Blogs - Why ?

[NB Willawaw]

I've recently felt inspired to start my own blog. Looking around the Internet for ideas, I was amazed at how many canal related blogs exist out there in the ether.

 

I initially started looking at the canal blogs listed on Granny Buttons, as a starting point. I immediately noticed how much they varied in approach and layout.

 

Some were just a diary of boat movements and I presume this is done to preserve a kind of log for perpetuity ?

 

One or two are written by canal visitors (from New Zealand, etc) and I imagine that their blog helps their families at home to keep track of their activities.

 

A lot are build blogs, whose purpose is self-explanatory.

 

However, many don't appear to be kept up to date, which is a shame. I suppose the enthusiasm wanes or circumstances change.

 

One blog was even run just to advertise and sell a boat (Papillon ?)

 

Does anybody actually run an index of "live" blogs - blogs that are updated on a regular basis ??

Edited May 10, 2009 by NB Willawaw

[churchward]

I've recently felt inspired to start my own blog. Looking around the Internet for ideas, I was amazed at how many canal related blogs exist out there in the ether.

 

I initially started looking at the canal blogs listed on Granny Buttons, as a starting point. I immediately noticed how much they varied in approach and layout.

 

Some were just a diary of boat movements and I presume this is done to preserve a kind of log for perpetuity ?

 

One or two are written by canal visitors (from New Zealand, etc) and I imagine that their blog helps their families at home to keep track of their activities.

 

A lot are build blogs, whose purpose is self-explanatory.

 

However, many don't appear to be kept up to date, which is a shame. I suppose the enthusiasm wanes or circumstances change.

 

One blog was even run just to advertise and sell a boat (Papillon ?)

 

Does anybody actually run an index of "live" blogs - blogs that are updated on a regular basis ??

 

There are some blogs of all different types that are interesting/entertaining but and this may be an unpopular view but I would say most blogs are more of an interest to the author than anyone else and an index of blogs would only be slightly more boring than the majority of the blogs themselves.

 

I also think an index of "updated" blogs is going to take a lot of work to maintain as it is going to take someone clever software or manually checking each link to see if they are still current on a regular and frequent basis. Not my idea of fun.

[Lady Muck]

I've got two - the boat one is really just for this trip, we have friends who are planning to join us on our trip and towns where other friends live. It's so they can figure out when we will arrive and be able meet up with us.

 

My other blog is linked to my website. It's mostly for search engine optimisation and also means if there's something I want to add to my site and haven't got time to code it, I put it on the blog. As we get about 90% of our work through our website its important that at least part of it (i.e the blog) is updated regularly.

Edited May 10, 2009 by Lady Muck

[NB Willawaw]

I agree.

 

I think it depends on what interests the reader.

 

If the reader is thinking of fitting out their own sailaway, then a build blog could be of interest. If the reader is thinking of cruising the Thames for their holidays, then a "boat on the Thames" cruising log blog could be very relevant.

 

Its not that hard to keep a list of blogs and delete those that aren't updated. I did think of doing it myself, but I have a bit of a downer on blogs that are free to publish but yet carry Google adverts, raising income for the owner. I would want to exclude these from a list on my blog and then its not always black and white which have hidden income and which don't, so it gets a bit complicated.

 

 

 

There are some blogs of all different types that are interesting/entertaining but and this may be an unpopular view but I would say most blogs are more of an interest to the author than anyone else and an index of blogs would only be slightly more boring than the majority of the blogs themselves.

 

I also think an index of "updated" blogs is going to take a lot of work to maintain as it is going to take someone clever software or manually checking each link to see if they are still current on a regular and frequent basis. Not my idea of fun.

[alan_fincher]

I believe I have seen a boating blog site that lists links to others on the basis of sorting by "how recently updated".

 

I feel sure that was automatic, not down to someone rechecking each day.

 

Damned if I can remember which site had this, though.

[Lady Muck]

You can always cheat and link it to Twitter. I only link my work blog to Twitter and not the other one, mainly because my stalker has found me on Twitter and I don't want the creep examining every minute detail of my life on my boating blog. It was bad enough when he showed up in London last year (he lives in Aus), thankfully he only only managed to Google my old London address - phew!

[Catrin]

Our boating blog was originally designed to keep my family informed of what we were doing while we were out on Chalice, and also to keep a record somewhere of what we had actually done. In particular, my mother tends to ring us up and then get worried if we don't answer the phone (which is usually inside the boat, and we can't hear it from outside). However, after our recent Thames ring trip she asked me if I had had my eyes tested recently (for those who don't know the blog - I spent two days getting my eyes tested and re-tested in Oxford) - so I suspect that what she really wants is to HEAR our news.

 

On the other hand, quite a lot of boating friends have said that they keep an eye on the blog when we are out and about with Chalice. It does mean that if anyone is going to meet up with us, then they know where we are, so that it is much easier for them to make plans. I've also found it easier to upload photos to Blogger than Photobucket while we are using the mobile dongle - so any photos that other people might want to see can be put on the Internet sooner.

 

Other than that - I could keep a record somewhere of where we've been for myself, but it's just as easy on the blog - and the information may be of use to someone in the future.

Cheers

Cath

[NB Willawaw]

I tend to broadcast links to a new daily post on Twitter (so, just once a day - don't wish to annoy).

 

Another good way of following blogs of interest is to use a web feeder such as RSS or Atom, which I see you can also use on this forum.

[Ray]

I try and update mine weekly. Originally designed around the self fit-out, it now encompasses general life which interupt visits to the boat - as do things that SWMBO gets involved in

 

Pav still runs his blog and has links to a number of other blogs as well.

[bargeeboy]

So I can see what I did last week !

[carlt]

I never read blogs (unless a search produces a result on one) so it would be a bit arrogant to think anyone would be interested in one, if I wrote it.

[stewey]

The only blog I read from time to time is Granny Buttons. Very interesting read and I enjoy Andrew Denny's opinions and comments on canal issues.

 

As I don't own a boat then a boating blog would be very short! I certainly wouldn't have enough interesting material from the occasional boat hire to make it a worthwhile exercise either for me or for those unfortunate to come across it.

 

Stewey

[Water Rat.]

I have never thought of either doing one or reading one until I read Catrin's (Chalice) and was addicted. It was really informative, I am wanting to do that trip this year, also I am just nosey. Catrin, you made it a wonderful read, thank you. And, Carl, considering your alter ego, I think your blog could become 'must read' too - go on you know you want to. Julie

[Catrin]

Thank you Julie, I'm all embarrassed now

cheers

Cath

[Rogerh]

We started to read a few blogs when we were planning the build of 'Windsong' and then decided to have one ourselves, mainly for friends and family to follow the build.

 

We intend to keep it going when we are cruising, again for F&F (and also as a cruising record/diary for ourselves) to know where we are etc.

As a bonus we have met some other bloggers, it was like meeting people you know well, but have never actually met (if you know what I mean)

[NB Willawaw]

I can't work out which is the best publishing software. Most appear to be free and in the end, I went with Blogger but Wordpress also seems good?

[FadeToScarlet]

It started off as just a convenient place to upload photos from the phone. Then we added to it, really, and it "just growed" to become ego-publishing.

 

The family like to see what we're up to, and I've got some good-natured competition with another friend about visitor numbers.

 

nbluckyduck.blogspot.com

 

The links list is the Blogger one, that sorts the links by their last updates.

[honey ryder]

blogging is fun, its a way to get things off your chest, its a kind of teenage diary.

 

I try to keep my blog boat related, all things boaty. but i sometimes head off on a tangent and it becomes tales from the riverbank(ditch)

 

people love a good story. thats why so many fiction books are bought and read. but modern day [web browsing] people are more lazy and want their stories in bite size pieces, where they can dip in and out.

a good story teller can captivate their audience and inspire or evoke feelings, passions, humour, sadness etc.

its a basic human trait to want to pass the word on, particularly through their eyes and experiences. Blogs are a very convenient way for a lot of people to try their hand at self publishing.

 

Id love to write a book. Im working on ideas around my blog. it would be comedy fiction, based on real life.

 

I have noticed there is a lot of toot out there, boring, tiresom blogs of little interest to anyone but the author. but. if it works for the author to write their thoughts down, if it keeps them happy, then why not? I have the choice to read what blog i want so I can choose not to read toot.

Edited May 11, 2009 by honey ryder

[Wiltshire Moonraker]

Does anybody actually run an index of "live" blogs - blogs that are updated on a regular basis ??

I saw this site the other day, taken me until now to find it again!

 

Cheers

 

Chris

[NB Willawaw]

I really enjoy your blog and its one of the few that I have programmed to notify me on update.

 

I fully agree about story telling - you definitely have the gift.

 

blogging is fun, its a way to get things off your chest, its a kind of teenage diary.

 

I try to keep my blog boat related, all things boaty. but i sometimes head off on a tangent and it becomes tales from the riverbank(ditch)

 

people love a good story. thats why so many fiction books are bought and read. but modern day [web browsing] people are more lazy and want their stories in bite size pieces, where they can dip in and out.

a good story teller can captivate their audience and inspire or evoke feelings, passions, humour, sadness etc.

its a basic human trait to want to pass the word on, particularly through their eyes and experiences. Blogs are a very convenient way for a lot of people to try their hand at self publishing.

 

Id love to write a book. Im working on ideas around my blog. it would be comedy fiction, based on real life.

 

I have noticed there is a lot of toot out there, boring, tiresom blogs of little interest to anyone but the author. but. if it works for the author to write their thoughts down, if it keeps them happy, then why not? I have the choice to read what blog i want so I can choose not to read toot.

[Theo]

You can always cheat and link it to Twitter. I only link my work blog to Twitter and not the other one, mainly because my stalker has found me on Twitter and I don't want the creep examining every minute detail of my life on my boating blog. It was bad enough when he showed up in London last year (he lives in Aus), thankfully he only only managed to Google my old London address - phew!

Good Grief!

 

That sounds awful. Can't the police do something about it?

 

Nick

[Chertsey]

I started as a way of keeping a record for my own benefit - and it has proved very useful for that - but after a while seemed to pick up a few readers and it is a sort of publishing. I feel guilty now if I leave it un-updated for a few days.

 

As to a list of regularly updated ones - well, it would help if Andrew weeded Granny Buttons' list more often, but it's probably still the best there is, and if you notify him of any he hasn't got he will add it. There is now also a popularity chart for UK waterways sites which a lot of blogs have signed up to. Look at my blog (for example) - there's a link in my sig - and if you click on the 'chart position' (currently languishing in the low twenties) it will take you through to the chart and you can see which are most popular. Or do what I do and randomly look at one from GB's list every few days.

[Lady Muck]

I really enjoy your blog and its one of the few that I have programmed to notify me on update.

 

I fully agree about story telling - you definitely have the gift.

 

I agree, I love your blog.

 

 

Good Grief!

 

That sounds awful. Can't the police do something about it?

 

Nick

 

It's more of an irritation than anything else, because he lives in Cairns, in Aus, it's not like he's going to hop on a plane and pester me on a regular basis, he'd be bankrupt in the blink of an eye!