Some time ago I offered to be a Mentor for the New Diary Writers group on DK4. About that time things here in Wisconsin exploded...and my time was spent taking photos at protest marches and blogging about what was happening at those marches. The events over the last month or so really took a toll on me physically, mentally and emotionally. Just this past Saturday my girlfriend (it seems odd to say that when I am 43) was worried about my health as I am really just two months removed from cervical spine surgery. After the rally on Saturday, I slept for eleven hours...very unusual for me. But now I am well rested and ready to get on with life...I can't be all anti-Scott Walker all the time (Well, I can, and I am...I just need a change of pace tonight)
But I digress...this is going to be a diary about writing a diary.
Please follow me below the fold.
First a little bit of background about myself that you may not know, I am currently a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin - Stout and I am enrolled in the Masters of Technical and Professional Communications program. I am about halfway through the program. I am also a graduate assistant in the same program. So I know a thing or two about writing and blogging. I have taken classes in blogging and social media...pretty fascinating stuff.
So you are new to Daily Kos, have been lurking or just want to improve your diaries. Well, you have come to the right place. My first suggestion to you is to write. You do not need to post anything, just carry a notebook around and write.
This is my notebook, I carry it with me everywhere. You never know when I good idea will hit you or when you will see something that will strike your eye.
Now, you have an idea. You want to write it an publish it here on the "Great Orange Satan." The first thing you need to do is write out your diary in a word processing application and use the spell check feature (but don't trust it completely, spell check can change the meaning of a diary if it suggests the wrong word). I have seen many a good diary that I could not recommend due to horrible spelling.
Make sure you put spaces between your paragraphs. This is especially important if you are writing a longer diary. If you want to break up the text even more put in a photo or two. Even if it is unrelated to the diary.
Photos have a lot of power behind them, an image can tell a thousand words. An image can also make a lengthy diary less intimidating to read as it makes a solid wall of text something a bit easier to take in.
Don't quote entire news articles. We want to know what you think. How do you feel about the article? And if you quote an article, highlight the text and then click the "blockquote" button on the bottom of the diary entry field. It will make your quote stand out from your words.
Not all diaries will make it to the recommended list, some diaries will only get a couple of Recs and maybe a comment or two. Do not let that discourage you. Keep writing, remember that even the most accomplished diarist here has written a turkey or two.
One other note on photos before I go...try to put your captions below the photo. That makes the caption a little bit more clear as to which photo it belongs to. You also may want to leave a space or two between photos.
Now, I will leave you all with some photos and a request.
Spring is on the way...
Soon this Maple tree will once again be full of life. (Note to Fox News...we have Maple Trees in Wisconsin...not Palm Trees.)
We must not forget the fight.
Now the request, please vote for me so that I can get a Netroots Nation Scholarship.