News media are using multimedia and interactivity to track same-sex marriage and the stories of gay men and women across the U.S. One of the most common ways online news sites are the debate is using maps that visualize where same-sex marriage or civil unions are legal. CNN and NPR have created two such maps (pictured below) that readers can click or hover over to read more about the each state's position on the issue.

 

The L.A. Times also has a similar map and, in addition, has an adjacent timeline that plots landmark moments in the same-sex marriage and corresponds with the map.



The New Republic, like many other news sites, produced a slideshow that illustrates various points in the chronology of same-sex marriage.



CNN has invited couples of all sexualities to tell their own stories and submit video using iReport. The result is sort of a like niche YouTube that contains video dedicated to a specific topic.



GOOD Magazine took a unique approach to the debate by creating a flat graphic/flow chart that visualizes key arguments made for and against same-sex marriage.



Finally, KQED and The California Report have created a blog dedicated to the ongoing Prop 8 debate happening in California. The blog contains regular updates about what's happening inside the court and includes quotes from witnesses and outside observers.



Also on 10,000 Words:

• 8 Interactive online projects that educate and captivate
• Post-Inauguration Wrap Up: High-tech coverage of the tech president
• 10 Inspirational New York Times multimedia and interactive features

Labels: blogging, design, flash

1. You talk down to your readers

Nobody likes to feel stupid. Phrases like "unless you've been living under a rock" and "if you didn't already know" make readers feel insulted or guilty for not knowing something. Instead of assuming that everyone has already heard about something, just assume that you're the only one.

2. You don't spellcheck

Nothing says "crazy, ranting blogger" more than glaring spelling errors. Readers will only come back to your blog if they believe it is credible and poor spelling makes you look sloppy and unprofessional. It only takes a few minutes to reread your post and save yourself from looking like a crazy person with a computer.

3. You go off topic

Most blogs have an established topic for a reason — often readers are visiting your blog because they share a common interest. So if you usually blog about technology and suddenly have a group of posts on your fluffy kitty Sam, you will frustrate your regular readers and give the casual visitor less of an incentive to return.

4. You don't post very often

If your posts are months apart and your last few posts apologize for not blogging enough, do your readers and yourself a favor and just close up shop. The best blogs are those that are frequently updated and posting infrequently is no way to build an engaged audience.

5. You don't link

There is no quicker way to drive your readers crazy than to write about some hot new website, product or event and leave them scrambling over to Google because you didn't provide a link to more information. Make your readers lives easier by including links in your posts where they should obviously appear.

6. You turn off comments

A blog isn't just about writing...it's about stimulating conversation and discussion. If your readers have no way of responding to a post then you look like a jerk. Even worse: turning off comments on a particular post because someone disagrees with you.

7. You don't offer RSS

There are many valid reasons why bloggers don't enable RSS — most often its because they want readers to visit the actual blog and drive up page views. Many internet users, however expect an RSS feed and may not read your content at all if they have to keep visiting your site for updates. Enable some form of RSS, even if its just headlines or summaries. After all, a person reading your content is better than having them ignore you completely.


Also on 10,000 Words:

• 10 Reasons why online news sites suck
• The top 7 mistakes new Twitter users make
• Editors: 10 ways you annoy your staff
• 10 Ways to make your editor love you
• 10 Ugly truths about modern journalism

Labels: blogging

What's the best way to keep track of journalism and technology? Read non-journalism blogs.

When I am asked how do I find all the cool and innovative sites and tools featured at 10,000 Words, I quickly reply that I subscribe to more than 150 blogs, using Google Reader to keep track of them all. For the first time, here is a list of many of those blogs and sites, edited for relevance. Most of these blogs have little relation to journalism and cover everything from technology to design to photography and everything in between. You'll find my absolute favorites and suggested reads at the top of the list and even more great sites following after.

1. Black Star Rising

Advice and opinion on the art and business of photography

2. Blogging Tips

Tips on how to become a better blogger

3. FFFFOUND!

FFFFOUND! allows users to post and share their favorite images found on the web

4. FlowingData

FlowingData explores how designers, statisticians, and computer scientists are using data to understand ourselves better - mainly through data visualization.

5. Google Maps Mania

A blog that covers all the cool new Google Maps mashups, tools and applications being created by people all over the world.

6. information aesthetics

Collects projects that represent data or information in original or intriguing ways

7. kottke.org

The best linkblog on the net

8. Mashable!

Social media news blog covering cool new websites and social networks

9. Neatorama

Blog full of random interesting tidbits about life, the world and the internet

10. Read/WriteWeb

Provides analysis of web products and trends

11. Smashing Magazine

Useful and innovative information about the latest trends and techniques in web development

12. The Next Web

Reports about everything that influences the future of the Web



The best of the rest...

13. 1stwebdesigner

A design blog that focuses on web design, graphic design, tutorials and inspirational articles

14. a beautiful revolution

Insightful doodles from Andre Jordan

15. Advertising Lab

Follows the future of advertising technologies and media

16. AisleOne

An inspirational resource focused on graphic design, typography, grid systems, minimalism and modernism

17. Barry's Best Computer Tips

Computer tips, internet tools and software news

18. Blog To Great

Tips and help for creating and maintaining successful, profitable, great blogs

19. Blog.SpoonGraphics

Design tutorials, graphic design articles and free vector downloads

20. Cartogrammar

A blog about maps and the technology and design that fuel them

21. Chip Chick

Tech and gadgets from a woman's perspective

22. CinemaTech

Focuses on how new technologies are changing cinema - the way movies get made, discovered, marketed, distributed, shown, and seen.

23. Consumerist

The best blog dedicated to consumer affairs

24. Cool Material

The latest in men's fashion and style, gear, tech, gadgets, and media

25. CraziestGadgets.com

A site dedicated to the craziest gadgets, gizmos, toys, technology, and design.

26. Creattica Daily

Design and creative news

27. currybetdotnet

Search, media, and newspapers on the web

28. CyberNet News

Technology news and productivity tips

29. Death by Kerning

Typography and design

30. Design You Trust

Design blog dedicated to latest trends

31. designfeedr

Design inspiration from a variety of media

32. Digital Amy

A collection of awesome journalism technology tips

33. Digital Inspiration

Technology blog focused on software, tools and web technologies

34. Dinosaurs and Robots

Unique blog that focuses on objects as design inspiration

35. Dirty Mouse

Blog focused on graphic design, web design, illustration, photography, interior and product design

36. Dzineblog

Design inspiration and creativity

37. Fuel Your Creativity

Graphic design blog that provides news, articles and resources for all types of design

38. geeksugar

Technology and gadgets blog geared toward women

39. Gizmodo

Online review dedicated to gadgets, gizmos, and cutting-edge consumer electronics

40. GOOD Blog

Weblog of GOOD Magazine, one of the best resources for infographic journalism

41. Graphic Design Blog

The name says it all

42. Haga clic para continuar

Infografía interactiva y mucho más

43. hongkiat.com

Online tips for tech users, designers and bloggers

44. Horses Think

Blog filled with random visual stimuli

45. Information Design Watch

Information visualization and design blog

46. Inspire me, now!

Szymon Blaszczyk's inspiration log

47. inspiredology.com

Showcases design trends in web, graphic design, logos and business cards

48. Interesting Pile

A librarian posts links to things he thinks are interesting, such as lists, games, quizzes, book reviews and neat sites

49. Ironic Sans

Featuring innovative ideas, short films, observations on design, and an ongoing look at New York City in animation

50. Journalism 2010

Where journalism, innovation and entrepreneurship collide

51. Kitsune Noir

A visual collection of random bits related to art, design, fashion, films and music

52. Lifehacker

Tips for making life easier

53. LikeCOOL

The best in gadgets and design

54. LostInTechnology

Online guide to helpful tools and software

55. MakeUseOf.com

Cool websites, software and internet tips

56. Map Hawk

Watching how the media communicates with maps

57. mental_floss

Blog on trivia and interesting facts

58. Ministry of Type

Typography, lettering, calligraphy and other related design elements

59. Motionographer

Showcases inspiring and outstanding motion design, graphic design, animation, visual effects, graphic design and digital filmmaking.

60. MyInkBlog

A resource for all things graphic and web design

61. Nerd Approved

Sometimes ridiculous gadgets and gizmos

62. NiceFuckingGraphics!

Diseño gráfico, ilustración, tutoriales y más

63. NiemanLab

Killer blog about journalism in the digital age

64. Positive Space

A graphic design blog that covers website design, the business of design, design and technology, and sources of inspiration

65. Preik

Design aggregation blog

66. Pro Blog Design

How to design a better blog

67. ProgrammableWeb

Information on APIs, mashups and the Web as platform

68. Quick Online Tips

Technology news, blogging tips, free software, Web 2.0 and how to make money online

69. Random Good Stuff

Random good stuff.

70. SacredFacts

Linkblog dedicated to journalism, technology and new media

71. shiner.clay

Essential tidbits about what's going on in the music, web 2.0 and design community

72. Simple Complexity

Discussions of data visualization, data integration, business intelligence, and knowledge management

73. SlyVisions dot Com

Blogging and internet marketing tips

74. Smashing Apps

Free and useful online resources for designers and developers

75. Smiley Cat

Articles, tips and tutorials about web design, CSS, usability, search engine optimization and other web design-related topics.

76. TechCrunch

Preeminent blog about technology start-ups

77. TechCult

Internet, hardware, software, mobile and gaming news

78. technabob

Gadgets, technology and home entertainment

79. Technologizer

Personal technology blog

80. Technospot.net

Personal computing and technology

81. TechXav

A technology blog run by a group of tech-savvy teenagers between the age of 14-15

82. The Art of the Title Sequence

Features opening title design for film and television

83. The Big Picture

Amazing photography blog

84. The Design Cubicle

Print design, web design, logo design, branding, advertising & marketing and more

85. The Map Room

Maps, map collections, map-related resources, and material about maps on the web

86. The Popcorn Trick

Interesting links and awesome tweets

87. The Presurfer

Technology news and examples

88. The Raw Feed

Technology and culture blog

89. Twitter: @AudioJungle

Awesome links from audio sharing marketplace AudioJungle

90. Twitter: @brainpicker

Awesome links from creative strategist Maria Popova

91. Twitter: @johnsonLAB

Awesome links from Berlin-based media strategy firm johnsonLAB

92. Twitter: @dujourno

Awesome links from writer R. Trentham Roberts

93. Twitter: @SteffanAntonas

Awesome links from blogger Steffan Antonas

94. Web Design Ledger

Design inspiration, tips and tutorials

95. WebUrbanist

Urban design, culture, travel, architecture and alternative art

96. Webware.com

Cool web applications

97. Word Bang

Copywriting for the web and elsewhere

98. wordboner

Clever musings expressed through unique typography

99. Yanko Design

Explores the future of technology




Congrats, you made it to the end of the list! Be sure to also check out the blogroll in the left sidebar for more journalism and multimedia-themed blogs.

UPDATE: Here's an OPML file of the above blogs so you can easily upload them into your RSS reader (created with OPMLBuilder)

Have favorites that aren't on this list? Want to pimp your own blog? Share it with everyone in the comments.


Also on 10,000 Words:

• 30 Amazing photoblogs (and a few tips for creating one)
• Steal This Blog!
• The tools I actually use
• How to stay interested in blogging

Labels: blogging

I often get asked how I find out about all the new technology, sites and multimedia projects featured here at 10,000 Words. The answer is not as simple as you may think, so I'm giving away some of the secrets of what makes this blog so unique. While I don't want you to literally steal this blog (I will find you and hunt you down), I do encourage you to use some of the tools I've used to grow this blog into the resource it has become.

The first key to coming up with ideas is thinking about what hasn't been written before. Many blogs regurgitate the same information and while its cool to see different viewpoints on the same topic, a lot of blogs end up publishing similar content. I often write down ideas as soon as I have them whether it's in the grocery store or while driving, even if I won't flesh out the post until months later. I keep a Google Doc with a list of possible posts, some that are written days later, some that have languished for more than a year. But the ideas are there if I need them and if I see an article, site or multimedia project that may complement a particular post, I save it in the Google Doc.

So how do I find the examples to back up the ideas? To start, I subscribe to about 150 different blogs (most of which aren't actually about journalism) and keep tabs on them using RSS/Google Reader. They range from popular technology blogs such as Mashable and TechCrunch to design sites such as Inspiredology, FFFFOUND!, Smashing Magazine and Motionographer and even blogs filled with awesome randomness such as Neatorama, mental_floss and kottke.org. I bookmark the posts I find interesting or have some sort of journalism angle and save them for later.



I supplement this reading by staying on top of what people are sharing on StumbleUpon and Twitter. I also use the latter, as well as Delicious, to look for specific examples to include in posts. For example for the December post "News databases: Turning numbers into knowledge" I entered the tags "database" and "journalism" into Delicious to see what was being produced by newsrooms. For "A quick guide to interactive YouTube videos", I searched Twitter for "cool interactive video."

Most of all, what makes 10,000 Words unique is that I often write about things that I care about even if I think no one else will. Posts like this week's collection of Dr. Seuss quotes, December's post on the typography of the movie "Milk" or even my thoughts on the correlation between journalism and porn I wrote not because I wanted people to read them (heck I'm surprised if people actually do) but because they were topics I am passionate about.

A final ingredient is leveraging the power of social networks like Twitter and StumbleUpon. It's not about just posting links to your stories and hoping that people will magically flock to your stuff. It's about engaging with other people, finding out what others are interested in, and filling an existing need.

A lot of new bloggers get frustrated when they begin blogging and they aren't attracting the visitors or comments that they'd like to see, often times in the first few months of blogging. 10,000 Words was started a little over two years ago with the same problem, but now attracts thousands of visitors a day because good blogs take time to grow. Large numbers of readers don't happen overnight so before you begin blogging or even if you've already started, consider that it may take a prolonged period of time before any kind of success can happen.

All this may sound daunting, but if you blog about what you love, then it will never seem like a chore. It also may seem time-consuming, but I can assure it's not that bad. In the meantime, I'd love to see any sites or projects I might have missed so feel free to send an email to mluckie @ 10000words.net or send a tweet @10000Words. Good luck and happy blogging!



Also on 10,000 Words:

• 9 Tips for improving your blog and inspiring user feedback
• The tools I actually use
• 30 Amazing photoblogs (and a few tips for creating one)

Labels: blogging

After radio was invented way back in the 19th century, few likely imagined they would eventually listen to the innovation on a computer (whats that?) or from the other popular invention, the telephone. Radio has evolved from sitting in front of a large wooden box to listening to what you want, when you want, wherever you want. These are the technical innovations that are pushing the medium into the 21st century.


Online

Thanks to the internet, radio lovers are no longer confined to the stations in their area. Sites like TUN3R.com and RadioBeta let users choose from radio stations all over the world and listen to a variety of genres and styles. RadioBeta wins out for its sheer ease of use, allowing the user to control any of the selected radio stations in a player at the top of the page, as well as bookmark favorite stations.



Seattle's KEXP 90.3 FM has been ushered into the new millenium with KEXP Music Explorer, a site that aims to help listeners find out more about the music they are listening to. Like most radio stations, KEXPlorer lists the song currently playing, but also lists recently played and the most spun songs and encourages users to tag songs they like or don't like. And of course, anyone can listen to the station live from their browser.

The interns have taken over National Public Radio! Considering interns can be some of the most creative members of the newsroom, it definitely makes NPR Intern Edition a must-listen. Aside from traditional news stories, the interns have also put together photo slideshows and maintain both a blog and a Twitter account.

If you prefer your NPR on the go, use NPR Road Trip to get travel directions and find out which NPR stations you can listen to on the way. For example on a trip from Manhattan to Hackensack, New Jersey one will be in the range of 13 member stations on the way. NPR Road Trip is limited to travelers in the United States.


Mobile


With the iPhone came thousands of applications and with them the ability to listen to the radio on a mobile phone. Music radio applications like Pandora remain popular, but for those who prefer to listen to actual stations, the AOL Radio app has you covered. The free application gives users access to hundreds of music, news and talk radio stations from their handheld iPhone. News radio fans will also love Stitcher (previously covered here), which makes radio stories available on demand.

Radio fans/iPhone owners should also check out College Radio Tuner, an application that puts college radio stations from across the U.S. in the palm of your hand, and stay tuned for news of an iPhone app from satellite radio giant Sirius.

Other mobile phone users aren't out of luck. Blackberry, Palm, Nokia and Windows Mobile users can download Mundu Radio, an application for listening to the music on the go.




Twitter

Thanks to sites like Blip.fm, Twitter users have turned the microblogging service into their own personal radio station. An easy sign-up process lets anyone share their favorite tunes with their Twitter friends and followers.



Because there are so many tweeps sharing music, it was only a matter of time until Twisten.FM was created. The site tracks the music people are listening on Twitter and makes each song available for listening, all on one page.

Twadio takes the music sharing concept to an unforeseen level. Instead of sharing a song on Twitter, the @tweejay simply tweets a popular song and if you're familiar with it, the song is supposed to start playing in your head. Of course, if you forget how it goes, you can also listen to the song in the sidebar of the site. Best of all, Twadio is interactive and list the tweets of people who either love or hate the song.

Of course, Twitter can be used for more professional and educational purposes. There are ton of radio stations on Twitter and many public radio stations are listed in this handy wiki. Thanks to Twitter you no longer have to call in to tell the DJ to play your song, especially if that DJ is thousands of miles away.

For more on the future of radio, check out Radio 2020 and radiocreativeland.


Also on 10,000 Words:

• 6 Sites that are changing the way you follow the news
• Set up your own online call-in radio show in minutes
• Where to find free sound effects and royalty-free music
• 10 Essential iPhone apps for bloggers and reporters
• How to create, edit and embed audio for free

Labels: blogging, radio

10,000 Words has had an interesting year filled with a variety of posts on technology, journalism and new media. Here are the ones that you clicked on the most.


10. 15 Ways to follow the 2008 election online

The 2008 US presidential election was such a hot topic this year and there were a number of sites that were using the web to aggregate political content and make it accessible to the public. I was most impressed by perspectv and FiveThirtyEight.com which used visual tools to explain the election in a way that television pundits could not.


9. 6 (More) Notable Maps

The second notable post was a sequel to "9 Notable Maps," which presented maps that were useful and could be replicated by journalists. Every possible 10,000 Words post is cataloged in a Google Doc and when the list of interesting maps runs long, it is time for another map-themed post.


8. 10 Essential iPhone apps for bloggers and reporters

As an iPhone owner, I know that the iPhone will revolutionize journalism. Unfortunately when it comes to finding useful apps among the more than 10,000 now available, it can be a little tough. Therefore some of the highest rated apps were reviewed and presented in this one post.


7. Time-lapse of The New York Times' election coverage

When I discovered Iterasi, the online tool for capturing scheduled screenshots, I knew I would illustrate something happening online over the course of time, but it wasn't until two months later and another three months before election night that I knew I would chronicle the New York Times' site. Unfortunately, Iterasi was terrible at archiving Flash content, which led to whole chunks of the screenshots disappearing, so I turned to Webpage Thumbnailer which served the same purpose, but with better results.


6. 15 Journalists' outstanding personal sites

To illustrate the importance of an online portfolio to a journalist, a massive hunt began for well-put-together sites that showcased the work of a journalist. What turned up instead was a large number of sites that were poorly designed, poorly executed and just a hot mess. The search turned into a three-day hunt, the results of which are worth emulating.


5. 21 Free online photo editing tools

There already were a number of lists of photo editing tools but they either a) included sites with features no self-respecting photographer/image editor would use or b) there was no write-up explaining the differences between each site. Thus this post was born and illustrated with screenshots of each site so readers could decide for themselves. The article remains the most searched for 10,000 Words post.


4. Word cloud analysis of 2008 DNC Speeches

Anyone who has been reading 10,000 Words for a while knows that this blog makes great use of the word cloud generator Wordle to visualize large amounts of text. As election night approached, I recalled this post and decided to create word clouds of the speeches of each of the major players at the convention.

To get a jump on whomever might have the same idea, pre-written copies of the speeches as prepared for delivery were pulled from the Huffington Post and quickly run through Wordle. Incidentally, the same thing was done for the Republican National Convention, but that post didn't even crack the top 50.


3. 30 Amazing photoblogs (and a few tips for creating one)

This highly-Dugg post was conceptualized three months earlier when photographer Mark Dodge Medlin won the Find Your Inspiration contest. A link to his photoblog, along with a note to check out other photoblogs was added to the aforementioned Google Doc and voila! 29 more amazing photoblogs.


2. 7 Fonts that should die

This post is the proverbial thorn in my side. After a particular frustration with designers that lazily use Trajan, Papyrus and Copperplate, I pounded out a quick post (on a Friday no less, one of the worst days for traffic) and went to sleep. When I woke up the next morning, the post had hit the front page of Digg, crashed my server, and had a host of comments eviscerating the post and 10,000 Words itself.

The strong reaction led me to redesign the entire site in a few hours and to chronicle the ordeal in this animated video. The experience was the catalyst for a new era of 10,000 Words: one that is more detailed and less of a thrown-together hobby. And for the record, I intentionally left Comic Sans off the list.


1. Wise words from a wise man

The top post on 10,000 Words, the one that has been viewed almost 200,000 times...was written in 20 minutes. Many posts you see here take days, if not weeks to put together, but the top post was written on a fluke. "Wise words" was inspired by reading a few quotes by the great Albert Einstein, whose non-relativity theories remain relevant today. The post remains a huge hit with StumbleUpon and is consistently the day's most viewed post.


Thank you for reading and be sure to keep checking back for more great posts!

Labels: blogging

As a police reporter at the Daytona Beach News-Journal, I gradually became accustomed to local evening news anchors reading my well-researched reports verbatim with no credit. When I made the transition to interactive journalism, copyright infringement became less of a problem as whole multimedia stories are a little harder to lift.

The familiar frustration was brought back in an instant when I discovered, via Technorati, that someone had plagiarized an entire post and its images. While the offending post has since been removed, it did call to question what writers, bloggers and photographers should do when they discover someone else is presenting content as their own.

My initial reaction was to turn to the Twitterverse because, as this post suggests, Twitter is great for asking questions. While waiting for responses, a quick Google search turned up this post on what to do when someone steals your content.

Tweeps @ryansholin, @jenconnic, @jgrad09, @editorialiste and @dblacombe (whose own encounter with a plagiarizer was helpful) collectively suggested writing a cease and desist letter. Their immediate help speaks to the power of crowdsourcing and social networks like Twitter.

Technology is enriching our lives by providing a space where we can share our craft with others, but it's hard not to feel the sting when something like this occurs. I still have immense faith in the web, despite its obvious deficiencies. For more on copyright law and protecting your content, check out this previous post.

Labels: blogging

Not too long ago, five ways to learn a new language and five blogs in languages other than English were presented in the hope that blog lovers would expand their online reading. If you haven't yet begun learning a new language, there are a few ways to make reading blogs in foreign languages much easier.


Mloovi will translate any RSS feed into any of more than 30 available languages including Croatian, Filipino and Swedish. The results, like Google Translate or Yahoo! Babel Fish, a little spotty and shouldn't be quoted, but it is a definite help.

On the other hand, if you want readers of your blog to be able to read it in another language, ConveyThis offers a button that will translate your content with one click. The site requires registration, which only take a couple seconds, and a button like the one below are available instantly.



On a smaller scale, Twanslate will translate tweets (or anything under 140 characters) into Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Japanese, Italian and Russian. Simply follow @twanslate and follow the instructions to send a direct message and received the translated reply in seconds.

Labels: blogging, rss

You've written an outstanding story or blog post with insightful commentary, pointed analogies, and flowery prose that would make Shakespeare cry. But if your writing is full of spelling and grammar errors, you might as well have just passed gas in public.


Inside every good writer should be a good editor. Luckily, the web is full of tips for keeping your writing in check. The first stop for any writer should be the the American Copy Editors Society's collection of links that includes writing headlines, avoiding clichés and of course, copy editing tips.

Daily Writing Tips is another must-read for any writer looking to improve his or her craft. After reading posts like 8 Proofreading Tips And Techniques, How to Revise, Edit and Proofread Your Writing, and English Grammar 101: All You Need to Know, you will have immediately improved your writing know-how.

Patricia T. O'Conner, a former editor at The New York Times Book Review, author and blogger at Grammarphobia.com, also has a few quick tips for correct punctuation, including proper comma placement and when to use the overused apostrophe.

Smashing Magazine has a great list of the top ten web typography sins, including using hyphens instead of em dashes and including extra spaces in copy. Even better is Copyblogger's list of five grammatical errors that make you look dumb, including the dreaded its vs. it's (hint: if you mean "it is" or "it has," use an apostrophe).

If copy editing is a consistent problem and you are a glutton for punishment, GooseGrade, upon its release, will let users correct the mistakes in your writing. Readers are readying their red pens as we speak.

A perfectly written story doesn't mean jack if the headline sucks. Especially now that SEO and keywords and all that has come into play, creating an attention-grabbing headline has become even more difficult. Never fear, though. Condomunity has a stellar and detailed post about how a well-written headline makes all the difference and how to create a good one.

Even more headline writing advice can be found at Copyblogger and in this previous post on writing better headlines.

Once you've got your own wordplay under wraps, it's time to laugh at the mistakes of others. Start by checking out the posts at Regret the Error, especially the gaffe committed by the New Hampshire-based Valley News, which misspelled its own name in its masthead. Logophiles will also enjoy the English Fail Blog, a series of photos of bad grammar captioned in the style of I Can Has Cheezburger?

And, of course, feel free to laugh and point should there be any glaring errors in this post. See? You're a better writer already!

Labels: blogging

"Blog posts are written, not defecated. They show some level of craft, thinking, and continuity beyond the word count mandated by the Owner of Your Plantation. If a blog has fixed limits on post minimums and maximums? It's not a blog: it's a website that hires writers. Which is fine. But, it's not really a blog."

— What Makes for a Good Blog?


"Stats are a good barometer for some things. Especially if you have a clear-thinking mind. Or if you're approaching your blog experimentally and viewing your stats with a marketer's mindset. But if you're mindlessly checking stats all the time, looking at your affiliate earnings every hour, then it's time to step AWAY from the computer. Go play with your dog."

— 18 Stupid Mistakes Bloggers Make in their First Year


"Instead of writing entire posts, write down titles. If time permits put down your initial thoughts and build on it later, from wherever you are. Face it you will check your email at least once a day, if you have your title and initial write up ready your blog post can be done in a few minutes."

— No Hurries, No Worries - Your Blog Will Survive


"There are only a handful of default Blogger templates available to use. Since Blogger has millions of active users around the world, you can be sure that hundreds (at least) will be using these same templates as the visual basis of their blogs. To make sure your blog stands out from the crowd, you need to ensure your design is in some way unique."

— 7 Reader Friendly Methods of Improving your Blogger Blog


"While the functionality of tag clouds is arguable helpful, unfortunately most tag clouds appear as nothing more than a jumbled mess. So messy in some cases that they are actually too hard to disassemble in a reasonable amount of time, and are just avoided by users."

— The Seven Most Commonly Made Bad Blog Design Choices


"Writing a home-run post on a Saturday afternoon will probably happen from time to time. However, does your blog have good traffic on Saturdays? Analyzing your blog's stats to determine when it naturally has the most traffic can get more eyes on a great post, which will translate to more social votes and more links. If you have created the post of your life, wait for a good day to publish - it will cost you about 1 minute on a later date to put it up."

— 10 Ways to Improve Blog Traffic in 30 Minutes or Less


"The lack of an "About Me" page-- or a simple name to attach to the author's writing -- is unforgivable. But it's still a problem today. Every time a reader encounters a blog with no name in the byline, no background on the author, and no simple way to click through to find out anything about the author, it strains credulity to the breaking point. It devalues not only the author's writing, but the credibility of blogging in general."

— Thirteen Blog Clichés


"Time is valuable for blogging, if you don't have it your blog can suffer. Time management is a huge key for a lot of bloggers. If you stretch yourself, your time, and resources too thin you may come up with many unfinished projects. Several of my blogs could do a lot better, I just don't have the time to dedicate to them."

— 23 Things I've Learned Blogging


"If you shut off commenting because you were drowning in a sea of comment spam, using Akismet and Bad Behavior for Wordpress will allow you to turn it back on by eliminating 99% of your spam for free. If you're simply afraid that people will say something that might detract from your totally awesome post, then maybe your post isn't that awesome after all. Come out from under your bed in that giant ivory tower and let people love or hate your posts. Eliminate barriers. Get some feedback. Make a couple of friends. Communicate."

— How To Piss Me Off With Your Blog


"Terrible things are happening in one of the following: the world, the web or a television show you really like. Make a blog post about it! People will comment about how much they agree with you. Then they'll make their own blog posts about the subject, and other people will comment about how much they agree with them. If we all work together we'll learn that we can make a real impact on our pageviews."

— Secrets of the 7 Basic Blog Posts

Labels: blogging

I rarely ever blog on weekends to ensure I enjoy life outside of the internet, but today is no ordinary day. It's BlogDay, a time when bloggers all over the intertubes recommend blogs "that are different from their own culture, point of view and attitude." A full list of some of the best multimedia journalism blogs can be found in the sidebar, but in honor of the day here are 5 blogs that I personally enjoy.

1. Neatorama

I like cool stuff. And whether that's a cow with its head stuck in a washing machine or tips how to personalize your pancakes, I can always count on Neatorama to blog something that piques my curiosity.

2. geeksugar

Geeksugar was created with women in mind, but I think its posts on technology as it relates to personal life is something everyone can identify with. The site is a part of the Sugar network of blogs and is an ingenious cross between Gizmodo and Perez Hilton.

3. Inspiredology

If I could pin down my design aesthetic, it would be bold colors, unique fonts and nontraditional layouts. That said, Inspiredology totally gets me and my aesthetic. The blog showcases web and graphic design that is eye-popping and memorable and gives me something to aspire to.

4. fourfour

I first started reading fourfour for its skewering of the TV show America's Next Top Model, but stuck around when I realized everything that comes from blogger Rich Juzwiak's brain is genius. Whether its a thoughtful dissertation on modern R&B or a passing observation of Winston the cat, I can always count on reading each post from beginning to end. I also credit Rich, along with Fresh at Crunk & Disorderly for keeping me in the loop of pop culture and making me a better entertainment reporter.

5. The Consumerist

It's no secret that I am a fan of The Consumerist. It is my all-time favorite blog 1) because it exhibits a standard of community journalism that mainstream media should take note of and 2) its advice on consumer rights is helpful to everyone... and I do mean everyone. The Consumerist is one of a handful of blogs that is not lumped into a category in my Google Reader, simply because it defies categorization.

Labels: blogging

A video chronicling what happens after you make the front page of Digg. How it was created after the jump....





•The video was created in roughly three days and is based on real experiences after this post hit the front page of Digg.

•The copy was storyboarded, along with sketches of the emotions, on a 7x9 notebook.

•The audio was recorded with a $20 microphone in a bedroom closet and mixed using Adobe Audition (and sounds much better in its original, pre-YouTube form).

•The character was created stop-motion style in Photoshop and animated in Flash using motion tweens and paths.

•Finding a free 40's/50's style font was one of the most-time consuming portions of the project. Analysis of the lettering of a retro ad using font analyzer WhatTheFont returned the pricey font "Sonora Pro." The totally free "Honey Script" was used instead.

•The final product was converted from SWF to MPEG using SWF to Video Scout, which has a 45-day trial period.

Feel free to ask any questions or share any comments.

Labels: blogging

There have been a number of technological advances in journalism in the four years since the last Summer Olympic Games so this year promises to be a breakthrough in how the Olympics are covered. News organizations, citizen journalists and corporations have been gearing up for some time now to present the best in multimedia, print and online coverage as well as advertising and social networking. Here is some of the best of what to expect:


Blogs

One of my biggest dreams is to attend the Olympics games, but I opted out this year for two reasons 1) I was concerned about the restrictions on journalists and 2) I have a strong aversion to Chinese food. That said, I'll see you in London in 2012. In the meantime, there are a number of other media and interested parties that will be covering the Olympic Games:

• The New York Times Olympics blog
• Los Angeles Times: Ticket to Beijing
• BBC Sport Olympics 2008
• ESPN Olympics Blog
• Indian Olympic Blog
• San Jose Mercury News Olympic Games Blog
• Beijing Olympics Fan
• Reuters
• FanNation Beijing Olympics Blog
• Reuters
• Times Online: Barnes in Beijing

Google also has an interesting way of keeping tabs on the Games. Just enter the name of the event you are interested in plus the word 'olympics' in the search field and Google will return a schedule of upcoming events. You can also get updates from a number of Twitter users.



For those journalists reading from Beijing, PopPhoto has some advice for navigating around China and the Olympic atmosphere.


Video


In addition to offering more than extensive coverage of the Olympic Games in the US, NBC will make an additional 2,200 hours of streaming video available online at NBCOlympics.com. On the other side of the world, CCTV.com and Adobe have partnered up to offer more than 5,000 hours of streaming video to mainland China and Macau via CCTVOlympics.com

In countries where NBC doesn't have exclusive rights to Olympic video, the games will be broadcast online on YouTube. This includes 77 territories in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

US residents who are unable to watch the Games either on television or online have the option of downloading Olympics on the Go, a Tivo-like service that will download selected events straight to their computer. Best of all, the service is free.


Multimedia

The New York Times, that stalwart exemplar of multimedia, has some pretty comprehensive coverage, including two awesome Flash-based interactive projects: Olympic Medal Count Map, which uses expanding circles to illustrate the number of medals won over the years by various countries, and Passing the Torch, a visual history of the Olympic torch.




The Chicago Tribune's photo gallery "Olympic athletes you can root for" is a compelling look at Olympians who may not be household names. Some of the venues where the athletes compete and visitors will tour, including the Olympic Sports Centre and Tiananmen Square can be viewed in 3D by clicking here.


Print

Text is the foundation of journalism and there have already been a number of feature stories published online that are worth a read.

From BBC News: The Olympic torch's shadowy past

From Sportingo: The top ten greatest Olympic moments

From mental_floss: What happens to Olympic facilities after the games are over?

From WebUrbanist: 8 Pivotal Olympic Villages And Venues Then And Now


Widgets

    

    

Left to right: USA Today, NBC , Google Gadgets, Widgetbox


Mobile


When you just got can't make to the television in time to catch your favorite Olympic event, be sure to turn to any of the following mobile sites offering Olympic coverage:

Yahoo!

Sky

NBC

New York Times

Sports Illustrated/SI.com

USA Today

Times Online


Advertising


Coca-Cola wasn't yet invented at the first Olympic Games, but the beverage corporation and a number of other companies are making up for lost time by plastering their image all over Beijing and the web.

Lenovo, a similarly ubiquitous sponsor of the Olympiad, has put together Voices of the Olympic Games, an online site in which real Olympic athletes share their stories and experiences. Olympians like Peter Lopez, a member of the Peruvian taekwondo team, seem genuinely excited to blog about Beijing, and — good news here — he and others are blogging in their native language.

As Panasonic will gladly tell you, the electronics giant has been sponsoring the Olympic Games for 20 years. This year is, of course, no different. It's Japanese site offers Olympic-themed video/ads and other goodies like desktop wallpaper. In the U.S., the Panasonic Mobile Tour is already underway. A huge rig equipped with the latest in television technology is traveling around the country to show off the Olympic Games in high definition.

McDonald's will be feeding many visitors to Beijing in the Olympic Village, and, in some selected countries, will offer its "China Menu" which includes a burger topped with sesame seeds, chop suey and ginger sauce. And finally you can catch Olympians in all their glory in a visually arresting set of ads for Powerade by clicking here (SFW).



You can check out my personal contribution to Olympic fever at Entertainment Weekly. How are you covering the Olympic Games? Or, if you are a fan, how will you be following them? Share your plans in the comments.

Labels: blogging, citizen journalism, maps, mobile, social networking, video, widgets