Words of a Broken Mirror

Alina Popescu

I will not go around the “what is a blog” question. There are dozens of definitions on the Internet and in some printed books. Yes, there have been a few books written on this topic. I will try to focus on what blogging means to me, on what it can bring and on why some blogs simply stand out.

Besides being a means of expressing every possible thought and feeling, a blog is mainly a means to meeting interesting people who always come with extraordinary stories, photos, advice and comments. Bloggin is sometimes like having guests. You invite plenty of people. You prepare everything for them: food, music, conversation, other ways to entertain them. Some respond to your efforts, some keep quiet and smile in approval, some come back, some never show up.

After the age of “asl pls” we all needed a different way to meet people. A way beyond useless data exchange and dating purposes. For most of us it is quite impossible to see all the countries in the world, to hear every tale of grand heroes, legends or historical truth. But reading travel posts, seeing photos or simply reading about the day to day life on the other side of the world might compensate.

I started this experience in January 2005. It started as a “why not” kind of project and I then decided to write my license paper on it. It’s been over two years and I can honestly say I am addicted to blogging. By blogging I mean of course writing my own posts, reading comments and reading other blogs. I have experimented with different approaches and I could say my blogs are now a mix of everything: news, articles, personal posts, travel posts, photos, songs, movie reviews, book reviews, jokes and funny posts and many more.

I see my readers as an extended circle of friends. We visit each others’ blogs and have common interests. With some of them I keep in touch through emails and we collaborate on common projects. Blogging has indeed brought me some very valuable friends.

What keeps me coming back to a certain blog is not only the quality of the material published. It is also the publisher. I see blog owners as hosts receiving guests, as I said before. So replying comments is something we all should pay attention to. Also, being able to moderate conversations and to take a stand when certain lines are crossed is part of their tasks.

Having a constant audience is the true test for all bloggers. But new readers are as important as we should never stop trying to learn more and find different views and perspectives. The most important tool one has to attract new readers is frequently updating their content.

Another easy means is to always keep up with new interesting blogs. Yes, it is hard, as they seem to spread like mushrooms in rainy seasons, that is why I always try to see what others recommend, not only search on my own. If you like a blogger’s work, you will surely be interested in what those in his/her blogroll have to say.

However, all those thinking about starting to blog should simply forget most of what other people have to say and give it a try. Most of what you should do depends on your personality and interests. The rest, well, you start paying attention to it and learning all you can along the way!