Blogging for Web 2.0 has become a popular trend, with celebrity tech bloggers like Michael Arrington, Guy Kawasaki, and Om Malik commanding millions of readers and dollars. I foolishly dismissed blogging when it first started gaining momentum. I saw it only as what it is for 90% of bloggers (myself included): a new way to post mediocre content that no one else would care to read. I didn’t really think about the potential for professionals and experts to start their own blogs, and amateurs to become professional bloggers. But here we are.
I went to the Techcrunch 7 party last week. It was a strange crowd. Successful entrepreneurs with millions of customers, garage-stage startups passing out business cards like candy, and venture capitalists trying to get a handle on the next big thing. And bloggers, of course. It was a great experience, and I’m grateful to Michael for the opportunity to rub shoulders with Silicon Valley’s finest and most hopeful.
The links to the right will give you an idea of my favorite blogs and sites. I spend quite a bit of time reading the comments on the blog posts, and I’ve even started contributing. The blogosphere is an interesting phenomenon. Michael Arrington notes that the blogosphere is what makes blogging powerful, not the power of the individual blogger. The web of interconnected bloggers, linking to each other stories, as well as the legion of readers who leave comments and discuss and engage in (mostly) authentic dialogue is what makes blogging such a powerful cultural phenomenon. This global conversation called the blogosphere has captivated my interest enough that I’ve decided to start this little blog. I’m not starting the blog because I want to be the next Mike, Guy, or Om. I’m no journalist, and I’m not the greatest writer. Nor do I have an impressive background in the web industry. I’m starting it because I love technology and business and the intersection of those two topics in the form of web startups. I have a startup of my own€¦a little project called blueswarm.org. I’ll give out more details as time goes on. I’ll use this blog to talk about my experience starting a tiny company with big dreams, living in San Francisco, growing up, and working in the web industry (I’m starting a job as an Associate Product Manager at gamespot.com). From time to time, I’ll profile new websites, gadgets, etc that I love, so feel free to send me a request to check out your new site or service.