I am starting a blog by next week. My commentary and subject matter will likely require a pen name of sorts. My friends are helping me with this task but thought I'd offer the boys and girls of TiB a stab as well. Something a bit bitchy may be in order... Also, any tips on running one of these things would rock my socks.. Thanks! FOCUS: Help come up with a witty pen name. ANT-FOCUS: Discuss various aspects of blogging. Do you blog? Do you read blogs? What makes a good blog?
What's wrong with The Pimptress? "You've got to keep your Pimptress hand strong..." The whole blogging thing has always intrigued me. I've found very, very few blogs that I enjoyed reading, and even then, I only read them in passing. I have yet to find a blog that I subscribe to, or read regularly. There are some that I go and hit somewhat frequently (PhilaLawyer every couple/few weeks, for instance, and BeerMonster's MMA blog), when I'm bored and looking distraction, but nothing that I follow or read on a daily basis. There are a few tech blogs that I hit weekly just to keep up with the current state of affairs, but I consider that professional development and staying current, so treat them as more of a technical resource. I've been asked to blog about some tech stuff myself (I have a few, uhmm... "interesting" concepts about software development) but have absolutely no interest in doing so.
I think what makes a good blog is a combination of the following: - Interesting topic - Focus - Good writing - Entries that have a beginning, a middle and an end. The blogs I like to read are topics that are of personal interest to me, or that have exceptionally good writing (meaning the writing grabs your attention and holds it). As with anything else, one man's trash is another man's treasure...I don't think I'd ever frequent a blog about transmission wear or cats, no matter how technically proficient the writer was, but for the most part if the blog has one or two of the characteristics I just mentioned, it'll be worth a read.
Can you expound on the commentary content and subject matter to help get the idea for the pen name? Bic Bitch The blogs I do check out with any regularity have these two components: good writing, and links to entertaining things (not necessarily related to the content) I agree that The Pimptress would be a good name. That name would make me check out the blog, if somebody emailed it to me. Good writing would make me keep checking it out. Well, that and naked pictures.
I think the key to any blog I've enjoyed is that you have a point of view. The whole random 'this is my life day to day' thing for most folks (myself very much included) has been done to death. For me, what makes a good blog is getting to see a different point of view from that which I am accustomed to. One of the great things about the internet is that you quickly discover that even though we're all different in some ways, there are a lot of commonalities running through our lives and desires. I agree that a good blog tells a story. Where are you taking me? Why am I reading this? What's the payoff? It can be anything really, but there needs to be some reason for a person to take time out of their day to read some shit that you (and I don't mean you specifically Pimptress) came up with. When a blog becomes a glorified Facebook page, it just isn't worth the time. As to the name, as noted above, the subject material is key to coming up with it. As to whether I write a blog? Yeah, I do, it's in my sig if you're interested, but I certainly would NOT cite it as an example of a good blog. I do it because I enjoy writing, and some of the situations I see (usually not of my making as I'm more an observer) I find to be funny, so I try to not fuck up the funny when telling the story. Sometimes I hit, sometimes I miss. But as with any writing, the more you do it, the better you get at it. The other piece of advice I have is before you go 'live' have at least 5-6 stories queued up and ready to go, so that you can update fairly regularly, even if you don't have time to write that week. Good luck and I look forward to reading it.
Just call it the See You Next Tuesday Blog by Pimptress Good times had by all. A bit bitchy and a bit well, you get the idea.
Pen name: RedStorm Blog name: RedStorm Rising Women don't get any bitchier than that time of the month. I don't read blogs. It's enough keeping track of my own life, I don't need to follow someone else's.
There is nothing wrong with your name already. If you don't use it, some future flavour-of-the-moment all-girl band is going to steal that name and patent it. If you must change your name, I would use "Fox News". That way, legions of idiots will take everything you say for granted, no matter how nonsensical it is.
Rapper-slash-macktress. There's a solid thread on blogging over at that other place: http://attentioncrash.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=10 Basically, it absolutely needs a focus (which can shift over time) and a "voice" (ditto). From what I've seen, it's a good idea to write for a at least three months before promoting the thing. I also like Philalawyer's policy of replying to every single comment, with all due respect and no mercy - it makes people more willing to participate and more reluctant to post obvious bullshit.
I'm gonna go with Nettdata on this one. The PIMPTRESS has this quality ring to it. You may even think about trademarking it, so Hollywood doesn't steal it and turn it into a movie. Toy Toy has a blog that I check out every once in a while, <a class="postlink" href="http://www.toytoy88.blogspot.com/?zx=e294e60bb971caa2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.toytoy88.blogspot.com/?zx=e294e60bb971caa2</a> I think he's just taking a break or his computer shit the bed. I'd check your blog out though, even without boobie pictures.
Expanding a little on this tidbit of advice is to really self-edit yourself and don't just go posting every paragraph you write. It's quality over quantity, and one great article or entry isn't going to make up for 5 shitty ones.
I read a ton of blogs. My google reader has I think around 60-70 feeds. About half are nerdy stuff; various science, psych, and economics blogs with an emphasis on economics. One thing I would stress more than anything else is that good blogs are written on subjects that the author is an expert in. The reasoning is simple, good blogs write interesting things. It is hard to write interesting things about subjects you aren't at an expert level in. If your blog is about your opinions, make sure you have a very thorough understanding of the subject you are giving your opinions on or else you will be talking out of your ass. We have more than enough people talking out of their ass on the internet.
This hit the nail on the coffin. My Google Reader has about 50+ feeds which are mostly linked to my studies and future career path (Marketing, Professional Services, Economics, Business news, M&A, etc). With these feeds I just look for an interesting title and if I like it then I will star it so that on the weekend I will add to my delicious account (where I am building a place where I can find business news/references quickly). Then I have blogs that I enjoy reading every time no matter the subject e.g. Film blogs, Mark Cuban's Blog, Tim Ferris's blog, Philalawyer, Seth Godin's blog, Stronglifts etc.
I think she posted the link here once (or maybe I'm thinking about some other member). The first entry was a rant about how much she hated Christmas, which lead me to believe it wasnt about anything other than her random thoughts. And that made me not bookmark it.
I did and Frebis' criticism crushed me so effectively that I gave up. <a class="postlink" href="http://thepimptresspersona.blogspot.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://thepimptresspersona.blogspot.com/</a> haha, I've been working on my novel and dealing with some crazy shit in my personal/real life. I haven't even thought about it and probably won't be adding to it anytime soon. Also, some of the suggestions that others offered (theme, have lots of material at the ready, etc.) should be applied, and I have no time right now.
You bumped a near 3 month old thread about a blog title for this? Seriously? Go beat yourself up dude. Wow. And PIMPTRESS he's all bark.