In my last post, I considered whether or not celebrity gossip was ethically responsible journalism. Wanting to further investigate, I (reluctantly) turned to one of today’s most widely known celebrity stalkers, Perez Hilton. Scouring his blog for information that could be newsworthy, I landed on a post about Kelly Osborne and, because I touched on the coverage of her sobriety earlier, gave it a read. This is what Perez had to say:
“If cold turkey keeps you looking and sounds so wonderful, than we say never go near the bubbly again!” (Souce)
Where is Kelly looking and why does cold turkey sound so wonderful? Also, I see no comparison so why is the word "than" jutting out of the phrase like a sharp dagger, piercing any writer's soul that nears. Perez, keep your tenses consistent and you are looking for the in that case "then".
My first thoughts: He makes a living off writing? How does he have so many followers?
It is possible that I am being harsh. I understand that the trend and definitely profession of blogging is still trying to define itself. Blogging of course need not use strict academic language, as a research paper may, and does not depend the same degree on social responsibility, as news writing does, but basic grammar is a must in any writing profession.
As a former freelance journalist, Perez, you should know that. Perez claims he began his blogging profession because "it was easy." (Source) In reality, however, in most cases, making a successful career out of blogging is a challenge. It, like most professional endeavors, takes great strategy and talent.
One man whose got that combination down is Darren Rowse, creator of Problogger.net, a blog focused on the blogging industry. The last numbers, in 2005, show him earning between $10,000 and $20,000 per month (Source). These profits, he emphasizes, do not simply come from the one blog, but rather from over 20 of them (Source).
He explains that a good blog takes careful consideration; it is imperative that decisions on platforms, networks, domain names, design, content, length, and titles are informed. Check out Problogger.net for a detailed guide to building a successful blog.
One recommendation common across the blogging board is to find a niche. Trying to write on too many topics in one blog can be distracting and unorganized and will take away from your content. Better to concentrate on one. That is, go deep, not wide.
I, for example, could have filled my blog with posts on my love for writing along with music and food and travel and popular culture, but then I am very difficult to follow. Instead, I stay focused and all those that share a passion for writing can read.
As Darren suggests, when finding your niche, think about what interests you, what is popular, the longevity of and competition around the topic, and whether or not there will be enough on the topic to keep you writing (Source).
I will give Perez this--his niche is well-chosen. He narrows the entertainment industry to celebrity news, a perpetual topic that so many share an interest in, and he is successful because of it.
Writing Rule:
Bloggers, be unique and be specific. And, please, know the difference between "then" and "than".
No comments:
Post a Comment