THE WRITER’S NEW BEST FRIEND: BLOGGING

What’s a BLOG?... What does it do?...

These are just some of the things I asked when I was first trying to venture in the virtual world of the so called “Internet”—together with a lot of the technical know-how’s on how it is utilized.

This phenomenal-and-trend-setting experience have taken the Internet by a storm; each minute, a new blog post appears in different blog sites with topics ranging from the most bizarre to the most practical.

Blog is the reduced name for a “weblog” or “web log”. The action you perform when you post something on a web log or blog is referred to as “blogging” while those people who regularly make posts to a blog are termed as “bloggers”.

Blog, in its fundamental sense, is an online journal where a writer can post his thoughts, commentaries, and observations on every particular topic that his web blog covers; while other blogs serves as personal online diaries. Usually, blogs are a combination of text, images, and links to other blogs or web pages. Some space for interactive comments are provided below every blog posts to allow other users to leave their notes or remarks with regards to the writers post.

There are many different types of blogs as cataloged. They differ in their content and the way they are delivered. They vary from personal blogs or corporate blogs, to blogs posted via different media types, and as well vary by genre or subjects.

Bloggers have different reasons in managing a blog. Primarily, blogs are classified as personal since many are used as online journals—people making entries on their journal through their computers and the Internet technology rather than the traditional ink-and-paper ones—but today, many blogs are used for every purpose there is. There are actors, performers, and musicians that use blogging as a way to communicate to their fans. A politician that needs to be in touch with their constituents also uses blogging. Even businessmen provide information with regards to their products through blogs. And so on and so forth.

Truly, blogging has evolved from its conventional purpose of just making a daily entry on one’s personal electronic journal to a worldwide-sensation. It was even termed as “THE WRITER’S NEW BEST FRIEND”—and ought to be called as such. With endless topics to be covered and written, every writer has a sure place and can have a slice of this virtual experience. This is one way for them to share their views about any topic that they like and the easiest way there is to communicate with others who share the same interests with them. Blogging is every writer’s avenue to express their artistic and creative sides. It allows them to share their experiences, their joys, and even the pain. Through blogging, anyone can find an answer to his question, a practical know-how on things he’s not aware of. There’s totally a lot to learn from blogging; not just the experience.

So if you’re not yet writing or managing your own blog, better start now. Who knows, you might even make it big by just blogging.

ON MICHAEL CRICHTON, DEBBIE MACOMBER, AND STEVE BERRY

I practically have nothing to write—and haven’t done writing for a while now—so after long nights of battling with my alter ego (if I have one), I settled for something or rather someone whom at least I can relate with.

So here I am, struggling to construct a short narrative relating my impression of my favorite writers. Yes, I’m writing about Michael Crichton, Debbie Macomber, and Steve Berry—as the title of this article implies.

I’ve first met Michael and Debbie seven years ago in a department store while I was scanning a shelf for an Algebra book. I was frustrated with the high price I would pay for hundreds of pages of practically just a duplicate of the obsolete editions printed prior to that Math book, so I changed track and there on that dim bookstore corner, I saw Michael and Debbie, standing side by side.

My encounter with Steve Berry, though, was a little modern. I first have known him through the internet. But, not contented with the little details about him offered by some webpage, I decided to know him further in a local library.

By reading the previous lines, you might jump into conclusion that I personally know these three well-known figures, please don’t. I’m only talking about their works—books which I’ve read.

You might as well say I’m exaggerating, but in reading their works, it’s like I was given an opportunity to dig further within them, within their soul. I was given the impression that their works, their brilliance, speaks loudly of who they are as a person.

In reading some of Michael Crichton’s works—Congo, Jurassic Park, State of Fear, Rising Sun, Disclosure, The Sphere, and others—I came into conclusion that this man just not write for the sake of earning or for fame. He provides his readers with a bibliography citing his sources for a particular work. This left me a feeling that his stories are accurately true. He’s beyond doubt a genius in his field.

On the other hand, Debbie Macomber’s writing styles is way out of Crichton but is unique on her own way. Almost always centered among the lives of small-town characters, her works charmed me and left me a feeling that offers hope and pleasure. Everyone can relate to her portrayals of country people—such as the town’s folk in her Cedar Cove series, Dakota series, Promise Texas, and more. Whenever I have the chance, I always reserve a place for at least one of her works on my shopping bag.

The mixture of modern and historically-based social, moral, political, and other issues depicted in Steve berry’s works—such as The Alexandria Link, The Templar Legacy, The Third Secret, The Romanov prophecy—excites me and makes me read them from cover to cover. Another genius on the field, Steve Berry also provides the readers with bibliographical notes depicting his earnest labor and the inclination to produce not just another reading material but something that all readers would love.

These three geniuses—unique in their own writing styles—have charmed me with their works. And they always will.

KURIPSAW 03/29/2010