Blog or Journal publishing?

One of my fellow classmates asked this question on the class bulletin board:

“What choice would you make between blogging or journal publication for presenting an article that you might write, and why?”

Hoo boy. That’s a can of worms, isn’t it? I’ve been pondering this question for a few days.

I’ve found some articles about this, so I’ll come back to it, but I wanted to start with a brief exploration of why I prefer to blog, not connected to why others choose it or whether it’s the best path.

Why I blog

I’ve been blogging for about 5 years- that is, I’ve been using actual blogging software for around 5 years. Before that, I hand coded updates to my website. I’ve had a web page of some sort for about 10 years now- I’ve owned my domain for 7. That said, it’s only in the last year that I’ve really appreciated what blogging and other online activities can do for me.

1 Writing Practice. The most obvious benefit I get from blogging is that I practice writing more frequently. Not only that, but because I put my writing out there for others to see, I hold myself to a higher standard than I would if I were just writing in a journal. Writing for an audience also spurs me to write more often than I would otherwise.

2 Professional Networking. I have been quite surprised at the amount and kind of professional networking I have been able to do through my blog and other social networking sites. The blog is the most important, though, because it has given me a place to point people back to. I have had several people contact me asking me to apply after I graduate, mostly because I blog and comment on other’s blogs. I have met several other bloggers at professional conferences, which has made me feel like I’m part of the profession before I’ve even entered it officially.

3 Cleaning house. I have a lot of unfinished posts. A LOT. I start posts, and then I realize that what I was trying to say just isn’t that important, or that others have already said it. In this way, blogging helps me sort through my thoughts and filter out the ones that are the most important- and therefore the ones I should concentrate on in school and professionally.

4 Connecting. This is different from networking because it’s emotional. As a partial distance student, it’s sometimes hard to make a connection with other students. There are a lot of other library students out there in the same boat- and by writing in our own blogs and reading about each other’s experiences, we connect in a way that makes us feel a part of a community.

5 Immediacy. There’s just something about being able to publish something immediately, and read responses a few hours or days later, and respond to the responses right after that.

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5 Responses to Blog or Journal publishing?

  1. John Miedema says:

    Karin, I agree with all your reasons for blogging. I had no idea I would like it this much. But I have been wondering if it would be good idea to start/join a peer-reviewed library blog. The idea would be that any library blogger could join, but his/her posts would not be published until reviewed by others. In this way, the blog would become a little more like a journal. Sort of like First Monday for library bloggers. What do you think?

  2. Pingback: Blog or journal publishing? Or a hybrid? « John Miedema

  3. Wendell says:

    What I like most about blogs is the lack or middlemen (gatekeepers). It seems a bit silly to talk about ‘democracy’ and ‘free speech’ and all that. But, well… that’s how I feel.

    What I don’t like about blogs is the “daily news” experience of having only a day, or maybe a few hours, to think about something before its buried by the next post.

    Both as a reader and a writer I’ve felt rushed by blogs and blogging. I know some people put a “favourite posts” list in their sidebar – but usually just a title. I don’t really expect an abstract, but it’s gotta be a pretty great title to catch me eye.

    I’ve read journal articles from the 1950s. Can blog posts last? Should they? What if you write something really brilliant and important… where will it be in 5 years?

    Can of worms indeed!

  4. Idetrorce says:

    very interesting, but I don’t agree with you
    Idetrorce

  5. karin says:

    This post was about why I prefer to blog, so I’m unsure exactly what you disagree with.

    I definitely don’t believe blogging is for everyone, but I like it.