THE EXPAT BLOG
NaBloPoMo - National
Blog Posting Month
(click on the red links in the text to read the expat blogs)
Post every day for a month. That's all you have to do.
National Blog Posting Month, or NaBloPoMo, is a month long writing
exercise. The first NaBloPoMo occurred in November of 2006, and was
the brainchild of M.
Kennedy, an American blogger.
The name NaBloPoMo is derived from NaNoWriMo, National
Novel Writing Month,
where participants try to write an entire novel in one month.
NaNoWriMo was founded in 1999 by 21 authors in the San Francisco Bay Area who
wanted to motivate themselves into producing more written work. The challenge
requires authors to produce a 50,000-word novel within one month. Numerous
other artists followed suit, with offshoots ranging from challenges, which
require
participants to post a photograph of a new shoe every day to National Blog
Posting Month.
The rules of NaBloPoMo are simple, although the challenge is set up on an honor
system. Participants are required to publish one post on their personal website
or blog every day. There is no length requirement; with some posters writing
long essays every day and others posting photographs and brief captions.
The NaBloPoMo team provides a theme for each month, which is totally optional;
it's for people looking for a little more structure for their posting. You
need to register your blog in a blogroll for the month you wish to participate.
You
won't be automatically added to the blogroll every month.
The NaBloPoMo has over 12.000 members. Being a member is free but donations
are welcome. Members get to stick an html badge on their own blog confirming
their
membership. In July about 300 members will sit down to blog every day.
November is the big free-for-all giveaway month, with prizes donated by NaBlo
members and awarded to randomly chosen bloggers who have managed to post every
single day that month. Prizes include a variety of creative contributions like
hand knitted scarf, German chocolates, art, jars of jelly and psychic reading.
The grand prize is a year of free hosting, along with installation of Word
Press, popular blogging software.
Our own expat blogger Xiaolu attended the NaBloPoMo in November
08 and here is her last blog entry:
Ok, today is the last NaBloPoMo post. I apologize because this whole posting
every day thing has really stretched my abilities and I think the writing has
suffered a bit in proportion. I liked doing it, because it proves that I can
indeed do something if I commit to it, but of course, it has to come to an end.
Posting will be more sporadic now. ;)
The Rambling
of a girl named Joy started her NaBloPoMo of July 10`th 09 with
this post:
National Blog Posting Month
What is National Blog Posting Month? Apparently, it’s a way for me to delude
myself into thinking that I will successfully blog every day for the remainder
of July. That’s right…me, the girl who is only inspired to blog
after watching The Bachelorette. Goodness knows I cannot keep that kind of
frustration
within.
NaBloPoMo, as I like to call it (not really, but go with me), is my inspiration
to get back into the blogging groove. That’s a lot of weight for one
little website, but they started it. My lofty goals as of late have been mysteriously
disappearing from my list because I am having a bit of trouble facing my failures.
Taking on the challenge/commitment that is NaBloPoMo is a tad intimidating.
But,
here we go…
Day 1 = Task complete
If you are bored this summer get on the blogger train today. What are you waiting
for?
November?
Comment on this article
| XIAOLU ZHANG Born: Changchun, China, 1979 Family: Husband Peter, son Julian (2) Occupation: Researcher, Universität Luzern |
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Characteristics:One would think an expat blog
is what it is by virtue of the writer being abroad (and by abroad, I
mean away from one's home
country), but it isn't so.
An expat blog requires some exposition on "Why
do the citizens of (current country) do things this way when we do it
this way in (home country)?" or "This is how I managed to do
this traditionally simple thing that has turned out to be a huge pain
in the butt because I live in (current country).
This kind of blog is
fantastic to:
1) scope out the gossip on a new location if you're moving
there soon, or thinking about it,
2) network with other expats, and
3) get ideas on places to go once there.
In fact, that is my favorite thing
about expat blogs, especially ones about Switzerland: just getting some
ideas about how to explore a country that is normally a little intimidating.
Oh, and the lovely pictures throughout.