i didnt see 31...oh now i do

It's interesting.  Because the initial idea behind a blog was to be an online web lob aka diary.  So that would mean that it would be all about the person writing and their life.  The majority of your points show that this has changed to be about what others think.

Mike,

Can you show an entry that meets this criteria (or most of it), that actually comes close to your ideal? :) 

Actually thinking about it.  The post might read something like this

------------ 

Title: Often Quoted.

If you're looking for brilliance here, stop.  Go read your Bible instead. 

------------

Although that does defeat driving people here. ;) 

Good list!  I'm going to have to print it off now, and stick by the computer monitor (at home, not work), so that I can make sure I write the ideal blog!  Thanks for the suggestions Mike!

Did you have any idea of what you would stir up when you wrote your list? I doubt it!

Because publishing has been my life-long passion and my profession, experience has given me the confidence to break the rules and go with my instincts. However, I understand that many find blogging intimidating and I commend anyone who speaks up when they have something to share. Good ideas and a desire to be part of the community aren't limited to those who know the mechanics of blogging.

I'm sure if you had it to do over again, you would stress the things you said in your June 19 comment. My hope is that people will see your list as advice from a well-meaning friend, not a set of rules they have to conform to in order to blog. Perhaps #31 should be featured more prominantly and reworded to say something like this: "MOST IMPORTANT: Start where you are, try to improve along the way (especially if you want comments), AND don't take yourself - or me or this list - too seriously."

Personally and professionally, I think you have given a very thorough list of what constitutes a well-read and well-received blog. I'm going to print it out and refer to it as the "ideal," keeping in mind #31! THANK YOU.

Point #15 seems to be the biggest "hot-button" on this list...makes me think...

Are we here to share what the Lord has shared with us, attempting to do our part to edify our brothers and sisters in Christ? or are we here to share whatever random (and perhaps counter-productive) thoughts happen to jump across our minds?

What if the original penners of the Scriptures had gone back later and "editted" what came across their minds as "not quite ideal"?  If we're seeking to give our brothers and sisters what the Lord has first given to us, wouldn't that be most accurately portrayed the first time?  That brings up a follow-up question: if we need to keep changing it, is it even from the Lord in the first place?

I know I've been guilty before of putting finger-to-keyboard regarding things that have not been given me by the Lord, but rather have simply been ramblings or whatever, so I'm no different by any means from anyone else here.  I know also that the Lord has been gracious even to stop me from time to time and give me something truly from Him (as was the recent case of the "From-To/Re-direction" blog).  Shouldn't we be seeking to "be the Church" -- with all that that involves -- instead of just being a "Christian version of _____"?

If I come across sharply, I pray you'll be forgiving...I've just been convicted lately about how quickly we're hurtling towards some really tough time, and I know I don't want to face my Lord being guilty of wasting so much precious time writing about how many Oreos I was able to stuff in my mouth yesterday...I want to be able to face Him knowing that though I by no means was perfect in my actions here on Earth, I at least gave my best shot at doing what He wanted me to do in regard to edifying His Body.

In His service, and yours,
jason

I can't speak for everyone else, but I have never "changed" what I feel the Lord has spoken to me, or a message from His Word.  I have only changed my grammar and typos :)  

This started out as one random thought, but evolved into something that should be a bulleted list.  There by if it was a post, I would be breaking a rule I'm sure.  As it is, it's just a comment, so I'm sure I'm breaking a different rule.  (that was supposed to be a light hearted comment, not an argumentative one. :) )

By the way, my original point in the post above was expressed much better by Voice in DC.  

My personal opinion is to pay attention to why you are writing what you are writing (or posting if it's an image/video/something else).  For instance, this post is now linked to from "How to get around MyChurch".  Think back to when you were a newbie here.  How much longer would it have taken you to get involved if you had read this list?  Better yet, would you have gotten involved here if you thought people were expecting these things of you?  Sorry if the rest of this seems argumentative and I'm not trying rip anyone apart.  I just see a lot of "this is great".  My question is "For who"?

I still have yet to see an ideal post (meaning it fit all of the criteria (or even half)). 

If the point is to exalt the Lord, isn't it somewhat odd to also say the point is to drive people here?  How does driving people here exalt God? 

As for whether we should edit, I suggest you write your favorite christian author/artist/minister/etc. and ask whether they ever go back and change anything.  There have been many times where I heard what I thought the Spirit said and then realized the wax in my ears (or rocks in my head) got in the way of hearing what I was supposed to.   And not correcting typos when you notice them says what?  I'm not saying you have to correct typos, but if you want to, do you think the Holy Spirit is going to say no?  When typing up the translations of the Bible I'm sure that someone has accidentally made a typo at some point.  If they noticed it, would they not go back and correct it?  Also before you say do spelling checks, perhaps there should be a spelling check in the tool we're writing with. (Yeah some people get all high tech and use some other editing software.  If I fired up something else to write this it would be notepad which doesn't have spell check either. :) )  Alright, I'm done beating that dead horse. 

I've asked this question multiple times elsewhere, but navigation (without forming a clique) is out of my control.  I cannot make my post easy to find.  (Yes I know I could do an RSS feed on my profile.  I don't see how that makes things easier to find unless I go and visit someone in my clique.)

I think I nail #4 and #20 with every post I do. ;)   And I do struggle at times with #27.

Shouldn't we be seeking to "be the Church" -- with all that that involves -- instead of just being a "Christian version of _____"?

In my opinion, one of the things the Church doesn't do well that it should is to admit when they do make a mistake.

I went to your profile and checked out your demonstration of #34. Now I have some more work to do, thanks to you!. Oh, that didn't come out quite right - I am glad to know how to keep my best blogs from disappearing. I appreciate knowing how to do that. (I'm demonstrating #31 here.)

You have also demonstrated another way to keep a blog out there: write something sure to be controversial. The comments will just keep coming and keep it "fresh."

I wonder if this pot will just keep stirring itself? I'm betting yes!

Do you want to take this outside Mike n Laura? I will go David and Goliath so fast its not even funny. I had a need to talk about Ninja's and pirates. And about the shoes..... Jesus walked a mile in my shoes....both of them. but besides your (obviously) faulty pounding of my blogs...I forgive you....;)

Keepin it Real

I have written a comment to this i can't begin to tell you how many times and deleted everyone I love you my brother in the Lord but a perfect blogger i'm not, interesting i don't think so , i just write  when the mood hits me. If people read it it's ok if they don't it's ok. I do love to read the blogs i like the funny ones they are my escape from reality. I liked the purple sleeping bag it not only was fun to read and write into but it was a ministry tool to get help for someone in need that was the coolest thing.So you all keep blogging and i will too but mine will probably break all the rules..Sorry.......Loves ya all.................

To go for the whole circular thing (and to hold to the pluggin' thing), I wrote a followup to my comments above.

The Ideal MAP

Mike,

We've gone back and forth on this in e-mail, however I hadn't read your last comment here.  We've also had a conversation about intent.  The thing is, you keep pointing out that you think those who disagree don't understand your intent and that is why we disagree.

3 things

1) I think in e-mail I proved that I understood your intent.

2) There is a time to consider intent, and then there is a time not to.  Let me illustrate.  Consider the following.

Post Title: The ideal grass color.

Entire Content: My favorite color of grass is brown.  I like it because it shows I didn't waste a lot of time keeping up my yard instead of evangelizing! 

Even if we take into consideration that the person who wrote it had the intent to express his favorite grass color and why he is proud of it, would you really be surprised to see dissenting opinions in the comments?  It's not that we have a problem with the intent.  We have a problem with the content/conclusion.

3) Perhaps those of us who have dissenting opinions have been around long enough to have seen these things happen on other boards/blogs/wherever.  Invariably, later someone else will point to this blog and say, "I read that here that an expert says you should do x,y & z when writing a blog and you aren't doing them" (whether that was the intent of the blog pointed to or not or whether the person posting it was truly an expert or not).    The very fact that we are pointing to this from "How to get around MyChurch" in my mind only validates my argument.  We just haven't seen the "you aren't doing this" comments yet.  And yet only dissenting opinions are being told they misunderstood the intent.

---  

And at this point, I've invested enough of my life in this discussion.  Time to go get on with the other things in life.  I'm sorry if I've in some ways caused sleepless nights for someone (besides myself ;) )

Mike N Laura,

Great Blog I wish I would have read it before I ever posted a blog.

Lots of good things to condsider in my opinion.

Cheers

JJ 

LOL, Michael, you have about 30 more to incorporate into YOUR blogs! (just kidding!!)  Funny comment bro.

Grant, I thought you've always been using this list as a guide! :-)