by Sarah Todd

Created on: June 03, 2009

The word blog is an abbreviation for Web Log. Described as an online diary, a blog gives its writer the freedom to express his or her personal thoughts and opinions to what is potentially the biggest audience in the world. The freedom and accessibility of the Internet means that anyone in the world can access any blog at any time. Theoretically a blog has the potential to be read by more people than any best selling book. It's a disturbing, yet exhilarating thought.

Blogs are virtually the ultimate soapbox, and the true success of a blog depends on how the writer wants to reach his or her readers. There are a number of different ways in which to write a blog, and the content supplied needs to be considered according to the audience you want to reach. The first consideration is the type of blog to be written.

Some of the most popular blogs are cultural. These attract a wide audience and discuss different cultural activities, ranging from sports to theatre and films. One way to use a cultural blog is to write a book or film review, or share the experience of attending a live concert. Imagine being able share a review and report on a concert given by a popular entertainer like Madonna with readers from all over the world. You can compare your concert experience with people on continents who have seen the same show. That's why cultural blogs are so popular.

A topical blog is more specific, in that it focuses on a niche market. Local blogs, covering events in a neighbourhood, a town or a city fit this description. The people living in the specific area featured in the blog are actual participants to all events and happenings in the blog. Another type of a topical blog is one that covers a specific subject rather than a physical area. For example: a patient living with cancer can share many aspects of the condition with readers. He can share his daily feelings as he undergoes treatment and the reactions of his family and friends with readers who may have the same medical dilemma. Organizations covering human rights abuses in a specific country can blog about their findings, making people all over the world aware of the situation in which they're working. On a lighter note pet owners have written blogs from their pet's point of view, allowing their animal to narrate the entries. Animal lovers all over the world can contribute and share their own experiences with their owners in a light hearted, humorous style.

A political blog is dependent upon the media and

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