Blog readers, yesterday's blog was Wellfleet Chezsven's 500th post! Pretty amazing. This spring blogs are popping up faster than the daffodils.
Castle Hill even offers a course “designed to introduce students to the blogging experience,” above. The write-up does not specify that attendees will depart with a silver key that opens the door to blogger renown. They will simply examine history/impact and receive a "thorough grounding in the technical aspects of setting up.” Blogging hopefuls, be forewarned! Not everyone can become a successful blogger. First off, you need to know how to write well. Second you must be able to interest an audience. I find that blogging is very similar to live radio broadcast, my absolute favorite job of all time. You create a personal statement, send words out into cyberspace, and thus communicate with strangers who react or do not react, depending upon circumstance. Being able to write does not guarantee success as a blogger. 
For me, a successful blog is steady in content from day to day, has a subject, and sticks to that subject. Too many people blogging think daily life will interest perfect strangers. Not true! While some daily-life-kinky blogs may titillate the masses, what works best, in my opinion, is to pick a subject that allows lots of embroidery. Establish the pattern and follow it. Fortunately, the canvas I chose is broad. Bloggers must come up with a new topic for every post. Sometimes I base a blog around a photo. For instance, this image of sand bags by the harbor could have been the starting point for 500 words about survivors of Katrina relocated to Cape Cod or preparation for hurricanes or even flooding in Fargo,if I could relate it somehow to the Outer Cape. Good blogs provide food for thought, which explains the incredible success of political bloggers over the past four years. Good blogs also have humor. 
Each post should be a stand-alone unit. Not everyone can pull this off and keep readers returning for more. I used to do radio in France. The boss at my first radio job told me, “Be relevant and irreverent.” That’s what I keep in the back of my mind and purposely use a voice meant to entertain. Note, I do not receive press releases or tips from reporters or go out of my way to track down stories. Instead, I offer whatever life sends my way, as long as it relates to being an innkeeper at a green bed & breakfast, fortunate enough to live in beautiful Wellfleet.
