Until this project I had little to no interest or knowledge of blogs. Aside from the most popular of the blogs, the celebrity blog. You know, the blogs that report all the juicy rumors of your favorite A through D list celebrities, blogs that are the equivalent to that of trash reality television. Upon research into various blogs, my perception of them has changed dramatically. Before I share what exactly how that perception changed, I would like to share a basic definition of what a blog is.
By defintion a blog is a regularly updated website or web page, typically run by an individual or small group, that is written in an informal or conversational style. I was asked to look at and examine various blogs and begin to compare and contrast to understand different styles, tones, formats etc. What I found in that examination is blogs allow the blogger and audience the opportunity to connect with like minded people on any given subject or common interest. Are you a hipster vegan, a gangsta rap enthusiast, or the obsessive couponer; there is a blog for you.
In the comparing and contrasting of blogs I viewed what has stood out as well as affected me most and that is tone, voice and style. A standout blog for me is MADDIE THE COONHOUND, its simplistic in that the blogger chooses pictures as his primary form of communication. Its a dog, Maddie, experiencing life with her owners in their comforts and their natural environments. There is a me and my best friends feel throughout. What I learned most from viewing this blog is that the photo has the potential to be as powerful and strong as the written word, as long as the perspective is consistent. While all the blogs i viewed has some degree of notoriety, there were some that i couldn't understand why. After reading News From ME, I struggled to find the bloggers tone let alone voice. I had no idea who the audience might be. All posts seemed to be given in an unbiased manner, no perspective. What is the point of reading it then? However a blog such as The Bloggess was dripped in wit and melodramatic humor. I could visualize her audience, I knew what they looked like. I also found it interesting how the design of a blog could make me not even want to read it. Beer Labels in Motion, the blog for the beer connoisseur came off as dark and depressing. The background drowned in black with flat pictures of beer. I had no interest to view this blog whereas a blog such as 101 Cookbooks immediately grabbed my attention with colorful pics and soft imagery that captured the essence and beauty of natural cooking.
In my introductory post, I discussed how I was searching for passion particularly through learning. Because of one class and one assignment I now have a real interest in a writing style and genre that was previously unknown.
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