

You want to write, “One of my favorite blogs is Historiann,” and you want to link to Historiann (a terrific feminist history blog I read regularly).

Write this:

One of my favorite blogs is <a href=”http://www.historiann.com/”> Historiann</a>.

 When you publish your comment, there will be a hyperlink on the word "Historiann," and readers will be much more likely to check out the blog.

Anyway, back to the blogs some of you mentioned as favorites:

Hyperbole and a Half
Fugly Horse of the Day
Etiquette Hell
Design Milk
Man Made DIY
THXTHXTHX
The Sartorialist
Rogue Medic
The Happy Medic
Statter911
Demon Baby, "Exploring the Creation Museum"
Books of Adam
Shutdown Corner
Pastepunk
Drum Burn

(Image Credit: Via)

Tracking, Shifting, Framing

On Monday, our exploration of blogs and the culture surrounding them will begin in earnest. To introduce the cultural piece, we'll discuss a 30-minute video presentation by Richard E. Miller and Paul Hammond, scholars of writing and composition who have collaborated in trying to "imagine what composing will look like once the destination ceases to be paper and becomes the screen." Their concept of "learning in public" is a useful way to think about the work we will be doing throughout the semester. Jay Rosen's "The People Formerly Known as the Audience" is a blog post from 2006 that succinctly but cogently articulates some of the power shifts that have accompanied media shift in the age of the Web and the laptop. Rosen is a journalism professor at NYU. He describes blogs as "little First Amendment machines." Think about that phrase and its rich implications as you begin to imagine what your blog will be and what you will aim to do with it.

Also, in preparation for our discussion, do some wandering around the blogosphere. Leave links in comments to blogs you especially enjoy. Check out some of The Bygone Bureau's "Best New Blogs of 2011." Or Time magazine's "Best Blogs of 2011." Or Saveur magazine's "2011 Best Food Blog Awards." There's even a list of "Top 200 Church Blogs." Whatever type of blog you are interested in, if you Google the phrase "best ___ blog," you will get results.

As you explore, take note of the distinctive features of blogs and how different blogs incorporate them. You will be doing a lot of skimming, but pause and do some close reading, too, so that you can begin to get a sense of what kind of writing works in the blogosphere. Our judgments here will be very subjective, but the point is to try to get a handle on the style and rhetoric of blogs.

It's a great big Internet. Go forth and explore it!

(Photo Credit: Kathy Mackey, Los Angeles, California, known as auntie k on her photo website http://flickr.com/photos/auntikhaki/ [via].)