Monday, March 06, 2006

Greatest Blog

BOH SU CHO v.,n.,adj. "nothing much to do"

EXCLUSIVE: This entry has been translated and podcasted into Hokkien. You can request for the Hokkien podcast by writing to him on sisuahlai@googlemail.com. It's 3.3 Mb large in .mov file; Apple Quicktime needed.

I sat down one afternoon listening to the world's most downloaded podcast and two minutes into the podcast, my gmail pinged.

Someone e-mailed Sisuahlai with the following questions. I, a beginner blogger, gave it a go. These are my replies:

(1) How do I start creating the world's most popular personal blog?

There are thousands of good blogs out there. To stand above the rest, the writing style and ideas have to be unique and engaging. But to maintain this blog, you must find the time. I cannot say this enough, good writing is important. You cannot convey an idea or an interesting experience if you are a poor story-teller.

(2) How does a blog maintain a high readership?

The style of writing is paramount. It must be engaging and has some relevance to the person reading it. Even if it is highly imaginative and interesting, take the Harry Potter series (had it been a blog), it will struggle to be a popular one, as there is no relevance and no similar frame of reference to the everyday readers.

The language used has to be for people with a reading age of 8-14. Yes. The British most popular tabloid, The Sun, uses language suitable for people with the reading age of 4!

(3) Is it important to have a high readership?

Yes. If you do not care about this, why not just write your ideas on a scrapbook? Or if you only want your family and friends to share your experience and ideas, use e-mail. If you want to change a local policy, write to your local MP. I guess with a blog, you want the whole world to listen and perhaps, take their comments to improve an idea. Some people argue that a blog can also function as a therapeutic writing exercise for those with busy lives. A platform to vent their frustrations and anger. I guess most bloggers fall into that latter category.

(4) If I want to write a blog, what is the recipe for success?

Blogs with scandalous contents tend to generate high readership. Human being are born curious. Personal scandalous contents are frequently used to generate readership, but it is not easy to maintain this, and besides, do you want to earn yourself the reputation as the person who spread or start a scandal? Sex sells, even on blogs. Stories and images on sex will bring in the audience, but again, do you really want this kind of audience?

Simple tips for successful blog-writing are posting regular entries, write on subjects people really care about, write to inform, and use humour, life can be very dreary, write to lift the spirits of your readers. Pictures, used creatively, are also important.

Some great blogs:

kennysia.com (self-deprecating, sensible grown-up life experimentor)
xiaxue.blogspot.com (standards dropping, but still addictive reading. Bitching with capital B)
tokyotimes.org (clever use of pictures, simple writing)
postsecret.blogspot.com (unique idea for a blog)
yournewblog.com (give it a go! above all, enjoy it!)


Sisuahlai.

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

In addition to No.(1), I think Sisuahlai's blog stands out 'cos of Sisuahlai's creativeness that not only teaches the readers 'Hokkien' but also provides us with entertainment which helps us to relax and have a good laugh esp. on a very stressful day. :)
Besides, Sisuahlai updates his postings regularly and that is a ++ for all regular readers. :)

(2)True, judging by your latest total number of visitors to your blog, Sisuahlai is doing very well for a very young 2mth+ old blogger. :)

I've come across some blogs which I can't even understand the English used & one happens to belong to a Kuching resident. :(

(3) Hear!Hear! Postings must be therapeutic esp. for readers who have had a stressful working day. :)
When a reader wants to de-stress, why would he/she want to read about someone else's frustrations & anger... especially those written by blog visitors who misuses a blogger's comment box or chat box. :(

(4) Once again, Hear! Hear! Blogs that turns me off are those without any sense of humour and absolutely no pictures. :(

Btw, if I am asked to list some great blogs, sisuahlai.blogspot.com is definitely on my list.

The above is just my personal view regarding Sisuahlai's posting. It is not a personal attack to any other bloggers or visitors.

Lastly, Sisuahlai, do keep up your good blog. :)

March 05, 2006 10:58 AM  

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