Most of my favorite blogs are hosted for free by wordpress.com or blogspot.com, and while the templates they use are generally presentable, they would be better served by self-hosting with a good web host. Even a minimally customized WordPress blog offers far more flexibility and options than the free hosting services, and one can freely access site statistics, files and code through a host account. Furthermore, a well-designed self-hosted blog looks better. Just as a well-made book enhances the experience of reading a novel, a good-looking blog adds to the reader’s appreciation of one’s articles.
For writers, typography is one of the most important elements of presentation. Pictures are not necessary, but if used properly (i.e. not in a distracting manner) can enhance an article. A blog is obviously not a book, and should not attempt to mimic one, but blogs do have quite a bit in common with newspapers, and following a paper’s guidelines in both writing and some aspects of presentation is not a bad idea. However, a major difference between print and online content is resolution. The resolution of a computer screen cannot produce anywhere near the quality of printed text, so the text has to be a little larger on a screen, and if it is small, it must contrast well with the background. Line spacing should also be somewhat taller and justification less severe or absent onscreen. A good designer takes these things and many others into account in designing a blog, and templates produced by top-notch designers can be found for free or for a reasonable price, which makes it easy to find a good blog template if one is using popular blogging software such as WordPress. Personally, I like Chris Pearson’s designs, because he focuses on typography and clarity, both of which are invaluable for enhancing written content. This blog runs “cutline” — one of Pearson’s earlier themes.
Even before setting out to find a good blog template, a writer should look for a suitable host on which to host the blog. I have found that one-click installs are extremely helpful, as is a good user interface. Often, the cheapest hosting services come with slow, garbled interfaces and charge extra for services such as one-click installs. Fortunately, a good host will not be significantly more expensive, and the extra few dollars a month are well worth the investment. In the long run it may even be cheaper, too, as you get all the features up front and are never surprised by extra fees for vital services.
Those without any programming knowledge may not relish the idea of dealing with blogging software, but it has become very easy to install and run blogs without having to know any code at all. Customization does require a knowledge of markup languages, but it isn’t necessary, and one should be able to find a designer to do it without spending too much money. There is no doubt that some knowledge of code is helpful, but blog interfaces have been designed to work like the word processors that almost everyone is familiar with, so running a blog has become little different from operating a PC.
There is quite a bit of argument over which blogging software to use, but the most popular by far is WordPress. Although popularity does not always indicate quality, it does guarantee a large support community that provides endless “plugins” (programs that perform certain functions) and “themes” (templates) from which to choose. Most plugins and themes are free and can be installed without any need to learn code. Plugins can enable forms, “caching” (increases speed), search engine optimization (SEO — helps search engines correctly find and display your blog in searches), photo albums and much more. Themes are customized templates that conform to WordPress standards and code, and there are literally thousands to choose from. In selecting a theme, one should make sure that it is up to date and suitable to your purposes. Looking for themes can be kind of fun, and you can switch them around to see how each one looks on your blog. A good analogy would be shopping for a suit.
Online self-promotion has become an indispensible tool for writers. If a large proportion of potential customers or employers first encounter your work online, it’s important to put your best foot forward, and a self-hosted blog does a much better job of helping your content stand out from the crowd than free hosting services. Because of the greater choice of plugins and enhanced SEO targeting, the added flexibility of a self-hosted blog is a boon to online sales as well. Those who produce quality content – particularly those who plan to sell it – and are still using a free blogging service, should think seriously about setting up a blog on a quality host. Control over and ownership of one’s content, customized email, and a clean domain name are all immensely helpful for writers who are serious about earning money from their content and creating a unique identity online.
Because so many quality writers out there lack their own self-hosted blogs – even though writers need them more than typical bloggers – I am thinking about providing a service that helps them get started in this endeavor. Although books will not die, online publishing is becoming an essential part of breaking into a larger market, and it is a shame to see talented writers foundering on the rocks of mediocrity due to shabby blogging platforms.
6 responses so far ↓
1 Lukobe // Dec 31, 2008 at 1:43 am
It’s a great idea. I hope you do it. Should potential clients just use your contact form?
Talented writers foundering on the rocks of mediocrity… vivid image. I see plenty of mediocrity out there that I wish would begin foundering on the rocks of talent!!!
2 Bill // Dec 31, 2008 at 3:50 am
The problem is that so much talent is expended propping up mediocrity. You, of all people, should know that well.
Good writers are left to fend for themselves, and all too often they have neither the time nor know-how to effectively promote themselves online.
Anyone interested ought to simply get in touch through the contact form, but I don’t see this endeavor so much as a business as a public service — there’s a lot more profit to be made from the waste treatment type of writing/editing at this point. However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth trying to make the web a better place for readers.
Another thing: all these failures we see around us give me hope. The fact that people are actually trying says that there is something worthwhile out there.
3 Lukobe // Dec 31, 2008 at 1:12 pm
That’s all too true–for often it is mediocrity that has the money. How did that happen, anyway?
4 roissy // Jan 27, 2009 at 10:56 pm
i’m working on self-hosting, partly thanks to your advice. it’s kind of a pain in the arse.
5 Bill // Jan 28, 2009 at 12:16 am
Hang in there. Make sure your host has one-click installs and other goodies (I use Dreamhost, and they have been good to me). Feel free to email me for help if you’re frustrated — I’m committed to supporting good writers however I can.
Eventually, it’s rewarding. Especially if you have the brains to take advantage of the benefits, which I’m sure you do.
Also, if you want to sell anything online, it’s a huge advantage. For example, I wish I’d thought of something like that Obama little blue book — I’d be making a tidy profit from it off my own blog.
PS be sure to take advantage of WordPress.org’s import features. There are tons of services that ease these transitions.
6 alan // Mar 25, 2009 at 6:11 am
You ought to try Apple’s service at $100 per year. They have terrific templates. I use it for a portfolio view of my work but they have many templates for writers. I think its called MobileMe now, unfortunately.
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