Blogging is the New Black

I want to start off today’s post with a little exercise. First, I want you to close your eyes…

Did you do it? If you did, how long did it take you to realize that with your eyes closed you couldn’t read what came next?

Stick with me here, I’m not trying to be funny or make you feel stupid. The point of the exercise is to raise some questions. Do you always believe what you read? Do you always do what you are told? As a blog writer, are you stepping outside the norm or just keeping pace in the v-formation on the flight south?

Thought it may be difficult to believe, the internet is still just stretching its legs and taking its first steps. In this metaphor, blogging is nothing more than a squalling infant. This means that those of us who are blogging right now have tremendous power and influence over this medium. As writers, we have the freedom to explore any subject we like in any way we want.

Photoshopping the Wheel

We are, without a doubt, shaping an entirely new writing paradigm. As it stands, blogs have fallen into standard writing categories: journalism, hobbies, personal journals, etc. We are simply using the technology to put already existing writing formats online. We are, in a sense, digitally rebuilding the wheel.

But that is just the beginning. As the technology advances and becomes more accessible, It is inevitable that we will see completely new forms of writing appear.

Think about it in terms of another technological breakthrough: television. For awhile TV simply duplicated - on a screen in our homes, rather than on a stage - existing forms of entertainment: variety shows, plays, radio dramas, news programs, etc. But as time went on, programs unique to the medium began to develop: sitcoms, music videos, and - perhaps the best (though perhaps not the brightest!) example - reality television.

The internet is positioned to undergo the same sort of progression as a storytelling and information-sharing medium. The big difference is, the internet will grow exponentially faster. Already we are seeing people give up cable to stream television programs on their laptops, MySpace has become integral to many teenagers’ social lives and every day more people are given the chance to telecommute because all the tools they need are now virtual and entirely mobile.

Work + Focus = Success

So what does all this mean for writers? It means that we can essentially work without boundaries. If you have always wanted to publish a novel, but don’t know where to start, you can find all the information you need on the internet. And I mean all of it. You can start with a mind map and end up with a professionally published book.

But why pay for a dusty old book that no one is going to read when you can put the same information on a blog that will get 10,000 readers a day? The internet - and the technology that goes with it - holds endless opportunity for writers who can keep themselves on track.

So the one thing that remains universal - across all mediums and activities - is that you must stay on track and work hard. The internet is a largely free - or at least inexpensive - medium. In this new world, lack of money is not going to crush your dreams. And this is especially true for writers. It is a total cliche, but - in this case - it is totally true: the only thing standing in your way of not being successful is you. Blogs - as they are and as they will become - allow anyone to become a successful writer.

Circling back to my questions at the beginning: Do you always believe what you read? Do you always do what you are told? Consider these the next time you sit down to write a blog post. If you can think of a new way to say what you want to say - be it video, pictures or something no has yet conceived - try it out. Find ways to fully exploit new technologies. As a writer, how can the internet allow you to create something that no other medium can?

Just remember to keep your eyes open.