by Candidate #10
The debate rages – is a blogger a writer? Is a writer a blogger? Well, let me tell you that I think there’s a distinct line between the two.
I’ve worked on a team. I’ve worked alone. I’ve worked on writing articles, website copy, books for print and ebooks. I’ve written sales copy and fliers, and I’ve written copy for brochures.
I’ve also blogged.
Blogging is a whole different world of its own. The tone isn’t the same as anything else. Neither is the style. Rules of writing are broken with each and every post. It’s all about easier reading, faster absorption, telling a story and getting people engaged.
The question really isn’t whether a blogger is a writer. Of course the person is a writer – words are the medium and the message is clear.
But blogging is a job, with specific requirements, skills and tasks that make it one of those areas where any writer can’t just step in and take over.
Think about that for a minute. Let’s say you drive a car, and that a car is the only vehicle you’ve ever driven. You know automatic transmission and cruise the highways. You might even be one of those nifty stick-shift drivers who can handle a standard transmission like a racecar on a track.
Can you drive a truck? What about a tractor? A motorcycle? A scooter?
Just because you have the driving skills doesn’t mean you can hop into or onto any vehicle and take off like a pro. Nope. Sorry. It won’t happen. Sure, you might be able to jerk your way ahead ten feet or so, but you need to learn more to safely navigate the roads.
Likewise, a writer can’t just step into blogging without learning the job. There’s more to blogging than just writing.
It doesn’t matter how good a writer you are. If you’ve never learned the skills of blogging, then your attempts will always be like that jerky tractor driver trying to make a John Deere into a Corvette. It ain’t gonna happen, as they say.
That doesn’t mean writing isn’t special. Of course it is. Bloggers can’t start writing white papers or website copy or literature without learning the skills.
The point is that it’s time to recognize that blogging and writing are two unique jobs with particular skill sets. Learn to respect and appreciate what each job involves – and learn to respect each other.
July 17th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
I would submit that not all bloggers are truly “writers.” To me, there is a difference between typing up your thoughts on a blog and actually being a writer. But, I’m snobby like that.
July 17th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
I would have to say that while all bloggers write, not all bloggers can write well! For a lot of people blogging is just something that they do to fill their spare time. For pro-bloggers writing skills are essential.
Many pro bloggers are also freelance writers. (Myself for example) Some are strictly bloggers, but the distinction there is that for us it’s no hobby. We’re in it to make money with our writing skills, whether those skills are formally taught or not.
What irritates me is that some people simply can’t believe that bloggers are serious about writing. To these people I say that at least a good 25% of us are extremely serious. The difference? We write short articles at a greater pace and in a venue where the occasional typo is acceptable as long as the point is gotten across.
It’s a living!
July 17th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
i think blogging is like any other writing format- some are good at it’s particulars and some are not. some fine novelists can’t write gripping shorts. ’successful’ blogging is a commercial thing. it’s much more journalistic than creative- typically.
July 17th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Good post. Bloggers *are* writers. I’m proof of that. Problogger by trade, writer as well. Which do I cleave to more? Neither. Are they the same job? Hooo no way in hell.
@ Lorna - You actually provide a great example. You’re a writer. And it actually shows over at your blog - the writing doesn’t reflect proper blogging style and tone, which is much shorter, with more broken paragraphs and bullet points. The flow of your work also says, “Writer.”
Good work? Damned straight? Blogger work? Nope. Writer work posted to a blog.
(Love you. Sorry. You were a great example. Please don’t hate me.)
Are there rules to blogging? Hell yes. Does a blogger have to be a good writer? Damned straight. Crap doesn’t carry on the Internet. But are they the same?
No sirree
July 17th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
I started blogging three years ago, before I really understood the craft. When I look back, the entries I wrote for my first blogging job were actually articles. The client never complained, and I didn’t know any better. It wasn’t until I started reading other blogs that I began to grasp the concept.
July 17th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
@James - I know you love me, darling. And you’re right. In the case of Freelance Parent, I am definitely a writer who also happens to blog. That’s the flavor of that project, which is nice because it showcases my writing skills to potential clients and is also mainly read by other writers who appreciate that style.
Happily, when hired to be a “blogger,” I am able to shift styles, just as I have to be in a different mindset to create SEO articles than I do to write a professional bio. I guess I think that’s part of what makes me a writer.
I still think that “writer” and “blogger” are not always the same thing.
July 17th, 2008 at 10:55 pm
Wow, thanks for this post! I am a writer, but I am NOT a blogger! Sure, I can write blog posts, but the creating of a community, writing day after day on the same topic, keeping up-to-date on whatever it is I am writing about, I can’t do it! I love variety, and that’s not what I get when I try to blog. Now I don’t feel like less of a writer!
July 18th, 2008 at 3:03 am
I think alot of the controversy comes from generalizations. A blog is just a medium for writing… It’s a means of self-publishing that definitely allows for poorly done, uninspired rambling, or as a venue for many individuals to vent to the information superhighway. I would say the vast majority of ‘bloggers’ on the net are not ‘writers’ as a professional writer or someone speaking of one would use the term. Now, on the contrary, a blogger who treats their blog professionally, edits their entries as if they were print work, and treats it as part of the spectrum of their professional work is definitely a writer. A blog is just another means for them to exercise their craft. : )
July 18th, 2008 at 3:06 am
Another swing on it is this: being a blogger doesn’t make you a writer… but a writer can absolutely be an excellent blogger and a true writer at the same time if they treat their work with dignity and professionalism.
July 18th, 2008 at 6:29 am
Good points.
I blog, and I write. I think blogging is a genre of writing, but I don’t think that all bloggers are good writers, as some blogs are pretty boring.
July 18th, 2008 at 7:20 am
Just a thought here.
Just because you are a writer does not make you a GOOD writer. Just because you are a blogger does not make you a GOOD blogger.
And trust me, there are no more good writers than there are good bloggers.
July 18th, 2008 at 11:12 am
I agree with Valencia’s last sentence and both of Carol’s sentences. Also I believe that bloggers are writers but just maybe not all are pro writers.
July 19th, 2008 at 4:45 am
The advent of the internet and blogging has given everyone a chance to have their say, whether they be a good writer or not. I guess that’s it.
I think it is a change for the better too, as often people have something important to say, even if they don’t express it perfectly.
July 24th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
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