Online community for Grandparents - SoGrand, the website for Grandparents

First things first, let’s start by explaining what a Blog is. The word blog is derived from the term web log and is used to describe an online diary or journal. The activity of updating a blog is “blogging” and someone who writes a blog is a “blogger”. Blogs enable you to write about anything you want and to publish it online for others to read.

Blog format

Blog entries or posts are arranged in reverse chronological order so that when you visit a blog homepage you will see the most recent entry at the top of the page followed by earlier posts. Each entry will have a title or subject in the same way as a newspaper article has a headline and will usually have a date stamp to show when it was written/published. This will be followed by the main body of the post where the blogger writes about whatever they want. The main body may also include images or photos.

Blog entries are often assigned to categories or tags, which are used to help manage and sort blog entries into subjects. When writing or editing a blog entry you can assign it to one or more tags. Using tags helps other users to find blog entries on similar subjects.

It is usually possible for people to add comments or feedback to a blog entry which are then shown at the end of each entry.

What should I write about?

One of the great things about blogging is that you can write about whatever you want. Your blog is your own space on the Internet in which you decide what gets published and when (just remember to stay within the site rules!!!). It is your opportunity to share your thoughts, comments, views and experiences about any subject whatsoever: sport, pets, politics, gardening, current affairs, local issues, travelling, the environment, television programmes and of course grandchildren.

As we all know, the next best thing to being with your grandchildren is talking about them! Your SoGrand blog is your opportunity to share your good/bad/funny experiences of being a Grandparent, to write about special occasions and to record milestones as they grow up.

You can also use your blog as a traditional diary to record and share the events of your daily life or to stay in touch with family and friends. The most important thing to remember is that you decide what gets published on your blog so if you just want to share an experience or opinion about something then get blogging!

Getting started

Your first blog entry will probably be the hardest to write. Here are some ideas for what to include in your first blog entry:

• Some information about you: provide a bit of information about yourself such as where you live, your children and grandchildren, pets, hobbies or occupation but remember to safeguard your privacy. Your SoGrand blog will be posted under your username so if you decide to include information such as your name and where you live then only include your first name and the town, city or county in which you live.
• What you will be blogging about and why: this should be the main part of your first blog entry. Will your blog be about being a Grandparent or some other subject? What has motivated you to starting blogging about your chosen subject or subjects?
• Comments – invite people to leave you comments or feedback about your blog.
  

Writing a blog entry

Whilst you can write your blog entries in any way and style you choose, there are a few things that most blogs have in common:

• Entries are short: reading on a screen is not as easy as reading on paper. People tend not to read an online article that has many pages. Anything up to 1,000 words is ideal for a blog entry.
• Paragraphs are shorter: this is so that the reader doesn’t have to scroll down to get to the end of the point being made. If a paragraph cannot fit on the screen then it is probably too long.
• Writing style is informal: blog writing tends to be a little less formal than other media. This allows the blogger to reflect their personality and views more easily and also enables bloggers to add entries quickly and to recount experiences or conversations exactly as they happened.

How to keep it going

The key to successful blogging is momentum. Once you have started your blog, post new entries regularly to keep the momentum going. The more often you post the easier you will find it to keep going. A blog that is regularly updated will also get more hits (views) as readers will return to the blog on a regular basis to read the latest entries.

Some tips for maintaining the momentum:

• Establish a posting timetable: set some targets such as a new post every week or two weeks and aim to post a new entry on the same day of the week. If necessary block out some time in your diary. But don’t be too ambitious – it’s better to surprise your readers with more frequent posts than to disappoint them by taking longer than normal.
• Plan your first entries: before you start your blog produce a summary of your first few posts comprising the title and an overview of what each post will be about. This will help to reduce the initial workload and will ensure that your first posts appear within your posting timetable.
• Write entries in advance: where possible try to build a backlog of posts. This will help to cover periods where you do not have time to write a new entry or if you are finding it hard to think of something to write about. Most blog sites allow you to specify the date on which an entry is published so you can store your backlog on the site and even publish entries while you are on holiday.

Staying safe

Your blog can be viewed by anyone so take care not to publish any personal or confidential information related to you or any third party. Before starting your blog read SoGrand’s guide to staying safe while online.

And finally ...

Blogging is fun, rewarding and free. It’s a great way of sharing your thoughts and experiences with family, friends and people with similar interests. Your SoGrand blog is only a few clicks away so what are you waiting for?

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