It's time to blog!

For bloggers, not that I intend to call myself one yet, the first step is determining. And perhaps is what would define you in this distinctive, yet evolving industry, if I may call it so. I'm talking about finding what to blog about. Finding that niche that brings out who you are. Then, conveying ideas in a unique way. Perhaps shifting the focus a bit, but keeping your audience. Now, that's hard to accomplish. Is like writing a fragment sentence with purpose. Oops! i just did it!

Now, back to the process of blogging,

Looking for a concept entails finding a blogging voice or style, which should be different from any other you've used before. Perhaps, less objective, or more dramatic, but simple. The key is to sound clever without being vague, falling into cliches, or vulgarity. It is like re-birth into writing. Once, you've figured that out, you've won half the battle. Then, comes the audience part. Who are you talking to? who would care to read you? Or better-said in Twitter lingo, who would be your followers? Do you choose a theme or concept before you find your audience? Or is it the other way around? And after you've written, who edits you? Sigh!

With a doubt, is an ongoing discovery process, and a rewarding one, perhaps not financially. That's up for another discussion. Outmost, blogging is a phenomenon reshaping online journalism. For better or worst? That would be for future generations to judge. In fact, blogging is opening new channels of disseminating information, and somehow influencing public opinion. However, true social effects are yet to be seen.

People will still resort to traditional news outlet for credibility and depth, even though they hear breaking news through social media, said Jorge Ramos, a Hispanic news anchor and award-winner journalist who I interviewed for a class assignment. When asked, if new media trends take away from hardcore journalism, he said that far from taking anything, it gives a lot of tools to journalists, allowing to fulfill their social call: watchdog reporting.