Blogs - Tamsin from the Telegraph would love to know your thoughts on them

[JustineMumsnet]

Tamsin from the Telegraph has mailed this eve (oblivious it seems to the pain we're going through after the evil Drogba stole our rightful spot in the final to end all finals) to ask us some questions about blogs and because we're very depressed and generally clueless, we wondered if we could pick your brains?

In short: If you read blogs, Why do you read them? (Is is purely for entertainment, or do you read them as an information source too?) Which type of blogs do you return to again and again, and why?
Is there anything that you find a real switch-off on a blog?
What do you get out of writing a blog?

If you'd like to talk to Tamsin directly then do give her a shout
Tamsin Kelly

020 7502 0732
07876 072328
[email protected]

Otherwise please post your thoughts here.

Cheers
MN Towers

I only read craft blogs. It's a bit like a complex web - you go to a blog, you see a link to another blog you hadn't seen before, and voila! A whole new world of possibilities.
Why do you read them? To get ideas, inspiration, and to cheer me up generally!
Which type of blogs do you return to again and again, and why? Craft ones - knitting, sewing, felting etc, and a few others simply because they are funny.
Is there anything that you find a real switch-off on a blog? - lots of typos (spelling I can forgive to an extent , typos are just lazy), long long diatribes/whinges, too much text in one post, typing too small or difficult to read. Life is too short for all that.
What do you get out of writing a blog? Feedback on my projects, which is important to me - everyone loves a pat on the back! Plus, as I give a lot of my "makes" away, it's lovely to have a visual reminder of what I have created.

Like Miaou, I tend to read Arts and Crafts blogs, am not keen on reading drivel about someone picking their nose.
I read them because I like to gawp at other peoples makes and gasp at how clever they are.
Type- well arts and crafts
Switch offs- hmmm can't say I've come across many A&Cs blogs that I can't read.
What do I get out of writing my blog, well my mum keeps up with it and I find it quite fun to do, but will admit that I tend to post and then forget about it.

I read a few blogs most days. I read my DH's work one (even though because he's in IT, some of it is completely over my head) because it's another way of keeping up with what he's up to atm (is that really sad?). I read a couple of ones that I've come across and strike a bit of a chord, often because they're by people who have children the same ages or so as mine, one that's written by my friends who run a local bookshop, and I read Cod's blog, because it makes me laugh. I also read Go Fug Yourself because it's very funny.

Like many others, I find bad spelling and textspeak really annoying (obviously Cod's blog is bad typing not spelling).

I don't have a blog.

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I don't really like blogs. I read cod's blog if she links to it for something 'cos it's funny, but that's the only one. Have peeked at other blogs on this site briefly but couldn't be bothered to read them. I prefer the interaction of mumsnet to just reading one person's thoughts.

i blog, but it's a specific 'craft' blog, and all of the blogs i read are also craft blogs, i have about 200 on my bloglines list which i check weekly.

i use it as part of my business as a freelance designer, it is a way of networking, getting feedback on my designs, and a marketing tool, a free/simple way of having my own web address and it is also fun to do.

previously, i worked in a busy in-house design studio so am used to having other people available to ask an opinion. i find working from home lonely sometimes, blogging helps alleviate that.

blogs do get a lot of bad press, but how's this for doing some good. dd has poor eyesight and a squint, we have just finished 9 months of patching to exercise her weak eye, and i posted a tutorial on my blog with instructions for how to make a felt eye patch. lots of readers have found this useful and one american lady is even taking the instructions to a village in cuba to teach the communities there how to make them for their own children who have squints.

the one thing i don't like on blogs is the ones who put music on them that automatically plays, grrrrr!

blogging also enabled me to be a technical advisor to cod when she was setting up her blog

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My discontented little mummy blog entries are totally erratic and I keep feeling that I should just bin the thing as then I would have one less thing to stress about, tbh. Every now and then something happens that makes me laugh that I feel like documenting - but most of the time I'm up to my eyes with other stuff and the moment passes. I think my main motivation is one of envy - I am spurred to add something every time I read about someone getting a massive publishing deal because of theirs, but then I have to go and make the tea. It's a bit like Facebook - seemed a good idea at the time. I like Cod's blog though as it is daft. And my mate's one - she's in Singapore so it is a good way to keep up with what's happening in her world, plus she takes great pic's.

I read a few, just for entertainment, but I can never remember which ones. I go through phases. I read cod's but but never click on the links (I'm too lazy).
I don't write one, I'm too boring, but I contribute to the Times online Big Brother blog in the summer (I have no shame).

Yes I read blogs. Many of them are far more entertaining and better written than a lot of the popular novels. I am fascinated by people so find the insights into other people's lives and work places interesting and amusing. There's a few lifestyle type ones which are aspirational and beautifully presented which allow me to vicariously feel creative. Some of them are just bring you up short with them strength and resolve displayed in truly grim situations. Mostly I like the well crafted, thought provoking yet entertaining ones.

If someone is going through something then it's great to catch up on how they are etc., but other than that I have to say imo I think it's overindulging your self-centeredness.

I read blogs if something catches my attention when I'm googling but fairly inconsistently - internet access at work is set up to block anything considered a forum or blog - at home I read mostly political activists' blogs because dp logs on to them and I read the bits I find of interest for whatever reason.

Interesting to see a mention of Eurocrime TotalChaos - I know the website owner through our shared interest in crime fiction. I don't know you online or offline, do I?

If you read blogs, Why do you read them?

Mainly read craft, illustration and design blogs (apartment therapy, design sponge). Read them for information, entertainment and inspiration. It opens up a world of people with similar interests, and it doesn't matter that they don't live anywhere near me.

Which type of blogs do you return to again and again, and why? Blogs where people write well and update regularly - mainly blogs that combine craft and children.

Is there anything that you find a real switch-off on a blog? Have never really come across a blog that I didn't like - usually find them from clicking on links on blogs and I suppose people don't link to blogs they don't like. As I generally read blogs about visual things, I like blogs with good photography.

What do you get out of writing a blog? Don't write a blog.

However, also agree that podcasting is where its really at now.

only read secret blog of a tv controller because it's funny. don't bother with any others.

Bloody useless because nobody reads mine so i stopped writing it

I use Feed demon to monitor about 50 blogs - most of them are related to online PR/social media and I do find it addictive. I've found out loads of really interesting stuff which is genuinely useful for work and I think the more you delve the more useful stuff (and rubbish) you find.

The only one I can be bothered to read is Wife in the North and that is because she is an ex-journo who writes pretty well

I can just about get my knickers on in the morning keep up with MN most days let alone entertain/create/absorb some eegits interesting person's shoite musings.

I read theology blogs and blogs that are by sci-fi fans. Because I'm just generally quite sad.