But what would I write about?

Comments

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I will comment more
I will comment more
I will comment more

Sorry, got a little carried away there.

Good post - I shall point Daughter at it in the hope she decides to follow the advice and post something!
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I have a fruend who I am trying to persuade to set up a blog. Mind if I use your arguments?
Thehorse, if you think my words will help you to persuade your friend, I am honored for you to use them. Good luck!
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I had a very similar conversation with my 30-something friends Saturday night. I think that after me talking about Vox (just mentioning, not pushing) for 3 months they are ready to start considering it.
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Excellent write up. I remember when I invited someone onto Vox and they asked "what would I write about?" My suggestion: write as if you were Kelev. Btw, I have seen you and your blue vox shirt in many of my neighbors' neighborhood. Glad I decided to finally peek in.
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I know many writers keep a journal, just to keep themselves writing, and I wonder if that'd be a selling point too? I've tried keeping a journal or diary in the past and it's just no fun when nobody else is reading it - in VOX you don't have that problem. I've only been on for 4 months or so (hears chorus of "it seems so much LONGER") but already it's fun to look back at earlier stuff. This is one of the big selling points that Mena uses.

Mark, I think the journal thing is a nice idea too, and I tried to allude to that in number eight. Journals are often very private and people need to feel that Vox is safe enough to guard their secrets. I myself have written a few private posts, but most of them were posts that started out as public and then got switched to private at the last minute (I am a terrible self critic). I really dig Vox's privacy controls.

Raf, very nice to meet you too. I have seen your name around my friends neighborhoods. It seems only right that we would be neighbors too.

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I've had similar trouble getting my friends and family to try it..also the 40something set. I don't have the time (to read yours let alone do one of my own) is also a chief objection.

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How could one not even make a stab at "blogging?" Your arguments, thoughts, and perspective are compelling, real, and truly inviting.
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Wow! You're on the main Vox page!!
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Remember, the more you blog, the more you look at your life through blogger's eyes. You automatically earmark interesting experiences, and thoughts that occur to you as things you want to write about later. It's a very engaging activity.
I joined Vox for the lovely feature that let's me chose who gets to see what I write. I love that and I'm tickled pink that I'm on board. : )
Quote: Post an actual song so I can hear it. No one else can download it, so posting music won't cause any trouble.

Really? I would love to post some music... I thought I'd get my head cut off for that.
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Karen, I found this from the link of the Vox home page. It's wonderful, thanks for posting it. I'm a new blogger, having been inspired by the blogs of a couple of friends, and I struggle with what to write about - or I think I might want to write about something but worry that others will find it boring. Your guidelines are very helpful!

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Great list! Really inspired me.

You basically put together a list of all of the reasons I tell myself to write when I just don't "feel" like it.

I need to get better about writing about what I LOVE and photo-taking. Your post reminded me of this.
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Thank you for that. My problem is that I really don't want Vox to be for people I know, but how do you get people to read your blog if you don't know anyone? I have alot I want to write about but if noone is looking at it, it sometimes feels moot. I agree with random comments, I love the explore page but i feel strange posting to someone I don't know, I guess that would be a step in the right direction though. Any comments or help on gaining more readers would be great.
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Thank you- this actually gave me a few ideas.
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Thanks!
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This is excellent. Exactly what I want to say to some of my friends, but said right. Thank you.
I am a big believer in random commenting. I've added many people to my neighborhood as a result of random commenting. Go for it!
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this is great. and pretty much exactly why i blog here!
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nice write up ;)
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i'll have to come back to this page the next time i find myself wondering the same thing :)
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Nice. I'm on Vox to keep in touch with friends and make new friends but I've had that exact problem - what the hell do I write about?? These are good tips; let's see if I can put them into practice.
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you made many good points here, i wish i had read this back when i started blogging (many years ago) thanks for writing this!
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You are so right. Getting your thoughts down somewhere can be the most therapeutic and stress reducing activity out there. More people should take the time or organize what keeps their brain ticking and write about it...

Great thoughts!
Use of the guillotine is forbidden in Vox. Post away to your heart's content and thanks for sharing.
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What a sensible, and more importantly, thoughtful way to explain blogging to the non-blogger! :)
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Don't have anything to say? Try pictures.
That right there is why I devote my blog to photos.

My mom (a professional writer) also refuses to blog on the grounds that she doesn't have anything to write about.
Karen is awfully popular ;)
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You are sooooooooo on target. Thanks for pulling this together.
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Really well done, Karen.
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This is a wonderful guideline/suggestion. I am new to blogging and often wonder about what to write I am going to try to remember your suggestions when I get stuck in the future. I have decided to try this because I liked the fact that I could choose to be private or public on Vox. I hope your friends take the leap and try out Vox.
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Wow. I thought I was writing this post for my friends, I had no idea it would appeal to such a broad audience.

It's so tempting to try to reply to each of you, because each of you has said something interesting to me, but even I know that would be insane.

Thank you for your comments, it warms my heart tremendously to read them.

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Good reminder on keeping things grounded. Thanks!
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Excellent guidelines and very well written. A definite something to pass onto some of the people I've been dying to win over to Vox who are unsure of how to get started or what to write.

Happy Halloween! :)

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(plants serendipity in neighbourhood)
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great advice :)
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Thanks so much for posting this! I usually don't finish posts that are this long, but I savored every word. I favorited this as well so I can pass it along to friends who I'd like to see on Vox.
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Thanks for the post. You points will come in handy when I'm trying to explain the benefits of blogging to my friends. Also, I wasn't aware that I can post music for others to hear. I think I'll give that a try.
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nice... it is always hard to convince people to start blogging... these will certainly help...
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Excellent!
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Good arguments. I have found that your final argument (that nothing will happen) is what discourages me the most. (and when the opposite happens, it encourages me the most).

Cedarwaxwing, this is exactly why I wrote an earlier post about commenting. I think one of the side effects of being able to read all of your neighbors' posts in a stream is that the behaviors of scanning and commenting don't always go together. It's almost too easy to scan posts and internally appreciate them, without ever saying anything to the person who wrote it. And when you have a lot of neighbors, and a lot of posts to get through, it can be hard - maybe even impossible - to say something to each of them without spending all day in Vox. (Tempting though it might be, most of us need our jobs). And yet, when we say nothing, the natural inclination for the writer is to think that no one found the post interesting. Which is often not true.

I feel strongly that if we want new people to get into blogging we (the Vox community) have to do a good job of reinforcing good blogging behavior. This for me means commenting.

When I first got into blogging I felt exposed emotionally. And then I felt silly for exposing myself, and sometimes I even felt regret. If it hadn't been for the comments of some of my friends, I know I would have given it up.

I agree and the [this is good] mechanism makes it even easier to just send out a quick reinforcement of good blogging. However, the fact that I use my blog to just write for the sake of writing makes me less concerned about receiving comments (but it is nice when you do get them).
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Can't get any better than that. Brevity is not my strong point either, but I'm hoping blogging will teach me to be more succinct. Well done, and thanks. Please don't mind if I send folks over to read your post.
I fit into the 40-something set, and my problem is finding others my age to read about and to add to my neighborhood. I was afraid for a while that it was only younger people, and sometimes I can't relate to what they're blogging, and I'm sure they just love reading about me and my life. I'm glad there are some 40-somethings out there. (psst! expose yourselves!!)
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glad i came across you. helpful post to new bloggers!
Great blog posting!!! I look forward to reading more.
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LOL. One of my favourite points was the hyperlinks bit. A few here and there are fine, but blog posts chockerblock with them just put me off!
Great post =)
Just read some back posts of yours as well, and had to come back and say you have a really great blog -- very thought-provoking and very enjoyable!
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Your rules for blogging rock.
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I like it. I like it alot..

lists are attractive to me ;D

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I'm in the 40-something set and had always considered blogging but was only exposed to myspace, which seemed too "teenager", and live journal, which seemed to depressing. Vox came along at exactly the right time with exactly the right format. I was tired of writing lots of emails that never went answered and decided to just post a single time, to a single location, and let people find it themselves. Vox has become a wonderful journal for me - documenting both the good & bad experiences of my everyday life - and connecting me to others who understand (is there any blog which does NOT have Bookmole as a neighbor?!?).

And you're right - I know often find myself thinking, "how will I blog this? what will my subject line be?"

Brilliant bit of inspiration not just for those approaching blogging with trepidation, but even for new folks like myself--we have our feet in the water, but don't quite know what we've gotten ourselves into.
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Excellent post! It reminded me of the one thing that I tend to forget when writing, and not just for my journal - to keep things real and natural, to tell stories in my own voice, and not the one I think others want to hear. I'll be adding you to my neighborhood, if that's all right with you!

^__^
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Great list of what to write about for people who ar enew to blogging.
40-something - I'm 60. You can imagine how thin on the ground 60 year old bloggers are! It was my son wot made me do it and am I glad. I use a number of blogs for personal and educational use and find them invaluable.
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I'm 40 something (for a little while :~~D ) and my son got me into this. I've been amazed at the impression I get of Voxers belonging more to my generation! Great post. I hope I can find it again to steer prospects to.
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I have been blogging for about 18 months: http://www.blog.pacesettermortgage.com.

I am new to Vox and am keeping it personal here. I look forward to sharing with friends, family, and perhaps even making news friends in the Vox community.

What to write about? Just share your heart, your loves, your journeys, your fears, your desires, your dreams.

Chances are you will find others who share the same.
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I read this the day after torturing myself over what to write/post... Thank you! Quite helpful & encouraging.

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well said. and 'ditto' to the commenters who came before me.
(i even tried to invite my austrian photographer friend. he's yet to accept, but man, i'd love to keep in contact with him more!)
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I love Vox. I've tried to convince some other people to join, but their comments are always that they are boring and have nothing to write about. I'm glad that you've made this list, because it's very good.

I used to be on xanga, but now I'm loving vox. You'all are so much smarter, more fun and classy.

So, good job.

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Great post. I found it very inspiring.... And, seeing as it is currently on VOX's homepage I am sure it will inspire many more. :)
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Very nice list! I used to be more wordy when I started blogging some years ago, but I've kind of closed up gradually for my own reasons. But that's all right because I'm comfortable with it.. and I think that's the most important of all. :) And that's what's so great aboug blogging.. the power of choice is all in your hands.

Now, you've inspired me to actually write something in this! I have had a blog on Live Journal now for almost a year and have recently been exploring other outlets like Vox and Blogspot. I enjoyed your post as I do often feel "pressured" to write which takes away from the entire reason I started the LJ blog. I'm not as familiar with the Vox sight yet but I'm getting there. :}

So thank you for this!

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This is a great post! I think your "rules" are great and can't wait to read your next (public) post.
Thanks.
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Awesome! If I hadn't already joined, that would convince me to join again :) Great ideas
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That was perfectly said.

And brevity is not usually my strong suit, either.

Thanks for being enjoyable, again.

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Great post! This should be on the front page of Vox :)
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Great, practical advise for would-be bloggers. And well-said, too.
Great post. I'm new both to Vox and to Blogging and am still not quite sure what I ought to writing about. I'm not short of topics and in the few short days since I registered I've had a few urges to blog about certain things. The problem I'm having in my head is what to make public, what to make F&F and what to keep to myself. I've been posting on bulletin boards and forums for a few years now, so I guess I just evolve from there and see where I end up.

I found my way here by way of a post by Venus who is in my neighborhood. I'm really beginning to get how this all works and I haven't been this excited about anything online for a while. Create content? Me? Well why the hell not?
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This was a damn good post! All your reasons were so on point! :o)
Thank you for this. I always have a hard time knowing what to write because I'm generally quiet in real life, and this is like a kind friend urging and encouraging me... appreciate it. :)
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nicely done, thanks! I too need to comment more. fwiw, shyness is the culprit, not lack of appreciation. when I don't comment on great entry, it's usually because I feel the subject has already been explored so thoroughly and so well by others that I don't have anything insightful to add. but you're right -- sometimes a simple acknowledgment of the "goodness" of a post or thread can be enough. Often it's just nice just to know someone out there is listening and nodding.
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This is indeed good as I am trying to convince my wife to join. A creative outlet or just an outlet is always good. Thanks for the posting and thanks to Patty for sharing your post with me.
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Spot on Karen! Thanks for your post.
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good points!
Your post is good. Especially for a new blogger like me it is going to be quiet useful. i am not going to repeat this post was informative, useful and nicely written, because the number of comments before me tell that. But what your post has made me do is, make me visit your blogs regularly.
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you're such a good mentor. I think you need an official vox embassador sash.

Hi Karen.

I'm new at blogging. I decided to test the water at a few blogging sites, and you were the first I came across here, and you made me feel very welcome.

I like your suggestions and will definitely keep it in mind when I get stuck.

Thanx for your friendship

Gerty

Hi Gerty, welcome to Vox. This is a fun place to blog, and I'm glad I was able to make you comfortable. Happy writing!

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karen

About Me

karen
United States
"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." Inigo Montoya
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