When I started running my own blog, I decided that I wanted to mesh my interests in entrepreneurship and business into the scope, to understand the challenges of starting your own business. This recently segwayed into a partnership with TriplePundit.com doing some of the same stuff, but with a sustainability angle.
Since I haven’t been very good about linking to TriplePundit and directly to my articles, I thought this would be a good chance to talk about how blogging for yourself is different than when you are doing it under a shared brand name. If you read on, you’ll find the articles I’ve written and how each interview experience is different. If you’re a blogger, I’d love to hear more about your thoughts/challenges on acting as a citizen journalist.
Links:
Brian T. Mullis, Sustainable Travel International
Sean Stannard Stockton, Ensemble Capital
US and China Collaborate at Green Energy Conference
So here’s a few of those stories…
3P Soundbites
I’m namely a features writer and so, the 3P Soundbites are meant to be unique perspectives from different people on entrepreneurship and sustainability. It’s my usual gig and always good to reach out to new people who also believe that business is not a separate entity from social change & the environment.
Events
US and China Collaborate at Green Energy Conference
This was very challenging to write and props to anyone who has done something like this. First of all, people treat you differently because they know you are a press contact and they are very careful what they say to you. Also, there’s a high expectation to write good content on the spot.
That leads to my first point:
Be Timely
In an ideal world, we would have wifi any time and I don’t have EVDO or anything. So when I go somewhere to write, I make sure I know where the free wifi AND a power outlet is so that my news isn’t old news by the time I’m gone from a conference or something. When I wrote the US-China story, the PG&E building didn’t have any wireless I could use.
Being Present
The toughest things about being a blogger is to present yourself as a journalist. You have to watch what other people say and write it down. It sounds easy, but it isn’t. It’s tough being hyper-aware of everything that is going on around you and then making a note of it as it’s happening. Either that, or you have to have a very sharp memory.
Being Compassionate
Then of course, there is the blogger inferiority complex where you may not see yourself as one of the top 100. But don’t use your position as a blogger to be better than anyone else. Be yourself, and that is absolutely enough.
Be a good storyteller
And, listening to and writing about a good story is ALWAYS important if it is going to be shared. Of course, it helps to be respectful and compassionate of the people you interview, because ultimately they are part of your network.
