Is blogging journalism?

As more traditional media outlets ask their staffers to start blogging, the lines between journalism and blogging become more blurred. Erick Schonfeld, who made the move from mainstream media to TechCrunch, says: "There is something about blogging—the immediacy, the give and take, the point of view—that helps it compete with traditional media for attention."

300,000 reasons to learn blogging

Still not sure you want to take the time to learn blogging? Read today's New York Times piece on how a blog led to a $300,000 book deal for a never-before-published author. It may change your mind.

Editor talks about why blogging is essential

John Robinson, editor of the Greensboro News-Record, was one of the first editors in the country to start a blog. He says it encourages transparency in his newsroom. John says blogs are a new way for reporters to tell stories.

Don't be afraid to blog - just do it

A New York Times story on blogging suggests you just do it. I've found beginning bloggers are nervous about posting - particularly in the beginning. They want to make sure it's perfect before they hit the button. This story quotes Xeni Jardin, who blogs for BoingBoing.net and is a freelance journalist, suggesting you think of a blog as a work in progress. Great advice!

Blogging for beat reporters

Patrick Thornton makes a case for blogging beats. He suggests your print stories should be a complement to your blog, which will allow you to report news from your niche quickly. MySanAntonio.com suggests a culture that encourages beat blogging. It has a slew of advice on how to blog. Finally Shawn Smith suggests ways to find online communities connected to your beat.

Check out more blogging advice

This post from Mark Glaser is a couple years old, but it still has very solid advice on blogging. It's loaded with information on how to get your blog noticed and other bloggging resources. Check it out.

Blogging advice for beginners

Looking for more tips as beginning bloggers? Check out Shawn Smith of MLive's advice. He starts with: Know your audience. That's sound advice for any writer, blogging or not.

Is blogging journalism?

Mark Glaser of MediaShift, a blog on new media, has an interesting take on the blurring lines between bloggers and journalists. He also points out that the mainstream media is now embracing bloggers in a big way with blogs on a myriad of topics.

Web writers need to understand scannability

You'll find great advice on blogging and writing for the web on Paul Bradshaw's online journalism blog. In this segment, he talks about scannability and search engine optimization. He notes that 79% of web users are scanners. That means as a writer you don't have much time to grab their attention.

Blog to understand the future

Whether you use a blog on the job or not, you should learn how to use a blog. It will help you understand the web. Scott Karp explains it clearly on his blog about the evolution of the media. Howard Owens says it's critical to blog to understand where journalism is headed. So don't put it off any longer. Get started!

Can blogging cost you your job?

A CNN producer says he was fired for posting strong opinions on his own personal blog. Some newsrooms have policies on blogging, much like they do on freelance work or other outside employment that might potentially create the appearance of conflict. If you're going to blog, you might want to check with your employer to see if there's a policy on blogging. The New York Times includes blogging in its ethics policy.

Telling untold stories on a newspaper blog

Newspapers are finding different ways to use blogs as a reporting tool. The LA Times used a blog to tell the untold stories of homicide victims in Los Angeles. Reader reaction has been emotional and strong. Until reporter Jill Leovy started writing about the victims on the blog, the print newspaper had covered only about 10% of the city's homicides. Her work documents what Leovy calls "a pocket epidemic of violent death among black and Latino men in neglected corners of society.'

Blogs boom at newspapers

Check out this list of the top blogging newspapers in the United States. The list is a bit outdated. More people are blogging now than ever. But it's still interesting to see what the early adapters are doing. At the chron.com, you can find both staff-written blogs and links to blogs written by other folks in Houston.

Become a blogger

Blogging is easy. Keep your posts short, typically no more than 200 words. Link to at least one other web site. Adding hyperlinks adds depth to your post. Try to post often. Visitors are less likely to return if you don't update your blog frequently. To create a blog of your own, go to Blogger.com or WordPress.com