[wryly] WORDS [/wryly]
[sarcasm] MORE WORDS [/sarcasm]

[smirk]See, it’s just that easy[/smirk]

Euripedess last blog post..Spirit, Here to Stay and Getting Greedy

You’re one of the bloggers I read most often, and I like your work tremendously.

I’m not sure, but I believe I was the originator of the term “underblogger.” I thought it was funny–I picture my character riding to her virtual office on an Underbat. The term works for me, because I love to write, but I know next to nothing about blogging. I’m an “under” blogger, because I want to learn.

I also think Matticus is offering us a great opportunity to get some feedback on our writing. On a new blog, I might just be speaking into the ether for weeks or months before someone notices.

One of the things I’ve learned about writing is that published writers deal with criticism all the time. There’s a multi-tiered evaluation process at every level leading up to publication. In addition, people tend to be very open with their criticism. This rule holds just as true for internet publications as it does for novels and academic essays. I’m fine with the contest in any format–as long as I don’t have to do a video blog right now! I’ll watch them happily. I’m a little shy, and I’m pretty sure I don’t want my students to find videos of me on the internet. If there’s a need for that, I’ll figure out how to make a machinima of my character delivering my lines.

1) The purpose: I want to diversify this blog more. I’m not adding a LARGE crew of bloggers. I’m looking to add 1 more. I’m a University student and I’m still not allowed to declare my major because my grades are still low. Yes that is my problem and yes I asked for it. I’m getting there slowly but surely. Wyn and whoever gets chosen aren’t going to replace me, the writer. They’re there to help supplement my blog. They’re there for me to bounce ideas off of or someone that can double check my work. I’m surprised I’ve gotten this many readers and followers with all the factual, technical, and whatever else errors I’ve made. I’m not leaving. My blog load may decrease somewhat slightly, but I will always be the one captaining the blog.

I’m not the most mathematically or stat oriented person in the game. I’d like to Minmax my Priest, but I don’t have the brain capacity to crunch all the formulas and plug in all the numbers. Wyn is. That’s part of the reason why I brought her on because I felt she could complement my other writing strengths and offer an extra dimension to readers.

2) The whole Underblogger thing was the first name that occurred. Why that? One, if they had a blog already, they wouldn’t be here. They’re not bloggers yet. They’re just writers who *I* felt have exhibited signs of some raw talent. When I started blogging, my posts were utter crap. No one ever starts at the top. You start from the bottom rung and work your way up. It’s like that in blogging, in WoW, and in life. You have to earn it. I’m sorry you’re getting the impression that they’re auditioning for a glamor spot. They’re auditioning for a blogging spot. And you’re dead on that they’re a shadow because that’s what they are.

The original plan still remains the same. I give them a chance to to diversify my blog some.

But more importantly, I’m giving them a taste of what it’s like to actually blog. Blogging is NOT for everyone. Some people can handle the social pressures, some can’t. Some people can whip out posts on demand, some can’t. They’re not only auditioning for the blog, they’re also auditioning for themselves. Somewhere out there is a gamer or writer who wants to start a blog. But they’re hesitant because they don’t know if they’ll be good at it or not.

I wanted to give these seven excellent individuals an opportunity. Here, they get to write a post, have immediate feedback, and know that they’ll get read.

At the very LEAST, I’m hoping that the ones eliminated will be able to learn and take something away from the experience.

The best possible thing that could happen is if all 7 of these people withdraw immediately from the contest because they now have the confidence, desire, and knowledge to start and foster their own blog. If all of them got up and said “Thanks Matt, I’ve learned a lot from this, but I’m going to have to step away because I’ve decided to write under my own name” I would be speechless and happy. The WoW blogosphere will always benefit from more bloggers.

So, why didn’t I just take their submissions and consider it in private? Because blogging isn’t just about writing posts. It’s about how you present your ideas in addition to the written word. It’s about how you interact with readers. It’s about how you handle pressures.

When I tried out for my high school volleyball team, they didn’t put us through drills. We got organized into squads and scrimmaged for several hours. I am not only judging their writing, ideas, and posterity. I want to see how they respond to feedback they get both positive and negative. I want to see how they’ll deal with the onslaught and the dread of cramming out a post by a deadline. I want to work these guys and I want to work them hard. Only by placing them in a real tried and test environment can I get a picture close to the real deal.

Hell, I could pick up the most brilliant writer in the world who’d be spot on about everything, flashy posts, sharp wit, etc. But if they don’t have the promotional, social, or other non tangible skills that I’m looking for, I’m more likely to pass on them.

This isn’t just a try out for me. It’s a trial for them. This is what blogging is like. You write, you post, and you get tomatoes or roses in your face. You either go home crying or walk off standing tall. Can they handle that? We’ll see.

And putting together a successful blog isn’t difficult. But it takes a looooong time. But I don’t consider my blog successful just yet. It’s okay. I know I can do better. I’m going to do whatever I can to continually improve it. I’m not doing this for Wyn, for readers, for money, or anything like that.

I’m doing this for me. I’m doing this to prove to myself that I can do this. If I can cause an effect on even ONE person, then that will have made all the difference.

Also, it is wonderful to get critiqued from bloggers and readers that I admire (if you read WoM you’re smart so I admire you ). I write for a living, but only in an IT department, so being able to write creatively and receive feedback is a dream come true. It sure beats “Yes this spec meets all the business requirements…job well done!”