To ensure everyone's good health, students in NYC classes must provide proof of full Covid vaccinations (the initial series of Covid vaccines plus at least one booster). We will accept your Covid vaccine card (or a digital scan), a NY State Excelsior digital card, or another form of government-approved proof. We will contact you before class begins about showing us proof. Masks are encouraged, but not required. We'll provide masks for those who need them.
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Blog Basics
GUIDE TO NONFICTION COURSES
Nonfiction Pathways
Foundation
If you’re not sure what kind of nonfiction to write...
If you know what kind of nonfiction to write...
Or...
If you want a rather short course...
Next Steps
After completing a Level I ten-week course...
After completing Memoir II, if you want to write a book...
Selling Your Work
If you hope to get published somewhere...
Also Helpful
These essential courses are great for writers of any level.
Blog Basics is a 4-week class, which includes a mixture of lectures and blog assignments. It’s for beginners or anyone who wants a refresher. Farther down, you can view a syllabus for this course.
Blogs come in all shapes and styles, and have become an established part of the literary, journalistic, professional, and social landscape. They’re a great way to establish a platform as a writer or expert, promote a business, or just let the world know what you’re up to.
Perhaps you would like to start a blog. Or improve your blog. The beautiful thing about blogs is that you don’t have to wait for permission to publish your work. You can just start doing it. The trick, though, is to do it well.
Here you’ll get an overview of the entire blog process—focusing your concept, setting up your blog, generating good content, attracting attention. All under the guidance of an experienced blogger.
You'll be blogging by the end & learning how promote your blog. I highly recommend it.
Holly Warah
blogger
Notes
This course is geared for students who are new to blogging, or without much experience in the field.
Some technical advice will be offered, but there is no tech support for setting up or adjusting a blog.
If you wish to focus specifically on blog writing, then consider our Blog Writing course.
Upcoming Classes
NYC COVID Info
Price
Registration fee $25, paid once per term
4-Week
-
Online
Anytime, week-long sessions
Tuition: $175
Syllabus
This course gives you a firm grounding in the basics of blogging, and helps you get a blog off the ground, or refine an existing blog. Course components:
Lectures
Setting up and receiving feedback on your blog (each student presenting work two times)
Week 1
The Blogosphere (and You): The spectrum of blogs. Types of blogs—diary, opinion, news/updates, reviews/advice, other. Reasons to blog—money, platform, express/share/be heard. Blog concept. Finding your concept. Blog names.
Week 2
Setting Up Your Blog: Hosted platforms. Self-hosted platforms—software, web hosts, domain registration. Names—blog, domain, platform. Design. Posts. About page. Widgets/plug-ins. Labeling—categories, tags, favorites, recents, permalinks, archives. Links—internal and external, pingbacks, cited sources. Blogroll. Images,video, audio. Comments. Subscriptions—email, RSS.
Week 3
Creating Content: Frequency. Length. Focus. Good blog writing. Ideas. Voice. Snark. Spicing up your posts. Mixing it up—images/video/audio/cited sources. Professionalism. Legal issues. Dangers of blogging.
Week 4
Connecting to the World: Search engines. Keywords and tags. Links—direct, internal, from other blogs, enticements. Tracking traffic. Interacting with visitors. Social media—networks, microblogs, bookmarking, sharing sites. Making money—advertisements, merchandising, contributions. Freelance blogging.
Note: Content may vary among individual classes.
Teachers
Kimberly Brittingham
Kimberly Brittingham is the author of the memoir Read My Hips (Three River Press) and Write That Memoir Right Now (AudioGo). She has written blog posts for dozens of businesses, from apparel manufacturers to financial professionals. She has published nonfiction at Salon, iVillage, and Fresh Yarn, and she was the founder of Café Eighties magazine.
Read moreKimberly Brittingham
Kimberly Brittingham
is the author of the memoir Read My Hips (Three River Press) and Write That Memoir Right Now (AudioGo). She has written blog posts for dozens of businesses, from apparel manufacturers to financial professionals. She has published nonfiction at Salon, iVillage, and Fresh Yarn, and she was the founder of Café Eighties magazine.
