BLOGGING FOR NEWBIES

taken from, and with thanks to;

http://www.memulaibisnis.com/wp-content/uploads/blogging.jpg

Why Blog at all?

What are you hoping to do?

1) Record life memoirs of self or family member? Consider paper scrapbook if only a few nearest and dearest are going to see. On-line blogs best option for newbie to word-processing, internet etc.

2) Write fiction for pleasure? If really only for you, use notebooks! Can look very professional if done on-line. Format dictated by content length.

3) Write anything for gain. Take course before you do. 'Dog eat dog world!'

General comments on blogging?

1) Over half of all blogs, whatever content, do not last beyond 5-6 weeks.2) Many, again whatever content claimed to be, are tedious daily diaries of

interest to only the author and their mother, maybe?3) Study the attached lists for ideas of how to do it in both fiction and factual

genres

How to go about blogging?

1) Register for blog platform with one of many available, check your ISP.2) Select attractive blog face to attract readers. Pictures, personalise etc.3) Can type freehand to site, or use the preset forms through Windows Live

Writer at ; http://windowslivewriter.spaces.live.com/4) Consider using free word processor such as Open Office. Get by

downloading from; http://download-new.com/openoffice/index.asp5) Open Office allows the work to be saved in various different file types,

including the general PDF ( aka Adobe) with just one click and no tears!6) The PDF format allows the 'turning page' booklet format like Len's War at

Issuu to be created, FREE, honestly, go to; http://issuu.com/7) Some of the internet forums available to bloggers are 'cess-pits' of venom

and bile, enter with great care and a very thick skin. But, the better ones encourage newbies to develop their skills in using the internet, etc.

BLOGGING, SOME OF THE BEST EXAMPLESFOR STYLE AND PRESENTATION

http://dieneighbour.blogspot.com/The Wonderful Demise of Benjamin Arnold Guppy A tale of blackmail, turnip tossing, and the cold-blooded murder of an incredibly irritating old man

I am not fully persuaded of blogs that promote already (print) published work, but this blog is a notable exception.

The blog face is very attractive and contains multi-media items (music and text). The other blogs maintained by this author are also very visually engaging and informative.

(At the risk of insulting the reader, you can find the other blogs listed by clicking on the 'view profile' link towards the top of the blog linking from here and down a bit in middle of page)

Well worth a look for creative ideas and stimulation.

http://goldie-goldiesshortstoriespoems.blogspot.com/A place where I like to share the pieces of writing I have done plus a little of my artwork, give an opinion and talk about day to day life.

A visually engaging blog face with a nice mix of fiction and factual material.Good to see another oldie going for it!!!

http://petsandauthors.blogspot.com/Golden retriever interviews authors' pets (yep that's what the author says in her intro).

It's different in aim and content!Well worth a look for ideas.

http://www.fictionmatters.com/Fiction Matters is a leading source of news, tips, and tools for fiction writers

This looks to have the making of an excellent blog/forum for those wanting to know more about the mechanics of writing and publishing, as they claim. The blogface is engaging and interactive with some sound advice in the bits I checked through. If you want to get your muse published, head here for advice on how to.

http://countsneaky.blogspot.com/Unique in design and content, always worth a look.

http://laurajanecassidy.blogspot.com/A right in your face blog with interesting content.(Very old readers like me may need to fit sunglasses before going there, but go and have a look!)

http://thepioneerwoman.com/confessionsThis blog won the annual comp for best designed blog in the world. It is very engaging and full of ideas on what to do in your blog.

http://www.blognosh.com/This was a runner up in that comp, also good for ideas.

To get to any of the links shown with underscore in blue;1 Place the mouse cursor over the link,2 Hold down CTRL button (bottom left on most keyboards);3 And then click left button on mouse.

Hey presto, the link should load in your web-browser.If not, let me know!

BEST OF THE NEWER FICTION BLOGS

http://gbmjr2flashy.blogspot.com/Welcome to my blog! In short, this blog will be the new home of my latest writing obsession, flash fiction. All the stories that you will see here, are only two pages in length. This is due to the fact that I first write these down on one sheet of notebook paper, before transcribing to my laptop. So sit back and relax, while I take about three minutes out your busy day, to amuse your senses and tickle your fancy.

An excellent example of flash-fiction writing by a well-established writer.

http://historicallyobsessed.blogspot.com/A place for historical fiction book reviews, usually keeping to players of The Tudor English Court. However I do not restrict myself to just england. I go for whatever sparks my interest.

Pleasingly different blog face that does what it claims, reviews Historical Fiction done by others. If this is your passion, go here asap.

http://fictionalfictionwriter.blogspot.com/A new house, a new job, a new ex-husband - and an ancient overgrown vegetable garden that refuses to be tamed.Plus there's my first full-time job in over six years - on top of the daily struggle of being an aspiring award winning writer who has yet to win an award.And then there's the strange red-haired lady who keeps shouting incomprehensible things at me . . . and the mystery of Great Aunt Dee's secret other life.

A general fiction account of a new-life in Ireland. Easy read.

http://webfictionguide.com/

This was passed to me by a 'friend' in Australia (thanks Naomi) and is a very interactive site, mostly for longer fiction, but that links to zillions of participating blog sites. I have visited a few and there are some good presentation ideas on show.

http://lingoslinger.wordpress.com/

An eclectic collection of quirky, provocative, edgy, hip fiction and poetry. Selina writes fluid prose that cuts like a knife and often takes the reader where others don't go. Themes such as sex, death, relationships, family, addiction, and life are rampant.

This young (?) lady has been publishing internet fiction for very nearly 4 years folks. A mixture of short, rant and poetry that is well worth a look, as you would expect for someone who has kept going that long. Bloody well done, ma'am.

http://www.heathengrounds.com/

This is one of the few that I really like. A very engaging and personal blogface containing some very good poetry and short fiction.

http://sickdays.wordpress.com/

One of the best already for 2009, in my opinion. Set in a call centre of a fictitious company, this hilarious serial blog records the everyday life of a large company, as seen from the bottom up.

http://davidbdale.wordpress.com/

A collection of flash-stories, all of just 299 words which has been growing for years.

http://thekarenchronicles.blogspot.com/

An excellent and engaging serial novel set in a coffe-shop in North America.

FACTUAL BLOGS, GOODIES TO TRY

http://patriciahysell.wordpress.comWhat Happened? Stories From the Past. Most “On This Day” articles are a list of birth dates, death anniversaries, and/or one sentence descriptions of events. Instead, I select one topic for the day and expound on it. I then add quotations at the end of each essay to either illustrate the subject matter or give a voice to the historical person.Each day of the year holds a variety of possible topics. I choose subjects ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous, from horrifying to redemptive, and representing the global community while spanning recorded history. Some of the essays deal with topics of far-reaching consequences; some are stories of the “I didn’t know that” variety. All of them are entertaining and enlightening snippets of the larger, grander human experience.

A most stimulating daily read about true events from the past.

http://author-jamesross.blogspot.com/

What a different blog front face! The golf content left me stone cold, but I am a heathen. Some will enjoy I am sure.

http://icelandweatherreport.com/

This smashing blog has been detailing the weather in Iceland for over 3 years, with asides on how the world looks from that country. Since the 'financial turmoils' hit us all last summer, this blog has provided an unbiased view of life in a nation that nearly died. One of the very best.

http://scandalouswoman.blogspot.com/

A blog that details the life and times of some of the famous, nay infamous women in history.

http://www.acandleoflove.com/

In memoriam site with nice feel and space for brief biography to be posted by anyone.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angela%E2%80%99s_Ashes

How one memoir became a Pulitzer Prize winner.

http://www.blogcatalog.com/blogsearch/memoirs/

list of 151blogs entered under the memoir category by their author. Many are ongoing personal diaries rather than true memoirs, but try;

http://www.blogcatalog.com/blog/the-navy-lark-memoirs-of-a-royal-navy-medic

Hi reader, My son has been pestering me for some time to start writing about my experiences in the Royal Navy. I served as a medic for 14 years from 1973 to 1987. So I finally gave in - here it is and I hope you enjoy it! Mike

An excellent example of how to do an online memoir in blog format.

http://www.recollectionsofwwii.blogspot.com/

http://www.recollectionsofwwii.co.uk/

Both are excellent libraries of many memoirs from WW2 in different formats, and how to find them.

To find an e-copy of this booklet, go to;http://hambocentral.blogspot.com/2009/05/blogging-for-newbies.html

To find Len's War, go to http://tinyurl.com/ar2ayx

To find an introduction to all my literary blogs, go to;http://hambocentral.blogspot.com/2007/12/oh-no-not-another-hambo-blog.html

To contact me, email to hambo@doctors.org.uk