If you define a blog as a collection of personal thoughts and reflections that are published online, then I’ve been a blogger since 1997. That’s a decade — half an eternity by Web standards. And ever since I can remember, one of the unwritten rules about blogging has been that no one really pays attention to what you write.
Well, trust me, that’s not true anymore. If you publish your own blog, just take a look at your Web analytics software. Who are all those people?
So here’s the new rule: People are reading your blog. A lot of them are reading very closely.
I recently began participating in a mentorship program at my journalism school. I think one of my first conversations with the student I’m assigned to will be about blogging, and the importance of holding yourself to the same high standards on your blog as you do as a working reporter.
I wish someone had given me that advice ten years ago.
My primary purpose in blogging is to help other travelers. So in a few days, I’ll be clearly separating my personal blog from my professional one, so that there can be no confusion between the two. And my personal posts will probably be limited to links to my kids, holiday well-wishes and musings about the weather. (I’ll try not to bore you.)
Thanks for reading, and as always, please send me any feedback by email.
✓ Get the latest travel news, tips and commentary from Elliott’s E-Mail, the subversive newsletter from industry gadfly Christopher Elliott. You’ll travel like a pro. Sign up here. It’s free.
Sign up for my 
