Hugh's Tips and Case for Blogging Highlight Book

I finished reading Hugh Hewitt's book, Blog: Understanding the Information Reformation That's Changing Your World, early this morning. Yes, as its harshest critics say, it was a rush job, something that's seen in the sketchy editing and over-generous quoting of other sources. But as a sort of manifesto about the possibilities represented by blogging, it will due quite nicely.

There are lots of pracitical tips on blogging and he presents a reasoned case for the proposition that the rise of the blogs has the potential for democratizing culture the way the printing press once did.

I particularly liked Hugh's checklist for producing a blog of "success and significance." ('Better Living' even seems to conform to some of these.) Here's Hugh's list:

• Post often

• Link freely

• Be generous in praise and attribution

• Don't be long-winded too often, if at all. Brevity is the soul of blogging when you are getting started.

• Paragraphs are your friend

• Profanity loses audiences

• Avoid feuds and flame wars

• At least at the start, skip the comments sections. You end up with the problem of nuts if you are any good

• Keep the title short and easy to remember so that it is easy to recall and type into the space at the top of the page

Hmmm. Hugh's own blog can be found here.