Blog #2: Between the Gottschalk version of the Star Spangled Banner and the South City voices, I think I prefer the Gottschalk. For me, it is more relaxing to listen to instruments rather than voices. I liked the differences of volumes in the Gottschalk and I felt like the South City Voices could have been louder. In the Stravinsky version I can hear a difference between that version and the one I am used to hearing at school or games, which I’m assuming is the harmony. Personally, I do not find Stravinsky or Hendrix’s versions of the Star Spangled Banner offensive, because I enjoy remakes and covers of songs. However, I can see how people before my generation may be offended. I say this because it is something different, and not very traditional. There are differences between these and the original, such as harmony, and making notes longer. People usually take a while to accept change, so that is probably why they found it offensive.

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

• Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
• Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

To help you get started, here are a few questions:

• Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
• What topics do you think you’ll write about?
• Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
• If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.