Monday, July 11, 2011

What Issues Get You Hot? (Help Me Blog Better!)

On Saturday I took a workshop on blogging at the Writing Salon. The teacher was the very talented Britt Bravo, whose blog is have fun do good.

Thanks to www.proposedsolution.com
for this great graphic.


The majority of the women in the class were food bloggers, like my niece. They all already have followings – even the ones that don’t have their blogs up yet. One woman is launching a book blog, which would be a great idea even if she were not in publishing. One created lazybuddhist.com, which is a fabulous name, and Buddhism is huge, so of course she also has lots of admirers, publication offers, etc. I felt at a distinct disadvantage.

Everyone was really nice, and they laughed at the name Democracy Sometimes, but I could tell that an activism blog wasn’t anyone’s idea of a fun way to spend their leisure time. Predictably, when we broke into small groups, a delightful young woman in my group said, “Honestly, I try not to think about politics.” I doubt anyone ever says, “I try not to think about food.” Well, maybe the odd dieter does, but they don’t mean it.

I have to admit, I was a little tempted to fold up my computer and spend the day doing something productive, like playing internet Scrabble.

But then I thought, come on. I don’t have to rival the foodies or the knitters. Surely there are a few thousand people out there who are as turned on by radical social change as I am. I just need to figure out where they are and get them to let me into their blogging community.

So, here’s what I’ve decided to do. I’m going to make a commitment to this blogging thing for a year. I’m gonna post a lot more often – going for three times a week, and one of those will be a book or movie review, so feel free to suggest ones I might like (no horror flix, please). That’s my part. But I need you those who at least occasionally read my blog and like it to help me.

See, one of the things I learned in this class, though perhaps it shouldn’t have taken a $150 class to get it, is that blogging is conversation. And the thing about conversations, at least conversations we want to have, is that they’re not one-way. So I’m also going to try to write about what people want to read, rather than strictly what tickles my own fancy, and you need to let me know if I’m hitting it or not.

So please, no more saying, “I’m going to comment on your blog one of these days.” Do it for the Gipper, or Tiny Tim, or whoever.

In the class I made a list of topics I might want to write about. Which of these, if any, would make you want to comment, tweet, post to your facebook page, email it to your friends?

I know I'm anti-voting but please, take a minute to vote for your favorites, or suggest ones that are not on the list. (You’ll note that among them are “Invite friends to post,” and “interviews with …”, so if you want that to be you, you know where to find me.)

Vote Early, Vote Often (choose as many as you like):
1. Welcome to Palestine Flytilla/Free Gaza Flotilla
2. The Dominique Strauss-Kahn Affair
3. What’s going on with the Israel BDS movement
4. What’s the story with those crazy Stand With Us people? (maybe even an interview with one of them?)
5. Who's doing what to save Social Security, and does any of it have a chance?
6. Is this the worst time ever in the world, or do we just know more?
7. Interviews with other lefty bloggers
8. Interviews with older feminist and queer activists
9. Why do left-wing groups have so much trouble living our ideals?
10. What makes activism fun? What makes it a drag?
11. Who’s doing what, when, where and how? How to plug in?
12. Step-by-step guides to organizing campaigns (there are a lot, but how to choose among them?)
13. Van Jones’ new “Rebuild the Dream” campaign
14. The real true story of the 1989 Golden Gate Bridge Blockade (with video)
15. Why did we just learn that Bradley Manning is gay? And now that we know, does it matter?
16. Invite guest bloggers to share strategies for movement building
17. How campaigns work and don’t work
18. The anti-vegan critique of Lierre Keith and why smart people are so divided over it
19. Why is the Tea Party so effective, or is it?
20. How to find media sources you can trust?
21. What will it take to save Social Security?
22. Is internet organizing a fad or here to stay?
23. A deeper look at gender inclusivity in the left media
24. Twitter: Can you say anything worth saying in 140 characters?

5 comments:

  1. I vote for:

    6. Is this the worst time ever in the world, or do we just know more?
    14. The real true story of the 1989 Golden Gate Bridge Blockade (with video)
    15. Why did we just learn that Bradley Manning is gay? And now that we know, does it matter?
    19. Why is the Tea Party so effective, or is it?
    24. Twitter: Can you say anything worth saying in 140 characters?

    I do think that #24 should cite Strunk & White's rule #13, but, hey, it's your post Kate. I can always comment on it.....

    ReplyDelete
  2. I like all of your ideas, but here are the ones that appealed to me in this moment -
    #10, especially what makes it fun (for me, collaboration, camaraderie, costumes, street theater...), but it's worth commenting upon what makes it a drag.

    #11, yes, and maybe build some momentum towards things to plug into

    #17, yes, I'd appreciate your perspective on this

    #6, worst time or more informed... great topic~ (and probably 'both', except until it gets worse!)

    #1, a good time to write about these Palestine Solidarity efforts

    #18, perhaps not the most important of subjects, but one I'd enjoy... I think she presents a lot of great information while being a horrible writer (mega info dump interspersed with personal rants) and seems to come across as many of the things one dreads in an activist

    #23, you've already delved into this somewhat -- I think there's a lot more that could be said and explored (and advocated for)

    #15, yes, curious why Manning being gay didn't come out... not sure it's massively relevant except to ponder it's omission

    #21, Save Soc Sec.... hmmmm.

    #14, would love to hear you tell it

    #3, we don't hear as much about BDS in the US, so an overall update could be good

    #4, Stand With Us - might be interesting to hear about their backgrounds since some of us have already heard their 'perspectives' at length!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I like all your ideas. Last year I committed to writing in my blog every day, which was a challenge but one I mostly met. I'm easier on myself this year: I think your more modest goal is more realistic. But I found forcing myself to come up with something to share or say was really good for my creativity, my mood, my thinking, and my writing. I struggle to come up with things to say sometime, but then I remember that every word committed to my blog doesn't have to be sheer beauty and brilliantly analytical. I wish you well on your commitment!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Michael-David tried to post this but for some reason, Google doesn't seem to like him. Which probably says something very good about him. So this is his feedback:

    I love your blog and would find most of what you list interesting but the one's I'd most be interested in hearing your take on would be (in roughly order of interest -- stuff at top seeming more interesting):
    ????
    18. The anti-vegan critique of Lierre Keith and why smart people are so divided over it
    13. Van Jones' new "Rebuild the Dream" campaign
    14. The real true story of the 1989 Golden Gate Bridge Blockade (with video)
    17. How campaigns work and don't work
    10. What makes activism fun? What makes it a drag?
    15. Why did we just learn that Bradley Manning is gay? And now that we know, does it matter?
    9. Why do left-wing groups have so much trouble living our ideals?
    12. Step-by-step guides to organizing campaigns (there are a lot, but how to choose among them?)
    16. Invite guest bloggers to share strategies for movement building
    19. Why is the Tea Party so effective, or is it?
    21. What will it take to save Social Security?
    4. What's the story with those crazy Stand With Us people? (maybe even an interview with one of them?)
    24. Twitter: Can you say anything worth saying in 140 characters?

    And since you all vote for Bradley Manning, I'm working on it.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Great work, Kate. These are the items that, since you posted your list on July 11, I have found myself googling, dwelling on, asking people about, and generally wishing I could read more about.

    I’ve taken so long because I found myself wanting to write about each one, and then I had to remind myself realized that all you were asking for was a ranking.

    1. Why did we just learn that Bradley Manning is gay? And now that we know, does it matter?
    2. Welcome to Palestine Flytilla/Free Gaza Flotilla
    3. Why is the Tea Party so effective, or is it?
    4. Who's doing what to save Social Security, and does any of it have a chance?
    5. What will it take to save Social Security?
    6. Interviews with older feminist and queer activists
    7. The real true story of the 1989 Golden Gate Bridge Blockade (with video).

    Thanks as always for a thought-provoking brew!

    Steve

    ReplyDelete