Thursday, April 3, 2008
Temper Blog Without Taming It?
Q. I know you've addressed the question of whether or not to point prospective employers to your personal blog for writing samples and to let them know you're familiar with new media technology, but what about blogs that cover a specific "beat?"
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Here's my situation: I recently re-designed and re-launched a blog geared toward people who work in the service industry -- bartenders, restaurant servers, baristas etc. To attract readers and keep them, I really believe the content needs to, at least sometimes, be a bit edgy. Some of the content is (or will be) written by me -- articles about interesting people who work in the industry, trends, how-to's, advice, restaurant articles written from an insiders point-of-view. Some of the content points readers to other Web sites, and a little bit of the content is submitted by readers, mostly jokes (often off-color, never racist though).
I'd like prospective employers to see it. I plan to use as a way to build my "brand" and to tell stories not told elsewhere. Also, more and more I run across job listings asking specifically for people who blog. I worry, though, that some editors might be scared off by some of the edgier content. This is the first impression they'll have of me.
I recently received a rejection letter from the owner of a small publication who was offended by something I had written. It wasn't a job I really wanted, but I probably would have received an offer if not for one post.
How do I handle this? How do I write in a voice I believe is appropriate and entertaining for my readers, cover an industry and a sub-culture that is not exactly mainstream and try my hand at humor and commentary without turning off editors?
I could really use some advice before I completely ruin my chances with every editor and publisher in Chicago.
Trying to ServeA. The posts I read on your blog did not offend me. But I don't think the jokes that people submitted add anything to it.
I'm not going to tell you to take the edge off your writing so that you can use your blog to get a job. That seems to me to be some sort of sellout. Write the blog to serve its readers -- and look for employers who get that. Otherwise, you are
writing a blog for people who normally would never look at it. That does not seem to be a recipe for success.
As one purpose of your blog seems to be to get you picked up or noticed -- in a good way -- keep that in mind as you write, but don't compromise the kernel of what you're doing.
Maybe the blog will be some sort of litmus test. Editors who don't get it or like it may not be editors you want to work with.
I should think some editor in Chicago will get what you're trying to do. One in Detroit does.
Coming Friday: His publisher has told him to lay people off at his understaffed paper, but he is loath to cut jobs or quality -- or put in more time while a thesis deadline is staring him in the face.
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