Video gaming year in review

Dena Spruill

The for

personal diaries to the Blogs are everywhere, which is causing the blogosphere to become jumbled, crowded, and packed full of the inner ramblings of millions. But what are the rules? And where does one begin?

The first step, if you haven't already taken it, is to just start one! It doesn't matter if you're not totally sure of a direction yet, andit may take a while to find your voice. I incessantly chewed over the idea of starting a blog for quite some time, endlessly researching other people's blogs until finally, one night out of sheer boredom I created my own little spot in the grand blogosphere of the World Wide Web.

There are a number of easy-to-use blogging platforms out there, such as blogger.com, sugar.com, and tumblr.com. Once you've found the right one for you, you've got to ask yourself, why are you blogging? Are you looking for a place to showcase your portfolio, salaciously gossip about the stars like the nouveau Perez Hilton, or is your goal perhaps to simply house a place for your inspirations? Figuring out what you want will help you get the most out of the experience.

There's a wide variety of opportunities awaiting the successful blogger. According to trade journal Women's Wear Daily, "The new celebrities are the fashion bloggers, who are courted, coddled and charmed like never before." A few years ago, bloggers were ignored by the fashion industry, but Fall 2010 runway shows invited bloggers to any shows they wanted to attend. New York Fashion week even held two conferences discussing the evolving influence of bloggers on the fashion world. This is solid evidence that the world of blogging is truly evolving.

Once you've found your voice, keep writing! Slogging is a never-ending process. Be on the lookout for new ideas everyday! And don't forget to participate in the community. After all, blogging is a form of social media, so leave a comment on your favorite blog spots or write an email to someone's blog that inspires you. Great content and social networking are the surest ways to blog success.

If you're simply using your blog as a home for your inspirations, then have at it! However, if you're using your spot as a career portfolio for either your writing skills or artwork, keep a few things in mind:

PHOTOS YOU CAN USE Photos taken yourself are, of course, fine to use. However, when using photos from other places, you have a few options. You can ask for press photos, use public domain photos (which can be found in places such as Flickr's The Commons), or you can use stock images from sites such as The Stock Exchange (http://www.sxc.hu/). If all else fails. you can credit where you got the picture from. However, keep in mind that copyright laws do apply to bloggers.

REPORT THE FACTS You're not at libel for reporting the truth. However spreading rumors can get you in to trouble. Trust me, you don't want to go there. Remember, you're writing for a global audience, whether your blog is personal or not.

KEEP IT REAL Don't steal other people's content! This is an obvious no· no. If you want to reference someone else's work, credit your source and provide a link.

WHAT'S YOUR NICHE? You may not be sure of what you want to write about at first. Eventually, you'll need to find your niche. Write about something specific. No one wants to read about what you had for dinner or when you decided to take a nap in the middle of class. Writing for a specific topic (or even a few) will give you an audience. If you want to keep a diary, buy a blank book from Barnes & Nobles and have at it.

BE OPINIONATED Don't be afraid to lend a voice to your opinions! Your opinions may make your blog more interesting. However, beware of simply trashing others on your blog. This makes you look bad, and might stifle your opportunities from a possible employer.

BE REGULAR, DEAR No one wants to visit a blog that's updated only every couple of months. Try to add new content once a week to keep readers coming back for more. PROTECT YOUR REP Keep in mind that blogs are not dispensable. You never know, someone might just be able to dig up that embarrassing photo from your drunken night at the local frat house.

BE GRAMMATICALLY CORRECT It may be hard if you're a busy bee, but read through your postings after publishing them and make sure they read well. Improper spellings and run-on sentences make you appear less credible, and ruin it for your readers.

FORGET THE NUMBERS Don't be discouraged by poor readership! Plenty of the best blogs out there are undiscovered gems floating through cyber space. Be proud to be an underground web blog. If you post distinctive, original content, the followers will come. Quality, not quantity, is the key. DO IT FOR YOURSELF Make your blog a place for your emotional, visual, and intellectual inspirations. Paint your canvas with pictures, video, articles, and links. But above all, publish what's important to you!

SO NOW THAT YOU'VE GOT THE SCOOP, YOU' RE FREE TO JOIN THE BLOGOSPHERE AND MAKE A

PLACE FOR YOURSELF. WHILE YOU'RE OUT THERE

AMIDST THE GREAT BLOGGERS OF OUR TIMES, CHECK OUT SOME OF THESE VCU BLOG SPOTS:

http://dirtyrichmond.tumblr.com http://littlemissfancypants.tumblr.com www.JoshLewisPhotographer.com/blog www.cookingthealphabet.blogspot.com www.despotart.blogspot.com http://www.mademoisellerva.bJogspot.com/ http://cassiemuJheron-photo.tumblr.com http://krehblelagency.tumblr.com http://noveltyshoes.tumblr.com http://amberfrances.tumblr.com http://azaleafaye.com/