Blogging Art and Practice: The website

– Posted in: Blogging Art and Practice
11 comments

I’m starting a new website to explain blogging and related technical matters in plain English. It’s called Blogging Art and Practice.

There are some things about blogging that involve technical skill or know-how. I call those practices. I strive to use the best practices, to make my blog easier for people to read, for search engines to find. But there is an art to blogging, too. It involves finding your own voice, expressing your view of the world, writing well.

I’d like to help you with both of those. As a start, I’ve added the handout that I developed for the garden blog presentation that I gave at the Garden Writers Association symposium last month. I’m hoping you will send me questions through the contact form there. I’d eventually like to build an FAQ and a glossary to help “normal” people wade through the jargon.

Stop by when you get the chance and let me know what you think.

I’ve often been tempted to delve into these topics on this blog, but I’ve wanted to keep Cold Climate Gardening focused on gardening, not blogging. Now I’ve got a place to explore the blogging part of garden blogging, so it’s no longer a temptation I’ll have to resist.

I don’t plan on posting there as regularly as I do here. I will let the questions I receive direct my writing. I’ll also post on problems I solve for myself, and new information as I find it.

About the Author

Kathy Purdy is a colchicum evangelist, converting unsuspecting gardeners into colchicophiles. She gardens in rural upstate NY, which used to be USDA Hardiness Zone 4 but is now Zone 5. Kathy’s been writing since 4th grade, gardening since high school, and blogging since 2002. Find her on Instagram as kopurdy.

In its own way, frost may be one of the most beautiful things to happen in your garden all year . . . Don’t miss it. Like all true beauty, it is fleeting. It will grace your garden for but a short while this morning. . . . For this moment, embrace frost as the beautiful gift that it is.

~Philip Harnden in A Gardener’s Guide to Frost: Outwit the Weather and Extend the Spring and Fall Seasons

Comments on this entry are closed.

Robin October 20, 2007, 10:11 pm

This will be helpful to those of us who are technology challenged. I have made several trips to my local Barnes and Noble and studied books on blogging. There is so much to learn.

Curtis October 19, 2007, 8:28 am

Your knowledge of blogging and gardening will be a great benefit to your new site.

Mr. McGregor's Daughter October 17, 2007, 1:23 pm

Thank you! Us blogging neophytes & non-techheads need all the help we can get.

OSoNY October 17, 2007, 8:27 am

Good luck with the new blog!!

I did a blog round up today, you’re in it.

Carol October 16, 2007, 8:03 pm

Good luck with the new blogging site. If I ever decide to switch to WordPress, you’ll be the first person I consult!

bill October 16, 2007, 5:05 pm

Good idea.

I’ve recently noticed people using WordPress as a simple way to build a website for a garden club or similar group. While it seems a nobrainer for experienced bloggers, there does not seem to be much written about that useage from the perspective of a neophyte.

Robin (Bumblebee) October 16, 2007, 4:27 pm

Hi Kathy,

I wonderd when the announcement was coming. Excellent job on the new website. The design is very appealig. There is a great amount of into in the handouts section.

Good luck! I’ll be checking in.

–Robin (Bumblebee)

susan harris October 16, 2007, 2:40 pm

Ditto Pam’s sentiments. I’m going to link to the site on my site’s “Gardening Sites and Blogs” page. You’re going a long way to lowering the barriers to entry into this very cool world. S

Pam/Digging October 16, 2007, 1:20 pm

Great idea, Kathy. I don’t know how you have time for another blog, but great idea. 😉 I look forward to checking it out from time to time.