All Bloggers Please Read: So You Want to Blog

So You Want to Blog ….on Users.bible.org???

Blogging has become a tool for our fast paced society and the global world in which we live. People have been blogging since paper and then pencils were invented. The only change is that now we have moved from paper/pencil and have introduced automated publishing systems. We now can use technology to order our sharing which can be updated daily with news, interesting items and keep our audience coming back to hear what we have to say. In the last 11 yrs since one website began publishing blogs they note: “blogs have reshaped the web, impacted politics, shaken up journalism, and enabled millions of people to have a voice and connect with others.”[1]

But what is a blog andhow shall we at users.bible.org use this to affect the world wide community for Christ? Let’s start at the beginning: what is a blog?

One article notes this as a definition: A weblog is a hierarchy of text, images, media objects and data, arranged chronologically, that can be viewed in an HTML browser[2].  Therefore, a blog is a gigantic step forth and a platform for capturing one’s thoughts in written form which can be saved, edited, deleted, and synced with another blog and so on. It is the way our society has moved from personal journals which may not ever be read by another until we pass from this earth or paper/pencil notes awaiting a response from one other person to instantaneous and open dialog with not just one person but a host of others across the global spectrum. It is a way of sharing ourself with the world at large and capturing and interacting with ideas and thoughts. A blog is merely a weblog of series of thought provoking articles which can run the gamut from politics to sermons to personal online journals that are shared with an ever increasing audience. It allows one to share from the heart and be open to sharing themselves and allowing others to comment back to us. In fact, a blog encourages commenting as it is designed not to be a one-way conversation but in fact a dialog between the author and the reader(s).  When you read a blog, it behooves one to comment for it presumes that the author does indeed want such for that is primarily their reason for writing.  Thus most blogs are written to be interactive and are written to elicit comments.

And now for some helpful hints:

1. On users.bible.org we have a section called Terms of Service. It would beneficial for you to read it prior to posting lest you receive one of SonShine’s notes saying your blog has been pulled for some various and sundry reasons.
2. Decide the purpose for your blog. Ask yourself: What do you hope to gain by writing?  What issues or ideas do you hope to engage your audience in? How can my words be used by the Holy Spirit to impact someone for Christ.  Are you prepared for criticism and comments?
3. The purpose of the users.bible.org blog platform is for you the author to share ideas, scripture thoughts, thought provoking illustrations etc. It is not a platform in which to just quote another’s work without noting the author (To do so is plagiarism)   A blog is to be your own personal thoughts and ideas or to reference works from which you have derived those ideas and given credit, which has then led to your own ideas. Should you continue to just quote another’s work with no personal ideas, thoughts and seeking interaction then bible.org has the right to refuse your blog on that reason for you are not blogging according to the spirit that we offered this capability to the community.  
4.  If it is from your own work outside bible.org see the Terms of Service agreement in the upper search bar noted: Site Information. You may not seek to promote your own ministry. If that is your reason, then we politely ask that you decline our free service. There are many blog sites on which that can be accomplished.

And now some basic helpful hints and ideas:

1. Define your goals.
2. Be visible. Those who post without registering on bible.org will be asked to register or if they decline to do so will be asked to do their blogging elsewhere. We are a community on bible.org and desire that all that come here see this as a community of fellow believers seeking to uplift and edify the Body of Christ.
3. Be visible in that you post a jpg photo of yourself. If this is uncomfortable with you, then perhaps this is not the place for you to share. Blogging means taking a risk in the Body.
4. Be consistent in blogging once you start
5. Be courteous and edifying.
6. Follow the engagement rules as noted in the upper search bar under Site Information.
7.  Be welcoming to readers and invite them to join a two-way conversation. Ask your readers to leave comments.
8. Answer comments posted from readers.
9. Try new ideas. You can upload pictures 
10. Pray before you write that your words will be used to follow the “3E’s” (edify, encourage, equip)
11. One author wrote this as a helpful hint for new bloggers:  A great way to learn about blogs is to read a few. Leave some comments, ask questions and bookmark your favorites[3].
12. Consider that Google will be “watching” and reading your blog across the entire internet. Each day they send SonShine their alerts as to which blogs and/or articles are noted as having been found by their alert system. If you want to be “found” be sure that your topic and tags will be ones that will evoke such a find. That helps bible.org to continue to be part of the world wide interaction of Christian Content websites and why we have over 2 million hits a month. For example here is one that I received some time ago. If you go and read Jody’s blog you will see why. Look at her keywords or what we refer to as tags to learn from her work.

Bible.org Heartprints - Jody Capehart
This post originally appeared on Jody's new biweekly contribution to the Heartprints blog on Bible.org, which you can find by clicking here. ...
www.jodycapehart.com/category/bible-org-heartprints/

DO NOT be afraid to ask for help! Leave a comment and our users will help you and as our staff has time we will also add our comments.

To start a blog click create content, then blog entry. Always create your blog in a Word Doc or a Notepad. Then insert your blog using the note pad or Word icon. That will remove all formatting. You can also type the blog right into the body but if you do the Word Doc or Notepad it will help you with grammar and spelling. Please use a spell checker so that your work is "clean" and free of errors. If you need more help: send SonShine a note.

Happy Blogging! May the Lord Bless your work 30, 60 and even 100 fold!