What I think about the blogging section

[novella]

Tried it. Read it. Thought about it. And. . .

I think the blogs aren’t going to bring any richness to this forum. For one thing, anyone who’s really writing anything worth reading will not blog here, because you have to own and control your own material. It’s rule number one of writing. It’s foolish and somewhat naïve to blog on someone else’s forum, unless you have an interest in the site.

A blog by Darren on running the site might be readable. An anonymous blog by a mod on moderating decisions might be interesting, but the mods seem to have eased off (alas, too late), and so their whole rationale is less important (a good thing, and thanks to Stewart for his moderate moderation).

The best this site has done is occasionally bring dialogue to a subject, especially a book now and then, but that’s not what blogs are about. I have to agree with Moto. Putting a blog section on the forum is a gesture by Darren to enrich the content, but given the heavy handed moderation in the past, I think anyone who may have had anything worth blogging about (and would have given it away to this site for nothing) decided to go elsewhere some time ago. Then again, I might be wrong. I’m just basing this on my own instincts, observations, and extensive use of the internet for casual expression.

Sorry, Darren. I know you probably have different ideas about this, but such informed disagreement is the basis of discussion.

 

[Darren]

Hi Novella, thanks for your feedback. I'll try to address at least some of your points.

...because you have to own and control your own material.

The blog content is owned by the poster and their are options to download your blog content in XML format for use elsewhere if you wish. Unless you setup your own site and install your own blogging software you'll never really have 100% control of the content, and even then you'd be subject to the terms and conditions of the hosting provider.

I should also point out that the blog entries and comments here are not moderated. They are a separate part of the site to the forums. Unless we receive a complaint about a blog post, we won't be intervening. The blog owner can control the comments about their own blog. In effect, they are their own moderators.

A blog by Darren on running the site might be readable.

I'll see what I can do.

The best this site has done is occasionally bring dialogue to a subject, especially a book now and then...

I think that's a bit harsh. The content on the forums is created by its members, of whom we've had a slow but steady increase since the forum itself began in late 2001 on ezboard. If you've got ideas on how to increase the content and/or value of the forums, then I'd love to hear from you (either here, or via PM or email).

Putting a blog section on the forum is a gesture by Darren to enrich the content...

Yes, it is. I've been wanting the site to be more than "just" forums for some time, and blogs are a natural evolution of that. Social networking is becoming more and more popular so it's only natural that we offer that facility here if you want to use it.

I'm planning to (re)introduce a few more areas to the site - things like a links directory, reviews library and maybe even a classifieds section. Will they enrich the forums? Probably not, but I believe that they will enrich the site as a whole.

Thanks.

Darren.

 

[Peronel]

I'm quite shocked at the debate that the blogs have stirred up. I agree that they won't add much to the forums, since they are a separate part of the site. You don't have to take part in the blogs, you don't have to read them, you can completely ignore them if you so desire. I have set one up, and I don't know at this point how much I'll be using it, but the option is there.

I think it will be helpful in bringing new members to the site, particularly those who may be wary of posting opinions in established threads. Ease them in, maybe?

Darren, I think your proposed introductions sound good, particularly the reviews section.

Novella, I've enjoyed reading your blog! Can I take it from this thread that you will be discontinuing it?

 

[novella]

I don't know, P. Didn't mean to shock anyone. I was in a bad mood. Throwing my shoes at the wall, so to speak.

Darren brings some more information in here, always a good thing. D, I didn't mean to be harsh. I thought I was being nice in that instance. The only point I meant to make is that rich dialogue is a good thing. And I do appreciate your point about moderation and the blogs, something that wasn't clear before.

 

[Motokid]

I'm quite shocked at the debate that the blogs have stirred up.

Debate is a good thing. It stirs emotion and feelings. It brings life to something. It calls attention to something. It give the subject of the debate more value.

Chances are good that a strong debate will only serve to bring out more information, and therefore strengthen your beliefs and feelings.

How many times have you ever listened to a debate, or taken part in a debate and actually reversed your position on the topic? Verses how many times have you come away with more knowledge, and actually had a stronger belief than you had before you started?

I'm quite shocked at the feelings towards debate here.

 

[Peronel]

Perhaps I should have said "I'm quite shocked that a subject as seemingly innocuous as the blog section could stir up such a debate." I'm all for debate (on the pro-side, if you will....)

 

[Motokid]

Perhaps I should have said "I'm quite shocked that a subject as seemingly innocuous as the blog section could stir up such a debate." I'm all for debate (on the pro-side, if you will....)

That's cool, as long as you remember there has to be a con side to have a debate.

The question of the blog is simple. If you want a stronger forum, then anything that might take discussion away from the forum deserves to be looked at, and questioned.

Novellas posts, for example, would be great in either the General Chat area, or even the Writers Block area which would open her great ideas up to more comments and conversation. Having them "buried" (my word) in a blog does not invite such conversation.

But again....having the discussion typically brings out more information....so is it ever really a bad thing to question anything?

 

[abecedarian]

That's cool, as long as you remember there has to be a con side to have a debate.

The question of the blog is simple. If you want a stronger forum, then anything that might take discussion away from the forum deserves to be looked at, and questioned.

Novellas posts, for example, would be great in either the General Chat area, or even the Writers Block area which would open her great ideas up to more comments and conversation. Having them "buried" (my word) in a blog does not invite such conversation.

But again....having the discussion typically brings out more information....so is it ever really a bad thing to question anything?

But Novella's blog posts aren't buried. I check the blog section often and always read new posts. Just because I haven't responded to each post does not mean I'm not thinking about what was said..

 

[Darren]

There will also soon be a small section with "latest blog posts" on the right hand column of the forum homepage.

 

[Motokid]

But Novella's blog posts aren't buried. I check the blog section often and always read new posts. Just because I haven't responded to each post does not mean I'm not thinking about what was said..

By nature, the blog itself is not meant to become a full-fledged discussion, but simply a diary type post.

Verses posting in the "forum" which is an invitation for people to comment and open things up for further conversation.

 

[Dr Blockbuster]

I'll tell you what blogs on forums do .... they die !!!

Yesch they do ....

Mr or Mrs Blogger goes off and does his/her own thing on a main blog site ...

 

[Peronel]

Mmmm...I'm inclined to agree with the doc. I've already lost interest in mine. I still think that others will use it for awhile though, and any attempt to add features to the site is great.

 

[Dr Blockbuster]

Mmmm...I'm inclined to agree with the doc. I've already lost interest in mine. I still think that others will use it for awhile though, and any attempt to add features to the site is great.

Thank you Peronel !!! I see the medicine is working

 

[MonkeyCatcher]

I agree with Dr. if it is a diary-style blog, but I'm intent on keeping my blog updated as an online list of the books I have read this year. It's so much easier to be able to cut and paste rather than type them all out at once for things like "Books you have read this month" etc.

 

[Ronny]

I think that the blogs can help discussion if used the right way, of course there's no guarantee that will happen. But if you were a new member and wanting to find current members you think have the same tastes as you, you could skim their blog very quickly and get a feel for that person without having to search through many threads. If you have seen a topic in a thread that sparked interest and you tend to ramble on from time to time (like me) you could do it in your own little area and not side track the thread. If you were trying to have a little debate with a member and wanted to see their views from the past or on other subjects perhaps you'd find it in their blog? I don't know if any of that will happen but if it did it would be helpful to the discussions and the forum would benefit.