Guest Post by Tara Miller
Ah, the Internet–a wonderful conglomeration of humanity, a place that is both physically manifested and ethereal. It’s more of a state-of-mind really. As a writer, of course, what interests me most about the Internet is its trafficking of words, literally trillions of them or perhaps even more, every single day. At no other time or place in the history of the human race have we been graced with such a powerful communication tool. While I’m fascinated by the unique prose styling of Internet blogging, I’ve always been of a mind that good writing is just good writing, plain and simple.
To prove my hypothesis, I will here present a few dead folks who wrote and knew what they were talking about. But if you think that good advice, of the writing variety or otherwise, is specific to a particular time and place, think again. Speaking from the grave, these guys can help you with your blogging, too.
1. Ernest Hemingway.
Old Papa talked about the finer points of writing ad nauseam throughout his illustrious career. If I had to pick one piece of Hemingway’s advice that would apply to writers of our ilk–the blogging subspecies–I’d go with this one:
“Prose is architecture, not interior decoration. The Baroque is over.”
More than half a century after Hemingway uttered these words, it still holds true. The Baroque is still over, and it’s becoming an ever-shrinking spot in our rearview mirrors. Good blog writing is simple, but not simplistic; fresh, but not frilly.
2. Josh Billings.
This dead American guy from the 19th century is perhaps not as well-known as the more popular humorist of the age, Mark Twain. But he wrote a few things that made people laugh back in the day, and he shared some quips of wisdom that still ring true. One in particular stands out in terms of the blogosphere:
“About the most originality that any writer can hope to achieve honestly is to steal with good judgment.”
As writers, we of course try, every day, to come up with something new, something fresh, something people have only dreamed of. The sad truth is that pretty much everything has already been written, and the Internet, in all its mimetic glory, stands as an undeniable testament to this truth. When blogging, remember to draw from different sources. Remember to strategize well-placed hyperlinks so your readers can play in the same areas of your Internet stomping grounds, such that your vision (although borrowed) will be shared with your audience.
3. Rainier Maria Rilke
This dead German poet wrote a great deal about life and its nuances. His most famous prose book, “Letters to a Young Poet” is a manifesto on all aspects of the creative process. Rilke draws upon the Bigger Questions to get to the heart of what it means to be an artist. And yes, even though we are only bloggers, mere mortals, we are also artists. Here’s a good one:
“For one human being to love another; that is perhaps the most difficult of all our tasks, the ultimate, the last test and proof, the work for which all other work is but preparation.”
This is a truth that perhaps no one knows as keenly as the blogger does. Injecting ourselves into a vast forum of millions of people, and then exposing ourselves–rendering the thoughts we hold nearest and dearest completely vulnerable–all of that takes balls. But more than that, it takes love. For those of you who’ve had to deal with trolls, with comment wars, and the like, you should never forget what this whole blogging business is about. For most people who blog, it’s not about the money, unless you happen to hit it big. Blogging is, at its most basic level, an act of love. And that is the most difficult part about it all, but it is also the most rewarding.
By-line:
This guest contribution was submitted by Tara Miller, who regularly writes for psychology degree. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: miller.tara23@gmail.com.
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