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Question of the Week 08.09.09
Posted by Mark Sinclair, 8 September 2009, 10:48 Permalink Comments (126)
It's a new QOTW and we want to know whether our readers are bloggers too. Is everyone at it, or is there always a time and a place? If you blog, why do you do it? What do you blog about?
Here at CR, we've been blogging since August 2006 and have clocked in well over 1,200 posts.
We love it. It offers us an immediate platform for news stories but, at the same time, provides us with near infinite space to show images (or run long interviews) that we simply don't have room for in the printed magazine.
Our blog also acts as a place where we can interact directly with readers and instigate – and, on occasion, moderate – debate.
I think the CR editors would agree that we write slightly differently on the CR blog, to when writing for the magazine, and that we all enjoy that very aspect of it.
For e.g, this post took about ten minutes to put together; it has an immediacy to it that, hopefully, will be reflected in the comments it receives throughout the day (as with other Questions of the Week).
So, if you blog too, why do you do it? Does it have a purpose in your working life, or is it purely a recreational thing?
If you just enjoy reading blogs, which ones do you like and why? What makes a good blog?
Are there even too many blogs out there? How do you cut through the mass of voices and focus in on the good stuff?
What about Twitter, or the future of blogging. Where are things going?
Let us know what you think. And, of course, include any links to great blogs, your own or otherwise, that we should check out.
Question of the Week is produced in partnership with MajorPlayers
126 Comments
I blog primarily because I enjoy it and like to share the cool stuff i find. As it constantly keeps me looking for new things to write about and be inspired by (and articulate why i like those things), i think it makes me a better designer too. I also think a blog is a pretty helpful asset for a (digital) designer in terms of getting a job as it shows awareness and participation of the very thing we design for.
I've got over 120 blogs in my reader - I think the best ones keep it succinct/visual, find the best stuff first (instead of regurgitating from other blogs) and blog about a range of things to keep it interesting. You can always tell when someone really enjoys blogging vs feeling like they 'should' do it, and I think ones with a bit of personality are best.
2009-09-08 12:38:31
Blogging is a huge part of Red Cube. It allows us to connect with our audience in ways that the traditional website doesn't (ie it allows two way communication, which is what good marketing is all about these days). It allows us to explore opinions and thoughts more than we can on Twitter with the 140 character limit, although it is of course integrated with Twitter and other SM sites (as all good blogs should be). http://redcubemarketing-blog.com.
A good blog should establish the credibility of a person or brand in whatever area they operate in. But this is dependent on quality content, which should always be what the reader would want to see (bit like a good magazine really).
I read a whole bunch of blogs daily and have aggregated these on Alltop so that they're all in once place (http://my.alltop.com/gemmawent). I find Alltop easier to scan through than other RSS Readers, but that's more about personal preference.
2009-09-08 12:39:00
Personally I don't blog, however I do read blogs. Mostly the usual design based suspects. I used to find myself checking these almost on a day to day basis, to pass the spare time at work. Just recently though, over the past month or two, I have become increasingly irritated by blogs. I can't seem to pin point it exactly, but I think its just the sheer overload of visual communication and work that is filtered through each one. Its just too much sometimes, when your trying to think of your own concepts and work. So now I have stopped reading them so much, maybe once a week at most, (on here now, being the first time in just over a week).
2009-09-08 12:41:56
My response is two-fold. I blog on a personal basis at http://www.grahamcreative.me and also founded our company blog, which has evolved, out-grown itself, and today relaunched at http://www.bmb.uk.com
Why do I do it? It offers me a space to voice opinion, share my influences, establish my tone of voice, which clients and agencies buy into. It allows comments, debates and openness, encourages inspiration and allows you to experiment a little more.
Why does our agency do it? Well in much the same as yourselves. In fact, we no longer have a website a such. A static shop window frozen in time, our work turnout is fast and we it allows us to put a stick in the ground to show our way of working, and our approach to life and work, so we need a space to demonstrate this.
I cut through blogs in the same way I'd know if I was going to get on with someone after a chat – a quick scan of a blog gives you a pretty good guide if you'll enjoy following them.
2009-09-08 12:47:30
More interestingly – as I've mentioned before – blogs and twitter are merely an extension of conversation.
It's a way of allowing replay and sharing of what somebody has to say – like Sky+ for real life.
Twitter is like Sky+ in a pub, quick bits of info and inspiration.
Blogs are like Sky+ for a dinner party. Debate, conversation and chat.
In a life packed with little space, this allows us all a space to have that conversation, but with the whole world, and for a like-minded group to engage with it.
I'm going to the RSA's talk tonight on the connected mind – about the need for social life. I'll also be meeting up with two people I've engaged with through twitter. That's real life enhanced by a digital one. That alone is worth it's weight in gold.
2009-09-08 12:50:21
First of all, I'm from Brazil and I don't have a fluent english. But I'll try to write some thoughts.
I wonder why so many people want to let the world knows what they do or think. Privacy!!
There are thousands and thousands of blogs, twitters... and people write stuffs like "I'm drinking coke and watching Lost". Who cares? I don't.
So many crap....
such foolishness...
I really don't get it....
The need to show to the world theirs lives.
please, call a psychologist.
Get a real life, people.
So, you'll have what to say to the world.
I love to read the creative review.
Go, go, go!!
2009-09-08 12:52:50
I find blogs incredibly useful. I think in the digital age, the younger generations tend to trust their peers (e.g. bloggers) over established institutions. As a writer and booklover, I maintain my own book review/news blog, and read mainly book/writing blogs.
Mine began as a sort of portfolio of my writing, as I'm trying to break into the publishing industry, but now it's become a really fun side-job that I invest a lot of time and a little bit of money into.
Of course there are too many blogs out there but that's a good thing. It means we have more to choose from. Like Katie, I think blogs need an element of newsworthiness, and I think they need a voice that can be related to/enjoyed. I could talk forever about blogging but I'll leave it there :P
2009-09-08 13:05:21
Elena makes a good point I missed, transparency. With such openness, trusted opinions quickly begin to form. A very useful tool for social connectivity.
2009-09-08 13:17:57
I've been blogging since January. I mainly started due to the recession. Work was quiet, Christmas was over and I wanted something new and exciting to occupy my mind. My blog has developed since then, my posts are generally more individual and opinionated. I wanted my blog to be different from other one's around.
It's also a great way of making contacts, I really enjoy people commenting on posts, emailing things, asking questions.
http://www.designyak.typepad.co.uk/
2009-09-08 13:17:59
I've been blogging since 2007, primarily because I wanted a fast (and simple) way to update things on my site and tell people about it, and along the way have a space where I could write and talk about design — but keep it more or less focussed on my own work or that of close friends and collaborators (there's already enough design portals and sites to tell you about new things in design — some where I post myself — that I wanted to keep my blog a bit more focussed.
Its been a good thing - it does increase traffic to my site, and by syndicating the entries to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Virb, etc I can easily reach more people — http://www.hellomuller.com/blog/
2009-09-08 13:24:36
I currently run 3 blogs – my personal photography blog, the jelly blog, and the Three Blind Mice blog. I like to think of them as the personal voice and character of a company that you may not be able to achieve with a website. They’re easy to update; instant to post; accessible to link to. You can successfully record data from clicks to web searches... to me, they’re an incredibly important marketing tool! You can write like a person and not need corporate jargon; upload pictures of any description – work or not work related. I guess the point is, the blog is your canvas without restrictions on colour or location.
As a blog reader, blogs are key for research, up-to-date news and everything in-between. And they’re super accessible to not only find, but to read – particularly when you’re sat at a desk all day. I’m more likely to read a blog than a newspaper or magazine! I only follow a hand full of sites in RSS feed; other sites are one-off visits recommended to me through Facebook or Twitter.
Is Twitter the future? Nah. There’s only so many short sentences and links I can deal with. I like words and pictures all on one page, with links galore and the ability to find related articles. Twitter helps get my blog out there to the masses, but it could never be a replacement!
2009-09-08 13:27:04
I've been writing a Blog/Diary since 2006 ... I try to write for my clients who (they tell me) are interested in hearing what I'm interested in re film, music, design, etc. It's a way of helping us build a relationship ... you're not starting from a position of total ignorance. Less a leap of faith - more an educated guess. I think a good blog needs to personal. Needs to be concise and to the point. Maybe that's why Twitter's popular - who's got the time to read page after page of material. So many blogs, so little time.
2009-09-08 13:31:44
I blog because I noticed that there was one blog out there which was missing, and now that I blog I definitely love it. I read around 300 blogs per day on my Netvibes.
Most blogs out there just collect cool stuff but have no concept. It is sometimes hard trying to find tonnes of research in a short amount of time. At CreativeRoots we collect visuals that are typical to countries. Every post has some historical or cultural relationship expressed through art and design. http://www.creativeroots.org
Rod
2009-09-08 13:31:48
I can't seem to shake the idea that twitter is a bit egotistical. I thought about putting one together and was struck by the idea that I could be so self-important and presumptuous as to think anyone would give a shit what I'd had for lunch. I think I'm probably missing the point, so if someone would like to illuminate me as to why everyone's raving about it that'd be lovely.
Blogs on the other hand seem to be much more interesting - I like Ben Terrett's one, Fleuron, F55 and It's Nice That are always good too. They have intrinsic value though; in good writing/work and insight and opinions. I've thought about putting together a blog too, but struggled to see the value in chipping in one more voice to the big, grey dirge. But here I am nonetheless, contributing on CRblog anyway. *sigh*
2009-09-08 13:46:06
As a student, I blog mainly just to keep a record of my personal progress and work I have produced. I blog for myself, however, I have found it does attract the right sort of attention and has gained me new clients.
My blog is still very much a work in progress as I am only just starting my second year in university, I do hope to expand on it in the coming years though so watch this space. http://padgraphics.blogspot.com/
Kate Davies
2009-09-08 13:54:43
I have recently only just discovered the true world of blogging, and I am completely undecided on different aspects of it. I have subscribed to several blogs, and that side of things I find really intersting - I can find out about things quickly, and everything I choose to subscribe to is to the point.
With regards to me posting tweets and blogs, The Jury's out... I find myself twittering pretty much everyday. I try to keep 70% of my tweets useful and informative within my chosen field of branding interiors. I often link a lot of new design pieces and some great case studies or interior ideas, but I often tweet about more personal views and the odd bit of rubbish that really know one would care about....
I find myself asking why I do bother to tweet though when I still have a very low following, and i'm convinced that half of those subscribed couldn't care less about what I have to say.. Yet the strange thing is... I still twitter all of the time?!
I am in the process of setting up a work related blog site which I hope may gain more of a following.
2009-09-08 13:55:01
Blogs, as with many things, are only at their most useful when marketed correctly or integrated into an already successful network. Finding and maintaining your audience will probably be a more time and resource consuming job than writing the blog itself.
2009-09-08 13:55:02
I am a blog reader, and in recent times a blogger.
I find them interesting and inspirational in equal measure.
I agree that there is a over saturation of blogs, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. A blog encourages spontaneous (and sometimes deeply considered) thought to be communicated quickly and made accessible to all. Yet having an objective to guide the content for a blog helps the blogger and the reader identify its use and purpose.
With tools available like Google Reader, now allows you to select the blogs you read the most and bring them together, creating a different 'blog' experience all together. Making a personal 'feed' of the information you want to read and see.
In addition, the rise in 'web based' and off the 'shelf solutions' tools for website and blog creation, has made the web far more accessible to designers and non designers alike. Giving everyone a chance to have web prescience and a voice, be it for business, pleasure or shameless self promotion.
2009-09-08 13:59:55
@Ed Risbey Twitter is great for sharing news and links with other people interested in similar topics.
Graham's definition that it's like a Sky+ of pub chat is pretty appropriate. You can find out who's currently drinking Diet Coke and watching Lost too, if you're so inclined.
It's simple enough to filter out most of the solely self-promotional and vain accounts, and the 'gurus' and 'lifecoaches'. You just don't follow them.
2009-09-08 14:00:15
@Ed Risbey Twitter is great for sharing news and links with other people interested in similar topics.
Graham's definition that it's like a Sky+ of pub chat is pretty appropriate. You can find out who's currently drinking Diet Coke and watching Lost too, if you're so inclined.
It's simple enough to filter out most of the solely self-promotional and vain accounts, and the 'gurus' and 'lifecoaches'. You just don't follow them.
2009-09-08 14:01:00
I blog about magazines. It's part of an ongoing mission to fool myself into feeling that my obsession is in fact productive.
Andrew
http://www.losowsky.com/magtastic
2009-09-08 14:05:42
I struggled with the concept for a while too Ed, but now it's an invaluable tool.
Why? Well If you begin to search out and follow people who are tweeting within a topic, hobby or industry, and comment, share and re-tweet about said topics, then you quickly begin to form part of an online community. All of you can then feed off each other, and subsequently come across other's followers whom you enjoy the tweetings of.
It's no different really to how you find friends when you move house. You find one, who introduces you to another, sometimes by chance - you gain a wider group of mates, loose some you no longer trust or find interesting etc and on it goes.
Granted there are millions out there who chat sh!t like Carolina says, or just use it as a status update, but like socialising – you find the good people and form meaningful, interesting relationships.
When twitter is used like this, your 'Real Life' gets better, more inspired, more diverse, and more social as a result. It's a life tool like a mobile phone or email. Not something to replace life with.
Hope this helps those who for whatever reason see it as 'pointless'.
2009-09-08 14:06:30
I try and blog in a relaxed, friendly way that says 'this is me - this is what I am working on, what I am interested in' as a compliment to my formal design site. I get 9,000 to 16,000 people each month and a few become clients. I don't worry too much and only spend maybe half an hour each week.
2009-09-08 14:10:40
I've been an avid reader of various blogs for ages and they've helped highlight loads of stuff that I would have missed otherwise. Motionographer is a particular one that keeps me up to date with what my contemporaries are getting up to and makes me strive to work harder.
As far as doing my own blog, I am relatively new to this as I set one up about a month ago: http://www.andymartin.info/blog. I'm trying to post something new every day and this has definitely helped me keep my creative juices flowing. It is a good log of what I'm finding interesting and hopefully, as has been said, give a fuller picture of me and my work.
2009-09-08 14:13:30
Yes I'm a Creative Review fan and Yes I'm blogging allright :-]
Inspired is the game, magazine is the name - daily graphic design inspiration for creative humans.
Check it out!
2009-09-08 14:15:14
I think blogging is great as it really focuses my mind on what I am interested in and what i want to say about the world. Working in digital I have have also found setting up your blog is invaluable in understanding the needs of a blogger first hand and the hurdles you come against. This has always been helpful when righting my company blog and how it differs in style, tone and content.
I have been running my blog http://www.sneakyculture.com/ for about six months and the thing I have gained most is people getting in touch and discussing topics and seeing new work. I always felt I was most inspired and switched when studying at university, when we would meet up as a group to show our work. Being able to blog and read other peoples give me back that same inspiration.
Would highly recommend giving it a go but ensure you keep it up!
2009-09-08 14:16:21
Basically, I blog for myself. That's it, if other people find it interesting great. I've always been interested in what inspires me and keeps me inspired. I use the blog to keep a record of things that are interesting or interest me - photos, ideas, graffiti, toys, fashion, music, art, culture, dreams, thoughts, inspirations, ect.. All intermixed on my blog. http://loquat73.blogspot.com/
2009-09-08 14:18:39
Hi guys!
I blog about creative videos of all kinds that are around the web
http://www.balaodeluz.com
2009-09-08 14:20:15
Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah My blog http://www.canyouseewhatIdidthere?.com blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
2009-09-08 14:21:37
Blogging for me is a combination of self-fulfilling rants, an electronic diary and a bit of showing off!
http://www.johnpett.com
2009-09-08 14:29:08
@Andrew Losowsky - you are one cool guy! You pretty much have inspired me for the last 4yrs! Yours is a blog that is necessary.
2009-09-08 14:33:16
I've got a question, I'd like to know what you think. Is it just because I'm getting (a little) older, or do other people find it eye-watering to read mountains of text on their monitor. I print out blogs I like and read them on the loo!!
Mind you my blog all about my book I'm making - is white text on black - Is that easier or harder to read ? Hhmmm, not sure...
Alison @ Pingsweetie.com
2009-09-08 14:35:50
Blogito, ergo sum
2009-09-08 14:41:48
andy m.. I disagree. If your blog is well-written and interesting enough, you won't have to go out finding readers. I barely promote my blog at all and have a decent number of subscribers and regular readers. Although I don't particularly see blogs as needing to be 'useful' in a marketing sense so maybe we expect different thing from blogs.
2009-09-08 14:41:53
Our agency blog helps us to communicate with our clients and prospective clients in a more informal way than through our main website. It helps to paint a fuller picture of what we do that is is perhaps overlooked sometimes in our face-to-face relationships. http://blog.yesagency.co.uk
2009-09-08 14:46:03
As a student we are recommended to blog, but the problem is, what to blog about instead of pieces of work we like, to do so whilst producing creative work, finding time to blog whilst creating work and earning money to live on, its not as easy as people think.
Recently I've been updating my blog as much as I can, this is mainly down to how I'm enjoying blogging. The main reason for this is due to the debate I'm having - Blogs - Good or Bad? At the moment I've had over 20 responses in this debate varying from students to lecturers to designers and blog owners. The response is overwhelming.
The good thing about blogging is what you come across, the work out there you've never seen, the people you come across and chat to basically the contacts. I think blogging is a good thing, but you have to make your blog interesting, have something worth while to read instead of the usual stuff we see all the time.
http://www.martinwinters.blogspot.com
2009-09-08 14:47:45
I wrote this on my reasons for starting a blog two and a half years (blimey) ago...
http://www.holster.co.uk/blog/why-am-i-writing-a-blog
Those reasons still feel appropriate now although the blog is still finding a voice and purpose. I'm a curious person and so if there's this thing called 'blogging' then I was always going to have a go at it.
I guess there are already a lot of design blogs out there, enough for anyone looking for cool work, so I've increasingly tried to make mine about me and my own thoughts, rather than regurgitating the latest stuff from ffffound!
Although I can't help it every now and again...
A lot of people think blogs are self indulgent, and I guess that's hard to refute, but trying to come up with something unique to bring to any discussion rather than just repeating things for keyword hits is actually a fairly selfless endeavour.
And writing a blog has introduced me to some lovely people.
®
2009-09-08 14:59:40
My blog ( http://eclectica.co.uk/ ) is more of a personal visual reference than a promotional tool. It's useful to keep all the good stuff I come across collated in one place; a digital scrapbook of sorts. I've also been contacted by several of the people whose work I've featured, which is nice.
As a web developer, it's also good to have a place to experiment with new technologies (and try things out before using them on client sites).
2009-09-08 15:00:15
I blog and love it - although not as frequently as I'd like as running the design business seems to get in the way.
Many of the same reasons as above - it allows a more personal approach and gives an airing to all the stuff that I love which provides the creative fuel for the business. Things I've noticed:
1. As a design website great images are an essential component - takes a lot of time to find them, Pshop them and generally create an article that you can be 'graphically' proud of.
2. Much harder than you think to get people to join debate and comment - even close friends and design cronies are shy. Fellow bloggers are the most forthcoming.
3. You've got to like writing to be a blogger - that's why professional writers make good bloggers!
Anyway - here's mine, comments welcome:
http://www.keechdesign.co.uk/blog.html
2009-09-08 15:00:24
As a student we are recommended to blog, but the problem is, what to blog about instead of pieces of work we like, to do so whilst producing creative work, finding time to blog whilst creating work and earning money to live on, its not as easy as people think.
Recently I've been updating my blog as much as I can, this is mainly down to how I'm enjoying blogging. The main reason for this is due to the debate I'm having - Blogs - Good or Bad? At the moment I've had over 20 responses in this debate varying from students to lecturers to designers and blog owners. The response is overwhelming.
The good thing about blogging is what you come across, the work out there you've never seen, the people you come across and chat to basically the contacts. I think blogging is a good thing, but you have to make your blog interesting, have something worth while to read instead of the usual stuff we see all the time.
http://www.martinwinters.blogspot.com
2009-09-08 15:04:29
Gardening is my thing, and I write a weekly gardening blog on gardenersworld.com. It's a great way to provide interactivity with our readers, who can respond with blog comments in real time. Despite very much being a UK-based gardening web site and blog, it's surprising how my blog gets read around the world, too.
2009-09-08 15:12:48
I am relatively new to the world of blogging. I used to think that it was solely for those types of people who fill cyberspace with what they had for breakfast and random observations that wouldn't look out of place on an episode of 'Grumpy Old Men/Women'.
I realise now, that a well-researched and useful blog can be an invaluable tool for any agency/freelancer/aspiring creative to network outwith the confines of their agency/home. Wordpress especially, opens it up to non-techies (like myself) and allow Twitter to play a vital part in spreading your posts and your brand (i.e 'you') to like-minded individuals throughout the world. All this can only be good if you are looking to make a name for yourself in such a cluttered and competitive marketplace.
The downside is getting the traffic onto your blog, so If you have time, have a look at mine: http://www.chrishannah.co.uk/chad
Cheers,
Chris
2009-09-08 15:13:14
I blog and also use Twitter a lot - in fact one of my blogs is about marketing/publishing (http://www.thewayoftheweb.net) and the other is dedicated to microblogging, including Twitter (http://www.140char.com).
The reason behind having my blogs is to own my little space of the web and be able to write what I like, when I like (which appealed to me even when I worked as an online journalist). I can use images and videos, invent my own house style, or completely break all the rules and the only person that matters is me, at the end of the day.
In addition, it's my own little publishing empire if I ever got to the stage where it made any money, and it helps me make contact with new people and allows me to experiment with SEO etc without breaking the sites I work on professionally.
2009-09-08 15:17:51
When I set up Kiosk I intended to have a blog feed within our website, as a direct reaction to my former employer's almost robotic-like online tone of voice. I wanted to show clients/friends/designers that I was no longer part of a machine (no disrespect intended), but that I was alive, well, human and friendly.
As it turned out, I was too busy to blog proper. I despaired briefly, until Twitter appeared on my radar.
I find Twitter the perfect instant dumping ground for all my mind toot, plus it's another excuse to fiddle with my iPhone.
2009-09-08 15:18:46
When I set up Kiosk I intended to have a blog feed within our website, as a direct reaction to my former employer's almost robotic-like online tone of voice. I wanted to show clients/friends/designers that I was no longer part of a machine (no disrespect intended), but that I was alive, well, human and friendly.
As it turned out, I was too busy to blog proper. I despaired briefly, until Twitter appeared on my radar.
I find Twitter the perfect instant dumping ground for all my mind toot, plus it's another excuse to fiddle with my iPhone.
2009-09-08 15:25:44
I blog (or rather publish in a blog format, as comments are disabled). The blog format is excellent for me to communicate specific information to potential clients in a non formal format. I publish behind the scene snapshots from photoshoots, say nice things about my great clients, and try to give potential clients an idea about what to expect. All the things that are not appearant from an online flash gallery of work and a quote on a job.
In a future format I will incorporate a newsletter, the blog and flashgallery in one site, so that my online and email communication will be more closely linked.
My beta blog is here http://www.andershald.blogspot.com and in the months to come, all will be here: http://www.andershald.com
2009-09-08 15:28:21
Blogging is a fabulously spontaneous - just like taking a picture - way to create instant Life Snapshots into my weird and wonderful fashion world. I come across so many diverse creative people, objects, things, shoes, shoes, and mores shoes...hats,.... passersby, at any given time of the day as well as attend events that are like mini-theatres. The best way to recreate all of this for my readers is through my blog. It's instant, it's immediate....it's the word-virtual equivalent of using a camera ... and I love it! here's my blog link:
http://fashionblog.dailymail.co.uk/
Twitter - well that for me is the Polaroid version of blogging...a super mini-snapshot for keepsakes!
http://twitter.com/natalietheoblog
2009-09-08 15:42:24
I'm sort of blogging on social networks to try to get my new media ideas spread about a bit more. I blog in other people's blogs and chat about their photos.
http://www.artistsindevon.com/water/water_1.htm Other people have blogged about this previous image which I made a while back and it went completely mad in India with people copying the link everywhere in forums / blogs etc. Great fun though!
2009-09-08 15:46:05
I blog, but only for myself.
I use it to store all the interesting, beautiful etc. Stuff I find online
or take photos of. So much easier than notebooks, cutting out, gluing in, then storing
somewhere and not being able to find the refrence you were after.
I have one for fashion, one for design and interior and one for advertising.
I can access them anywhere carrying only an iPhone. Sweet.
2009-09-08 15:47:04
I work with Uscreates, and we always talk about new ideas and thoughts that come to mind while we're doing everyday projects in the office. So we decided that it would be interesting to start a blog about these 'point of views'– although some are too ambitious – about 4 keywords that we focus on: creativity, collaboration, behaviour change and society.
We feel that a blog is a good tool for that purpose because it's accessible to any member of the team, even those we collaborate with on projects or interns. So anyone is free to login and write a post.
On the other hand, sharing an unusual idea or perception online makes if a bit more meaningful, one step closer to being feasible, or initiating a collective interest. Writing also helps us delve more in-depth than if it were just a passing thought that's forgotten the next instant. Finally, it motivates us to keep thinking and questioning because we now know that we're committed to updating this blog!
Joanna choukeir
2009-09-08 15:53:09
Oh yes, I love to blog too. Especially love divulging intimate, personal and precious details to anyone who chooses to read! LOL
@bibliopet
http://www.bibliopet.com
2009-09-08 15:58:17
I think blogging is a great method of getting up to date news and interesting artifacts. I personally use my blog to display interesting sketches that may not be good enough for my portfolio and discuss the development process behind of new pieces.
I don't use twitter anymore because I don't really have anything to say apart from highlight updates to my website or blogs. I think you have to use it very often, which I did not, and I found that my entries felt forced.
2009-09-08 16:02:43
Blogging and Tweeting are new to me for 2009, but they've already resulted in more work. I've never been a fan of the 'high-five-great-shot-dude' type of blog, but I realised that people actually enjoy reading about my work.
On the success of my main blog at http://blog.neillwatson.com I started several others in niches and they're proving popular
Driving Images discusses car photography and the particular skills needed http://www.drivingimages.com
And my purely personal blog at Octane Gossip gives me an outlet for the subjects that editors don't run with or simply don't fit anywhere else http://www.octanegossip.com
in short, I love blogging and it's good for business!
2009-09-08 16:10:41
It's got to be a big yes, but only blog if you have something to say. People blog for different reasons but it's best to make it interesting and more importantly keep it up to date.
Check out our blog http://thehouselondon.tumblr.com/
It's on Tumblr, which is the cutest and most social of blogs!
Michael Murdoch
http://www.thehouselondon.com
2009-09-08 16:12:43
Creative blogs are places where people in trucker hats, with their jeans hanging around their bum go to rip off ideas.
Blogs can give light to genuinely creative/amazing work but a large percentage of the whole blog thing is people copying ideas.
I think blogs are a place where people can go to check that we're all doing the same thing.
2009-09-08 16:13:03
I've been blogging for too many years! I think it's a good thing but only when it's personal and is updated regularly. There's enough websites out there that report on recent news, why not create the news.
I generally only read blogs of people I know, which includes designers
2009-09-08 16:13:22
I enjoyed blogging more when there were less of us - I started in 2004.
I blog to keep my drawing and sketching skills honed. And I think you only retain a readership if you blog very regularly - I usually post on a daily basis. Can't think of anything more boring than spending time feeding a design blog, though some people do a very good job of it - David Airey for instance http://www.davidairey.com/ .
My absolute favourite blog is http://crackskullbob.squarespace.com/
great sketching, witty, intelligent, and at times, hilarious commentary.
Another prodigious talent is http://ellisnadler.blogspot.com/
2009-09-08 16:15:22
I have literally just started a blog this week to run alongside my illustration website http://www.kimberleypope.blogspot.com and although I'm not sure whether it will benefit me with regard to the work I get it is already making me think more about what I am illustrating and why. Talking about things that inspire me helps feed back into my work which, I suppose in turn may influence the jobs I get? I am going to be adding posts that deal with my working process with tips and tricks in photoshop... the only issue with this is whether the time spent doing this could be better spent working! what do you think??!!
2009-09-08 16:15:55
Blogging is a brilliant way of expressing yourself and adding value to a community. I strongly believe that the best blogs are those which communicate on all levels, have great interaction features and aren't plugging brands all the time and trying to sell you something. Being genuine and promoting dialogue is crucial I think.
I set my blog up to help creatives coming out of art colleges and universities get some exposure in the creative industry. So far its had quite a bit of press coverage and is getting a great response from the industry which I'm really proud of.
http://digital-creatives.com/
Thanks
2009-09-08 16:26:00
I can not help but think Gerrard Winstanley's (political activist around the English Civil War) quote - "Action is the life of all and if thou dost not act thou dost nothing" - should be updated to "Action is the life of all and if thou dost not act thou dost blog"
2009-09-08 16:35:46
At Playgroup we've built our whole website on a blogging platform. It gives everyone in the business a channel for creative expression, a place to share their influences, inspirations and thoughts. There's no editorial control (just a vague premise that it should somehow be related to creativity or communications) and there is no enforced participation. Naturally some people contribute more often than others, but often it's the sporadic blogger who surprises with a heart-warming tale or perceptive insight.
We love it!
Come and play at:
http://www.playgroup.com/
http://twitter.com/playgrouptweet
2009-09-08 16:44:24
I'm a blogger and a blog reader. Blogs are a great resource for designers, illustrators and photographers as well as a great promotional tool. I treat my blog, http://deliciousindustries.blogspot.com like my virtual scrapbook of reference, inspiration, ephemera, random collections and interesting things I find. It's great and really useful to have everything in one place.
2009-09-08 16:44:57
>So, if you blog too, why do you do it?
I've been blogging so long now, since Jan 2003, it's almost like a reflex. It's a simple way to do something creative.
>Does it have a purpose in your working life, or is it purely a recreational thing?
I suspect not although I used to blog solely about Music:
http://woebot.com/index2.html
and now I blog more generally in a way that encompasses what I do for a living (Motion Graphics and Animation)
http://www.hollowearth.org/blog/
>If you just enjoy reading blogs, which ones do you like and why?
Really only Music blogs:
http://blissout.blogspot.com/
But also ones like this:
http://www.uncarved.org/blog/
>What makes a good blog?
Someone's vivid personal vision.
>Are there even too many blogs out there?
No.
>How do you cut through the mass of voices and focus in on the good stuff?
As a blogger you don't bother, you just get on with doing your thing.
>What about Twitter, or the future of blogging. Where are things going?
When I started blogging, bloggers were seen as scum. Now with Twitter blogging has become a semi-respectable activity. Blogs will be around forever now. Twitter and Facebook fulfill a different role.
2009-09-08 16:46:00
I am relatively new to the world of blogging. I used to think that it was solely for those types of people who fill cyberspace with what they had for breakfast and random observations that wouldn't look out of place on an episode of 'Grumpy Old Men/Women'.
I realise now, that a well-researched and useful blog can be an invaluable tool for any agency/freelancer/aspiring creative to network outwith the confines of their agency/home. Wordpress especially, opens it up to non-techies (like myself) and allow Twitter to play a vital part in spreading your posts and your brand (i.e 'you') to like-minded individuals throughout the world. All this can only be good if you are looking to make a name for yourself in such a cluttered and competitive marketplace.
The downside is getting the traffic onto your blog, so If you have time, have a look at mine: http://www.chrishannah.co.uk/chad
Cheers,
Chris
2009-09-08 16:57:26
Yes, there are too many blogs out there. Just take a look at the (currently) 63 comments below this one, each of which plugs a blog. With such a glut of self-publishing, quality is the inevitable casualty.
Like all media fads, blogs will burn themselves out, and I think it's their merciless verbosity which will be the catalyst. That's why Twitter, the ultimate in blog brevity, temporarily fills the void. There may eventually be a rebellion, which causes a return to published, high quality, but paid-for media.
Although often appallingly written, I find forums more useful. When I'm facing a Microsoft moment with my PC, for example, I make a quick search for the problem, and there's usually someone on a forum offering an instant solution.
2009-09-08 16:58:09
I started my blog in january 2008. Back then it was basically just an experiment for me to try out what blogging actually is. By that time I was quite unsure if somebody will ever read my posts, which are basically just about other artists that inspire me and new work I made. Everybody does that... But since I started blogging the visitors on my page increased amazingly, which made my blog and my page a really good tool to promote myself, which is getting more and more important these days I think.
I also recognized, that for me the blog has another really nice function. I can use it as an inspirational source for myself where all the stuff I like is archived and to which I can refer to when I need images for a mood board or if somebody wants to know a good artist for a certain project. The stuff there made my inspiration also much more organized. I kind of know better what style I'm into now and what styles I would like to achieve in my graphic work.
By now I find blogging really interesting and inspiring. I'm curious if that same thing happens to me using Twitter. I'm quite sceptical for now, but let's see what it will turn into...
Yep, that's my experiences... Feel free to follow me:
http://www.phillennium.com/blog
https://twitter.com/philippzm
2009-09-08 17:07:31
Long time listener, first time caller.
I created a blog to log my road trip adventures on a massive road trip around North America, ( http://www.hoboxia.com ) and I had to be careful not to dedicate it to all the fantastically ugly/beautiful/bizarre design I saw everywhere, but now I wish I had recorded more. Until I read this article and the endless design blog comments here, it never occurred to me that our kind blog about about design for the sake of blogging about design.
About blogging in particular, I have to say it was really depressing because I became addicted to eyeballs and comments, which rarely came. I'd love to hear someone's thoughts on the mechanics of blog awareness/success ... did your blog have a built-in audience garnered from your friends and/or clients? Did it get on a link on a site with a lot of traffic? Or does anyone else out there have a blog that only a few dozen people enjoy?
2009-09-08 17:08:21
i just pixels, not words. no time, no blog. ;-)
2009-09-08 17:12:35
I like to blog as a way of recording my thoughts - I tweet more for myself than for anyone else.
Since starting at Playgroup, I've started to blog - once again, more recording my thoughts more than anything else. I was surprised at how many of my friends actually read my blog and have asked me why I haven't written in a while because they enjoy reading them.
I enjoy reading everyone else at Playgroup's blogs too- its a great way to learn more about people and what's in their head.
So essentially, I think blogging is great, even if no-one reads it, I find it useful, a bit like a dynamic del.ic.ious!
Check out our blogs at http://www.playgroup.com or http://www.twitter.com/playgrouptweet
Check out my twitter at http://www.twitter.com/caterinaellen - I use it to remember cool things I find :)
2009-09-08 17:17:07
I haven't blogged for so long until twitter came along. It really got me back into longer blogs.
I also think that the online blogs are like today's creative open studios, a behind the scenes look into work, thought process or just everyday issues or problems. Whatever you choose to blog about i find the open sharing platform of expression and thought invigorating.
2009-09-08 17:18:33
Yup, http://prettyusable.net
I like to think that my blog is better than 99% of the trash out there, but its not quite the likes of aslistapart. Quality blogging is a lost artform ... which is sad as its pretty much a new phenomenon.
n.
2009-09-08 17:25:06
All I have to say on this subject is
http://thebasildonbloggerstrikesagain.com/
2009-09-08 17:37:26
I blog because it's cheaper than advertising, goes direct to my target audience and also is fun to be "in the loop" on news within my art industry.
2009-09-08 17:39:32
Most, if not all, are an appropriate reflection of the very people/studio who contribute towards them.
Personally, I'm sure i'm not alone, I am almost addicted to reading the comments especially when people have silly arguments about who's ripped off who, or who's right. They provide great entertainment.
Par example:
http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2008/october/any-better
2009-09-08 17:44:47
We started a Scarlet Opus blog back in February this year and we post 3 times a week. http://www.trendsblog.co.uk
The blog focuses on design trends for the interiors sector - we provide information on important influences, coming trends, colours, interior styles, interviews with great designers and product showcases as well as dedicating a category to explaining how we forecast the trends for our clients - the actual process.
Several members of the team contribute to the features we post and we also invite our extended business family to write posts....even our bank manager is considering writing a piece to offer advice to new designers setting up as sole traders!
We like to keep the style conversational and relaxed and because we have all enjoyed the creative writing aspect of the blog, we were inspired to update our website and make that more conversational in style too:
http://www.scarletopus.com
Our international readership includes interior designers, retail buyers, property developers, product designers & surface pattern designers, interior product manufacturers, design students & lecturers and magazine feature writers.....we love writing for them and inspiring them and the connections we forge are really satisfying - promoting design talent is a great part of blogging for us.
Get in touch if you'd like us to consider a showcase of you and your work (see the Submission Info page on our blog).
The benefits for the business relate mainly to visibility. We get a lot more visits to our website since we started blogging and it has proved to be an excellent way to promote our business via some Free Love. It makes us more accessible, more transparent and allows us to reach out in a way we couldn't otherwise.
Although sometimes time consuming for the team, we remain dedicated to our regular posts (Mon, Wed, Frid) and we are looking forward to adding more features and inspiring more readers moing forward.
To get an insight into trend forecasting visit us at: http://www.trendsblog.co.uk
2009-09-08 18:04:36
What I have noticed in the last 2-3 years or so is a massive proliferation of so called "inspiration blogs" that have taken over the airwaves. On the one hand you have the design blogs that have grown out of the design portals, and offer curated design news (i.e. "New work from Agency/Designer XXX") — I think the CR blog falls within this category; while at the same time there is a rising popularity of design/dev blogs that call themselves magazines, and fill page after page with bland content of sponsored messages, 'tips and tricks' (how to get that 2.0 look!, 20 free WordPress themes!) and so on, with a very low threshold for quality control I feel.
Then there's an amazing amount of Tumblr blogs whose sole purpose is to show visual artifacts from the past 30-40 years (and each blog is somewhat themed) - giving you a giant visual repository (and the occasional nostalgia trip) — combined with an image bookmarking service you can pretty much spend a week doing nothing but channel surfing and dig through the past, creating a massive online scrapbook of imagery.
2009-09-08 18:06:06
I blog because it makes the world a better place.
And I'm kind to kittens.
And I drive a hybrid.
(actually that last one's not true, I'd rather barbecue my testicles)
2009-09-08 18:06:20
Sure I do, but I try not to make it verbal diarrhoea. There's too much rubbish already smogging the websphere, so let's hear it for more consideration and editorial control. Life is too short to be wading though verbage, so lets not inflict it.
By the way, I wrote a review of the Olympus PEN for the Royal Photgraphic Society - it's a great little camera.
2009-09-08 18:12:57
It's a crucial tool to stay in the loop:
http://jonmassey.blogspot.com/
2009-09-08 18:24:54
i blog way too much.
i love it, i hate it, i need it, im addicted to it, i crave it, i desire it, i miss it when i don't.
dominic
http://www.voodoovillage.co.uk
2009-09-08 18:34:40
I write a blog to further my understanding in advertising. I work on a client which mainly invests in television, so writing a blog ensures I keep up to date with the latest trends and not remaining in the mindset of TV.
Also my degree is in advertising and I felt it was important not to lose the principals gained. Writing a blog allows timely and current articles to be written and it is a good method of improving writing and argumentative skills.
The best point about writing a blog is the ability to express your opinion, praise fantastic campaigns and being an author, even if it is only online.
http://gemmawebster.blogspot.com/
2009-09-08 19:07:50
I'm an illustrator and I blog to quickly update people on my new work and events. Its linked to the home page of my website, so anyone who visits the site can instantly see what I have been doing most recently. Its also a great way of collecting followers and advertising things like your on-line shop or Twitter account. I think having a web presence is very important if you are a visual artist and a blog is the most economical and instant way of achieving that.
Hayley
http://www.hayleypotter.blogspot.com
2009-09-08 19:33:35
I have blogged since March 2008 and I blog because it sorts out my thinking about as an artist and has enabled me to develop my writing skills. By sorting out I mean I post what I am doing, what I am thinking about it and there seems to come the sense of being able to stand back from my work as see it as others would. This is so useful and has improved my work considerably.I also have a sense of sharing with a community of like minded individuals, as they are on the other side of the world this would not have happened without blogging.
I started blogging to record the process of building my studio. This was so helpful because I could then view the progress. It was then that the writing about what was happening on a day to weekly basis with the building moved to what was happening inside the building after completion. And it's just such jolly good fun!
Anne Michelle
http://autumnrusset.blogspot.com
2009-09-08 19:35:19
A lot of what I want to say has already been said. I blog myself, but only as a creative exercise really — I'm not exactly expecting anything from it. I read a good number of them, though not as many as some, but frankly find it a little overwhelming at times. Leaving the computer for a weekend I easily return to 300+ posts that I try and get through, realistically reading only a handful of them.
I find that the one unfortunate bit about blogging and the internet in general: so much goes on instantaneously that it starts to feel like I'm falling behind every half an hour. There are a lot of things I'm grateful for, but at the same time I can't help but wonder what it would be like if we weren't all so connected — and distracted — all the time. "Would I be a better or worse designer?" I think this requires the sort of isolated contemplation one can rarely afford, let alone find, these days.
2009-09-08 19:37:05
First of all, this question has generated way too many wonderful links to follow! I already have a dozen or so tabbed for later exploration.
http://www.fordvisuals.com/wp
I run a spare blog for my company that's purpose is soley to keep clients/potential clients abreast of what type of work I'm doing. It's not meant to be a hardcore play-by-play.
I use twitter for trend updates: http://www.twitter.com/fordvisuals
My pet project is Detangle:
http://detangle.us/
2009-09-08 19:53:08
I've only blogged once before, while I was traveling. it was littered with spelling mistakes, but was a good laugh tbh and when I read it back it does kind of sound like a different side to me. That ended last June. I am only now thinking of starting my own 'design and things I find interesting' blog. Partly as there are many cool things out there i sometimes notice, but also because everyone always says. If you want to get in the industry get out there, have a website, have a blog.
I do think there are too many blogs, that said, there's a lot of people out there surfing the web. I like how blogs are a personalised individual spaces .Plus my traveling blog was only followed by like 4 people and that was good enough for me.I felt happy to type away for them to read, and for myself.
Dont really get twitter tbh. Why should I care if Andy Murray had Pizza for dinner? Its all part of this nonsensical celebrity culture if you ask me. like when people write things on facebook,eg:
Aly
Just had some tea, ready for the weekend...
,...its pointless a bit narcissistic and why should I care.
I do think too many blogs exist tbh. I only follow like, 3 Motionographer, CRblog and some other random music one (coincidently ive been looking for a decent blog for electronic music techno, house etc if anyone knows of one)
I do love reading these blogs tho. However sometimes they can go through periods of posts im not too interested in, which gets annoying. Plus I check the blogs everyday and it gets well frustrating when there isnt a new post for ages.
Blogging is great for stuff like this though. I love Question of the week. Its fab.
2009-09-08 20:08:26
Long time listener, first time caller.
I created a blog to log my road trip adventures on a massive road trip around North America, ( http://www.hoboxia.com ) and I had to be careful not to dedicate it to all the fantastically ugly/beautiful/bizarre design I saw everywhere, but now I wish I had recorded more. Until I read this article and the endless design blog comments here, it never occurred to me that our kind blog about about design for the sake of blogging about design.
About blogging in particular, I have to say it was really depressing because I became addicted to eyeballs and comments, which rarely came. I'd love to hear someone's thoughts on the mechanics of blog awareness/success ... did your blog have a built-in audience garnered from your friends and/or clients? Did it get on a link on a site with a lot of traffic? Or does anyone else out there have a blog that only a few dozen people enjoy?
2009-09-08 20:21:25
I blog about the one photography series I'm constantly working on - I do it because otherwise I feel like I'm making the pictures and just hiding them away in computer files. With a blog I know that a few dozen people a week at least are looking at them! The galleries I show work in need stuff that is more commercial than the work I can blog about too. The project is 3 years older than the blog - I photograph graffiti lovehearts and the places in which they are found. It's at http://www.love-landscape.co.uk if you'd like to see it.
Since my first post in December 2007 I've only written 73 posts but each one details something about the picture I've made and the world around me that relates to it (or vice versa). 1775 people have been good enough to stop by. I also 'share' each post through facebook and twitter so that my friends can see what I'm up to. Whether they like it or not is another question!
2009-09-08 20:58:40
I write a blog for myself, and about a topic only slightly related to design. Practicing writing helps me improve my ability to communicate, and learning about something other than design will (hopefully) feed back into my design process.
To the other bloggers who write regularly, do you read http://www.copyblogger.com ? Good tips to streamline writing.
I write about the environment because I'm interested in sustainable design. The blog is about how people perceive nature: http://www.capecognizance.com
But it's true, there are so many good blogs out there, it's easy to get overwhelmed. In Safari, I've got the 'Top Sites' window set with my 12 favorite blogs and news websites, and I try to limit myself to those. But even those take time and coffee to get through!
2009-09-08 21:21:41
the blog that started me blogging is :
http://www.perouinc.com/diary/
great photographer .... very interesting personal daily diary.
Genuinely well worth a look.
2009-09-08 21:31:20
I blog about Jon Burgerman. Why? Someone has to. Every time I breathe air, Jon Burgerman makes art. You know how some people take meds for OCD? Blog-organizing Jon's work is my fix. It's tidy and satisfying, and while impossible to own each and every piece, I can park .jpegs on virtual real estate and feel OK about my collection.
I hope the site functions as an inspiration to other artists out there: any surface is a canvas. Jon Burgerman has a posse.
http://www.doodlesplatter.com
2009-09-08 22:36:50
Mid-career multi-disciplined Canajun artist - I blog about my work.
http://canadadaPHOTOGRAPHY.blogspot.com
Twitter is used to 'scan' the globe on topics that interest me.
http://twitter.com/canadada
Right now that happens to be the Copyright Consultation FORUM that is happening all across Canada.
Artists & authors who are NOT computer dependent are getting slaughtered.
See: http://canadian.econsultation.ca
Seems we more 'traditional 'creatives' are now expected to be 'content providers' (how I LOATHE that term). We're just meant to keep feeding the insatiable hunger of search engines, and make our works available to 'content users'. ALL for FREE, of course ....
I will likely abandon blogging in the near future. It's starting to freak me out that Google is my 'blogging host'. You all should READ their TOS (Terms of Service). There is VERY LITTLE wiggle room in that FINE PRINT. They get the goodies ad infinitum, cuz 'your work' is inextricably BOUND to their '/software ... In other words, in THEIR world, your 'work' is really NOT your 'own'.
It's really starting to bug me what's going on 'out there' ...
Otherwise, I'm a happy camper-!
2009-09-08 22:48:55
Its like a tea break from the normal graphical routine, shove something up that is just different and not directly work related. Have an opnion, share it. Find good stuff, share it. It really doesn't matter whether anyone reads it... does it?
2009-09-08 22:53:23
I blog because it helps keep me focussed on being creative, I have a small handful of strangers following my blog who regularly comment on my work so I feel obliged to post a new drawing at least once a week. My blog primarily focuses on my drawings, I don't tend to write too much. Having a blog helps to interact with other illustrators and you can also use it as a portfolio. Since starting my blog I have undertaken commissions, contributed to zines/online magazines and will also be taking part in 2 exhibitions in Sydney- this is all because I started blogging and it spurred me on to continue being creative.
2009-09-08 23:40:53
yes i agree with Tom Muller inspiration blogs are growing out of control.
2009-09-09 01:53:18
Blogs are also a good way of providing fresh content to your website which is great for Search Engine Optimisation. Here at Creare we have just started to create a selection of video blogs http://www.crearedesign.co.uk/blog/category/videos. The videos provide helpful advice and tips with regards to web design and SEO and provide our audience with a more relaxed way to digest the content.
2009-09-09 08:38:14
I blog about my illustration work of 'Poppy the Pony'. Please take a look at my blog and tell me what you think: http://poppythepony.co.uk/ you can email me at: poppythepony@gmail.com I've just done a limited edition run of a children's picture book.
2009-09-09 09:36:15
Yes I do. My photoblog is my visual diary. Every day I post a snap-shot that points to things I do, see and find interesting.
2009-09-09 09:48:03
In My Opinion...
A good Blog is:
Amusing
each post - 90% pictures 10% words on the whole
Not focussed on ones family
relevant to me (ie creative).
thought provoking
uncensored but not crass
introduces me to new experiences/concepts
the author responds to some comments in the comments section even if not mine ie converses
invites the ideas of its readership and perhaps even participation
non judgemental of readership views
My Favourite blogs are as follows (in no order):
http://www.dangermain.typepad.com/
http://russelldavies.typepad.com/
http://davidthedesigner.typepad.com/
http://lifeinthemiddle.typepad.co.uk/
http://postsecret.blogspot.com/
http://www.swiss-miss.com/
http://noisydecentgraphics.typepad.com/
http://continentalcrawler.typepad.com/
http://manmakehome.com/
obviously I also enjoy ffffound and share some candy also.
2009-09-09 09:53:49
PS blogs should warn commenters when they plan to re format comments!!! I'd have put a few commas in the above comment had I known ; )
2009-09-09 09:57:08
I met an unemployed blogging the once at a lkemind us coffee morning. no really!
http://www.theopenconsultancy.com
2009-09-09 10:04:41
PS blogs should warn commenters when they plan to re format comments!!! I'd have put a few commas in the above comment had I known ; )
2009-09-09 10:08:40
Never really been a 'proper' blogger with lengthy articles, comment forms and such, but when we set up our first site in 2003 I made a commitment to find one thing each week to comment on as interesting or inspiring - something read or seen, a conversation, a lucky find, a snippet of design... In subsequent versions of the site a heavier workload has made me lazier in my updates (though oddly I'm now a more enthusiastic blog consumer) but it was interesting how much positive feedback we got from a completely unpublicised set of personal design-related ramblings.
The world is an inspiring place if you pause to look around.
http://www.anothervision.co.uk/visions.html
2009-09-09 10:13:42
I already published 1,200 posts within a year; starting in September 15, 2008 and had 16,000 hits. In the last 6 months I made it a rule to have short articles of no more than 1,000 words; I do my best to split my lengthy articles into several posts with new titles. I regroup all the partial posts into a unifying article. I have 25 categories; I try to post the newest ones in a special category named "politics/finance Today" before allocating them to the appropriate categories.
It is a pleasure to disseminate your knowledge and opinions freely; blogging is the real revolution as speaking and writing in the local languages instead of dead languages used by the elites. I think attaching pictures and videos to articles are great but failing to take time to express in words is encouraging illiteracy. Writing is the medium to re-structure your thoughts and assimilate your knowledge.
I am upgrading my blog by adding widgets and hope that navigating my blog will be slightly improved. Check my blog adonis49.wordpress.com.
2009-09-09 10:51:05
I blog primarily to compliment my online design portfolio. I find it a useful tool to express my thoughts and opinions directly to any prospective customers or anyone that might be interested.
I've only been blogging for about three months but it has opened up a few possibilities for me. I use it as a platform to post a small comic strip, which is something I've always enjoyed doing but haven't previously had a way to share it.
My blog is also a place where I can showcase smaller design projects that might not have warranted pages of their own within my portfolio. It's a good instant publishing tool where I can put my latest work.
I enjoy the sense of community that it can create too. I always ask for comments and thoughts from readers about what I post and always do my best to respond or help.
I just hope that anyone that might read what I post will get as much out of it that I do producing it.
2009-09-09 11:13:01
I suppose there is an existential need to keep reasserting your presence in the world. Twitter is a way to express into the void: I exist.
People used to leave hand prints on the walls of caves.
It's more for the person doing it than for anyone else.
2009-09-09 11:46:01
Why, thank you Caroline. That made me smile.
2009-09-09 11:46:39
Creativity should not be restricted to the reports from niche publications, to the latest trend, fashion or what the masses perceive as cool. Its about individuals, their likes and dislikes. A blog helps us communicate these to the like minded and maybe those that are not so - thus creating debate. A blog is a soapbox available to all. We encourage all our team to share their thoughts, inspirations and general musings - http://www.icmcreative.co.uk/blog
2009-09-09 11:59:06
I don't blog, but I do twitter...I was very sceptical about the whole "I'm on the loo" rubbish in the beginning but fast forward a few months and the damn thing is like crack. I'm addicted.
Last year I had to stop looking at blogs...they started sending me mad, vast amounts of high quality work coming down the wire was having an adverse effect..I wasn't getting anything done.
Don't get me wrong, I love looking at blogs, but I've narrowed it down to about 5 or so, but now the problem is I very rarely get the time to look at any properly because of all the twitter/facebook/flickr/fffound activity that goes on ON TOP of all the damn emails I get daily...oh and that thing called 'work' which I have to do so I can eat.
Of course the irony is this...I've been asked to write a regular blog for an agency I freelance with...
Which throws up another set of questions:
How much more bloggage can we take?
How much of it is about aligning yourself with other 'bigger players'?
How much of 'yourself' do you show if you're attempting to woo new clients/jobs?
How has the design blog changed the graphic/design landscape compared to the output of 10 or even 5 years ago?
How many art directors are there in the world right now? (everyone seems to be one, even my gran)
I'm sure there are heaps of other questions that this CR question throws up, but for now I must get back to work ;)
2009-09-09 12:18:47
blogging for me is about fullfilling a narcissistic need and wanting people to like me. I love viewing my stats and seeing those 5 hits per day. It's always nice to feel that people want to know more about what I'm doing, day to day (even though I know they're not really bothered). From a professional perspective it's also a great way to spam search engines with "marketing/sales fluff", infact that's the reason I started my first blog, to prove to my boss how effective it was/is. (I also wante to put a link to my website on here like the rest of you...) http://julian.kimmings.co.uk
2009-09-09 12:27:36
Ironically I've blogged my response http://wp.me/pziWr-ah and tweeted it!
2009-09-09 12:34:58
There are tons of good and bad blogs out there. I think that a good blog offers somethings which can add value to people, where it be entertainment, information, a laugh, or insight into something new.
I recenlty started a blog combining marketing, trends and culture, where I'm trying to offer insight into different campaigns and media as they occur. Also by linking to marketing reserach reports and I feel that the blog adds utility for other marketing professionals.
Another purpose for starting the blog was to connect with other marketing/trend/culture bloggers to find new and exciting ways to add value and excitement in this space!
Since there are so many blogs in this (marketing) space, I'm hoping users will add mine to their media diet because of the wicked awsome information and also the glorious tone of voice ;)
@sosticky
http://www.sosticky.co.uk
2009-09-09 12:36:57
Mais oui! Je blog!
Why?
Because I'm a writer and because I'm truly, madly, deeply compelled by words, always. And when I'm not blogging I'm writing other things — e-mails, stories, whatever. Writing is how I organise and process and make sense of the world and writing is how I learn what I think, quite often.
Also I am interested in making a with because connection compels me: http://www.unruly.ca/?p=1249
http://www.unruly.ca
2009-09-09 13:13:35
I've got a group of blogs that I read daily, whittled down over time to a select few that continually inspire or inform me. It's great to be able to get all this information at the click of a button, especially if you're like me and don't fancy trawling through hundreds of pages to find something that you feel excited about. That said, I love it when you find yourself knee deep in interesting things after following up on something you've seen on a blog.
I don't think there can be too many blogs, after all, you only follow those you want to. It just means that it's more likely you'll find something that will cater to your tastes, and still the most interesting stuff will generally rise to the surface.
Our blog at Cogapp (http://blog.cogapp.com) works really well for us - it's a great way for everyone here to write about things that interest them, without it having to relate directly to projects we're working on or even the type of work that we do. It's a nice way to get across the personality of the company, running alongside a more practical website.
@Alison Bates - I know how you feel - it's nice to have things to read in printed form. It's worth taking a look at this great project by The Really Interesting Group - a beautifully designed newspaper with some choice blog posts, articles, tweets and so on - all in printed form. It's called Things Our Friends Have Written on the Internet, and it's blogged about here: http://noisydecentgraphics.typepad.com/design/2009/01/things-our-friends-have-written-on-the-internet-2008-is-a-publication-thats-been-dropping-through-letter-boxes-over-the-last.html.
2009-09-09 13:42:11
As a student, I put up - work (illustrations, doodles, photographs and other random things) that is outside of course work. Infact, I started one so it motivates me to post something often enough. I'm not an obsessive blogger, infact quite the lazy one. I dont, though ever use my blog as a personal diary. I find that quite strange when people do that.
I have a list of blogs that I check back pretty often - not everyday.. but every few days, and read the posts i find interesting. Also, I love going through comments - the arguments and opinions are quite entertaining.
I dont think there could be too many blogs - it is upto you to sort through them and focus on the ones you like.
2009-09-09 17:56:53
I've just started a blog and Twitter, (yer im late onto the scene, didn't really like or get twitter but this blog has inspired me to try it) which no one knows about and seeing as this is too good an opportunity to pass:
https://twitter.com/LetterAdesign
letteradesign.wordpress.com
2009-09-10 02:54:31
I most certainly do – although it isn't necessarily all about design, but the various bits and pieces that fly into my brain before being squished together and regurgitated into something creative. Films, music, illustration, objects of desire (currently a big fan of Muji's aluminum clipboard), it's all there.
I'm not entirely sure if it's actually of interest to anyone, but it starts a discussion every now an then, helps me find my own voice, and is just a good way of scrapbooking my thoughts and observations – it just happens to be public!
I use Tumblr, which is nice and simple – like Wordpress used to be before it became a big complicated professional beast.
http://www.binkythedoormat.com
2009-09-10 11:47:33
What constitutes a blog exactly?
I have a section of my personal portfolio website in which I'll update every so often with brief entries about what I've been up to, mainly work, placement wise. Sometimes more personal but always relevant to design
I do not use blogging software, nor can visitors comment on entries.
I suppose a more appropriate description would be 'news' section.
2009-09-10 13:57:56
Oh my God. Where the hell does everyone find the time? My life was full before even email came along (remember those days? telephone and the post)? I got exhausted just scrolling down to the comment section of this blogging blog. Will anyone admit that it's an excuse to waste time, disguised as a valuable extra communication tool? I should be doing some drawing work right now...........
2009-09-10 16:18:52
Why do we blog or why do we create design/illustration/etc. blogs? The latter is a semi-professional way of getting your work out there - you can get your work out in the wild and add personal thoughts, insights, musings and so on . The former can be as personal or as niche as you want it to be - whatever ticks your box.
2009-09-11 12:56:39
I use it to keep track of all thoughts and inspiration, the things that are tangible.
I can't keep them all in my head.
The fact it's a public forum doesn't concern me too much, it's a good platform for sharing ideas and inspiration with others.
2009-09-12 18:01:47
There is only so much you can keep on your head, its like delicious but with bite and opinion
2009-09-14 00:09:57
reason i started blogging was recession - the ones you know are not hiring and you don't know the ones who are hiring. so, i thought the best way to get the word out about my work was by putting it up on a blog. it's hardly been a few months but i plan to keep at it, post by post. i average about two posts a week and i've made it a point to keep it strictly about my work. so, it keeps me on my toes because unless i've done some work, i'll have nothing to post about.
2009-09-14 14:25:32
Phew.
Great question Mark, and judging by the 123 responses above this one, the CR Blog's future is safe. But this raises important issues for the future, if we are to hone what we do online.
With so much produced on blogs now, the challenge is to keep our favourite blogs at the right level of - dare I say - quality. This is going to take a joint effort from blog editors and bloggers together. We need to set a clear range for editorial coverage on the one hand, and to keep our posts thoughtful and worth the serious, somethimes daunting effort of having them found and read by the community.
Let's not get carried away with the self-reflexiveness of the bloggersphere either. So can we ditch the blogs about blogs, and posts about posts, like this one?
2009-09-14 17:30:46
I've been blogging for a while now and when i first started blogging i was more like "i'll see what i can do and why so many people is doing it". I used to think it was easy...that you just needed five minutes a day and that's it...then i realized it was not that way, it was pretty hard at first, i gave up a few times, then i restarted writing in october last year because a friend gave me enough courage to do it. My blog was pretty much dead by then, and little by little i started getting visitors again.
I didn't know much about blogging at first and blogging often taught me several things...like how to write better, how to look for interesting content, keep writing about something that i like (i choose graphic design, advertising and other things) and that i will not get bored easily (i think this is very important).
Write often (i have seen that when i stop writting for a while people stop comming). i try to write once a day, sometimes it's quite hard because i'm a busy person and when i get home at night i tend to be tired and then i think "i will do it for the people who come to my blog and read what i post", even if they are 10 or 2000 i am happy.
For me the blog is pretty much a collection of what i see on the net that i like or not and i can keep track , share them with other people, give my own oppinion and meet other people (it's incredible how many people i have met with my blog). To be a blogger is pretty much like a hobby for me, i can't say i earn enough to live from that.
Twitter is an amazing tool to meet people and find new content i think it's great.
2009-09-14 23:24:04
I'm a journalist and I think of writing in my blog as similar to stretching before or after exercise. It sort of gets my mind going and my fingers typing, like a diary but without the navel-gazing. It also trains my eyes to be a bit sharper; before I started my blog I feel like I aimlessly absorbed and deflected information at random, but now I am always (always always) on the lookout for stuff to muse about.
Also, in terms of the subject that my blog addresses it's really important to be able to have a commercial-free space in which to explore the topic. I write about upcycling, which is the practice of giving new uses to redundant objects. Since most media outlets rely on advertising, and most advertisers want you to buy something new, talking about using old stuff and not buying new stuff runs counter to the agenda of the majority of ad-supported media.
2009-09-14 23:25:07
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