Blogging About Blogging
It’s probably safe to assume that if you’re here reading this, you enjoy reading personal blogs. Do yourself a favor and go to this collection of awesome blogs on hacker news. I promise your reading list will grow. When you’re back, I want to talk about Julie Evans' excellent post about blogging.
Julia Evans' blog is one of a few gems I found in the aforementioned list. In her post Blog about what you’ve struggled with she’s not only driving her point across, but also explains in details what parts of the struggle process are worth writing about, why, and how.
For example, don’t write about the struggle itself, which focuses on the negative and obvious. Write about how you’re working through it. By doing so, you’re writing a helpful post that others who struggle with the same thing will appreciate. It’s the stuff that makes great blogs. Case in point: struggling with writing on this blog is something I encounter often enough, and this post helped me focus my thoughts and appreciate Julia’s advice and her blog - and now I’m subscribed to it. It’s a win-win situation.
Another feature of time-worthy blogs worth noting: linking to references. Rather your own posts or other resources, inviting people to learn more about what you’re saying reinforces your arguments and shows you’ve done your homework. It also connects people to sources they will potentially find useful, which makes you a potentially good resource.
If you write a blog, especially a technical one, I suggest you give her a read.