What qualifies a piece of writing as the best? We immediately think of prestigious honors such as the Pulitzer Prize, or the National Book Award. What qualifies as the best blog, or the best blogger? Wired published the list* (see * below) of award winning sites from the South X Southwest Interactive held in March of 2008.
My blog, South by Southwest is not an award winner, by any stretch of the imagination. It began 944 posts ago on March 29. 2005. "The launch" was inauspicious; I had a sprained wrist. Every now and then, however, I write something that pleases me and/or to which readers sometimes repeatedly return. Today's post is a round-up of a few such posts, listed by (days of the week) themes (see list of these categories at the bottom of this column). It is my way of categorizing the posts according to things that interest me most while assuring a variety of subjects are regularly covered.
Monday is the beginning of the week for lots of us. It is the day for a post about the Southwest where I live, or one concerning travel or focused on Space. "What Molly Ivins Might Have Thought" is regarding what this favorite writer of mine might have thought about a few issues of the day. "Friedman's Flat World"-- Here's your cliff notes. This post still gets revisited via blog searches. Finally one called "Hubba hubba -- NASA's Hubble and Columbus, " probably gets attention through the title. My Creative/Dream blog is called Making Good Mondays and I often write about the space program at that other site.
Tuesday is the day when Congress is ready to get back to work in earnest, and may need spotlighting. My favorite post is called "Fifty Ways To Understand the Protect America Act." It still occasionally gets linked after turning up in a search.
Wednesday is for pieces of writing about activism or the world of blogs. "Activism - Power Through Words and Feet" was well-received. "Big Blogs vs. Little Blogs" remains a perennial favorite theme of blogging: also I liked "Little Blogs."
Thursday is for attention to be focused on the Middle-East. "Women are making their marks in the Middle East" is still one of my favorite posts. "It Will Take Years To Recover" is another.
Friday was originally the day I wrote about OCP, our current president. I have since changed it to the subjects of elections and Democrats, as well as the Bush administration. Voter participation was the basis for my story of attending my Texas Democratic Caucus -- "Leadership lives at a little Texas caucus." "Bored by Bush" was kind of a hit. A post on checks and balances still gets attention after all this time (1/20/06): "Executive vs. Judiciary vs. Legislative."
Saturday, a day off for many of us, is to concentrate on other nations, besides those in the Middle-East. Global warming was the focus in "Big Tracks in the carbon world." One New Years Day I wrote "Happy New Year Earth."
Sunday, the seventh day of the week, is the day that many of use for personal and spiritual renewal, as well as psychological reflection. "Form vs. Content" discussed why I personally prefer certain blog writers, whether for form or for content. "Should Church and State Separate or Divorce?" explored the intersection between government and the spiritual. "Boundaries "101" - Bad Politics" had a psych base.
Rounding up the best of my own posts is perhaps an egotistical thing to do. But all bloggers who want to be read by others have egos. There is a lot on the line when you have a blank comment form after each piece of writing. Every time someone could deem it awful or wonderful, somewhere in between, or it might not merit comment. When ego is involved, one wants to put the best foot forward. It is still my goal to be a better writer, else I would not remain so "out there" every day. Have a good week!
*The full list of the S x SW Interactive blog and website winners:
Activism: World Without Oil
Amusement: Elf Yourself
Art: Viscosity
Blog: Passive-Aggressive Notes
Business: Wikinvest
CSS: Ficlets
Classic: Wired
Community: Flock
Educational resource: The Story of Stuff
Experimental: MetaNotes
Film/TV: Animoto Productions
Games: Launchball
Mobile: Mosio
Motion Graphics: HL2
Music: Minuit
Personal portfolio: JLern Design
Student: Paper Critters
Technical achievement: Twiddla
People's choice: Kongregate
Best of show: Launchball
View my current slide show about the Bush years -- "Millennium" -- at the bottom of this column.
(Cross-posted at The Reaction.)
My “creativity and dreaming” post today is at Making Good Mondays.
Technorati tags: blogs blogging blogosphere writing south by southwest
2 comments:
"What qualifies a piece of writing as the best? "
The same method that decides which chip in the bag was the best!:) I think we too often take getting an award means they must be the best, and we replace our own judgment with that of the awards judges.
If I find a book I love, then it's the best - until I find the next book I love! LOL!! Books are not just "Books" around this house for both of us - they are part of our family, to be loved, cherished, and protected.
And that sure makes it hell on moving day!:P
Future, with books I feel the same way. I have a stack of two boxes of professional/therapy books serving as a side table for a chair here in my office right now. And I have been retired since 2002! I had planned to give them to a friend still in practice, but my procrastinating self keeps getting in my way. I could never move, Dan'l.
Thanks for your very special comment.
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