(semi) Academic Blogging ...

The matter of academic blogging crept into a conversation with a colleague earlier this week. Our discussion focussed on the notion of some academic bloggers/tweeters being fearful of offending others.

I am sure that I do, in some macabre way I hope that I may offend someone.

Some fret that they may not have anything to say, again I am sure that I don't looking back over the last four years. I cannot say that each and every one of my posts has been some revelation. More often they have been examples of my pontification. Some have been popular, others attracting single digit hits.

The trick (in my opinion) is to ...

  • Write what you want to write ... if you have something to say, I am sure others may want to read it
  • Be committed ... take the time to write at regular intervals, but decide what 'regular' means to you
  • Understand that it will take time, readerships do not necessarily appear overnight
There is often the conversation about what the theme of your blog is going to be. If you are like me, then you are going to write whatever comes into your fevered mind. It can be about work, a hobby, a personal belief or cats (after all the Internet is devoted to their worship). 

You decide. 


Some of my blog is personal, often it is professional, some of my entries are borderline unprofessional, these are the ones I most enjoy writing

Often you will find your voice, you will discover what works for you. I notice that some of my cryptic posts attract one audience. My academic posts another audience.

This is normal.

As far as reach goes; the platform I use extensively tracks my hits. I can see that from Feb 2010 until Dec 2011 I varied between 500 to 1300 hits a month, then with a spike of 11,000 hits in Jan 2012 related to some work I have been supporting the Cisco Networking Academy with. My hits now operate at a minimum of 1300 to 3000 with some noted exceptions (above this).

In fact the work I have been doing with the conversation, contributes as I can republish my work on both platforms.

So, the moral, if you want to blog, write dear, please write.





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