Ashley Danielle's Blog

Week 8: Blogging Best Practices 

Blogs have quickly become a means for independent writers to reach a wide audience of readers with topics that vary.  I follow the writer and blogger, Tyece, who runs the blog “Twenties Unscripted” which features first person narratives and anecdotal stories about her life as a young, African American, woman living in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.  The function of the blog is not to provide subject matter expertise, situational advice, or political punditry, but simply to provide the writer’s specific and unique perspective on experiences as a young adult, speaking from her own personal experiences.  As the writer puts it, the blog is for people who like their women witty, their words wise and their wine glass full. 

Unlike a blog with a decided function, like computer troubleshooting, each “Twenties Unscripted” post follows the same form in that the writer speaks of her experiences in the first person; however, aside from that, the substance ranges from a wide variety of topics like perceptions of gender roles, the post-college job search, and romantic relationships.  I believe the blog’s popularity stems from the form of delivery, which has a personal tone and provides information as a matter of opinion rather than fact.  Proper representation is important for readers to distinguish the purpose for the blog.  “Twenties Unscripted” demonstrates the increasingly important function of blogs in society.  Media outlets traditionally present a message or story with facts, but writing has evolved into presenting a point of view or perspective, specific to certain demographics, that may not be available in mainstream news. 

Ethical practices can be crucial when bloggers, like Tyece, present personal views and perspectives.  According to the writer’s code of ethics, bloggers are held to honest and fair reporting.  I believe the content published on her blog is clearly identified as her own, which helps to establish trust with readers who can readily distinguish the work as opinion rather than fact.  Ultimately, writing with a specific purpose and writing responsibly are essential to blogging on any subject. 

The link to Tyece’s blog can be found here: http://www.twentiesunscripted.com/page/3/