An Elite Special Ops Merc’s Work is Never Done

As part of OnWired’s ongoing mission to rid the web of ugly design(or, in this case, English grammar), we present to you the first in a series: New Rules!

“Blog”, as you’ll recall, is short for “weblog”. This is common knowledge, to be sure, but remember: a log, of any kind — web or otherwise — is a noun. A thing. In this case, a thing you read. (Or write.) One does not “blog”, one “reads” or “writes” a blog. ready-made company One does not say, even in passing, “I blogged about that topic the other day,” but rather “I wrote about that on, or for, my weblog” for the same reason that one does not “magazine” something, nor “short-story” it. (“I blogged” sounds like an activity that will be difficult to get out of the carpet.) Also acceptable, though not required, is the phrase “I write articles for my blog,” in lieu of “I write a blog”.

As exciting as this whole web business is, folks, in many respects it’s nothing new. We’ve had “print blogs” for many, many years: they’re called columns (a term I find endlessly charming) and you can find them each week in your local paper. The main difference is the medium; otherwise, we’re just talking about people communicating ideas to other people. With hyperlinks, too, which admittedly are kind of neat. And pictures of cats doing funny things.

Other than that, it’s writing as usual: you still need to worry abouttone, pacing, grammar, organization. In other words, all the stuff you may never have cared to learn about in school. Yes, it’s true that blogs are more immediate and intimate; and yes, the involvement and participation of others as a community is certainly a new twist. But when the day is done, the two great writing formats are still the column and the book, electronic or not, much how the two great foot races remain the sprint and the marathon.

Oh, and while I’m at it, books are written, not authored (I’m looking at you, Wikipedia.)

That is all.

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