The task of choosing a topic to write about for a semester? Daunting.
Do I write about the weather? Is this a space that I want to use for activism, career development, or reflection? Am I writing for myself with the intention of attracting an audience or am I writing for an audience from the gates? How many rhetorical questions are too many rhetorical questions?
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Well, not exactly. I do have some things.
After spending the afternoon looking at blogs that got my attention and talking with my friends about their lives, I realized that I am attracted to the lifestyle blog format. Specifically, Two Peaks, a blog written by two Dickinson Alums. They use their technological space to write about their transition into a more sustainable way of living, their love for each-other and the non-human world, and as a space to post appealing images of their lives. The minimalist style and the crispness of their images gives the appearance that their lives are together and the advice they have to offer is authentic.
I could do that! I say as I slop ramen onto my sweatshirt.
So, I like the platform of advice giving, “this is my life,” and the employment of images. I also fancy humor. Memes. Specifically, memes that are sarcastic. The blog McMansion Hell really captures my sense of humor, images overlaid with text, sarcasm, a strong authorial voice…analysis.
Alone in the library I had my blog writing epiphany.
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I’m an English major. I can write about the experience of thesis writing and perform meme worthy close readings on my friend’s self proclaimed “poorly written awful poems” from high school. We all have them, so why not pull them and my close reading skills out from under the bed and turn them into a laugh?
I then spent some time exploring the field of “Thesis undergraduate blogs” and found a lot of creative writing blogs, and blogs that gave advice to seniors (or PhD chasers) who were struggling with their thesis. My preliminary search came back with a gap in the field. Where was the humor?
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After some brainstorming I have come up with this idea. “Revised Ravings,” is going to be a blog about being a senior English major, for seniors or peoples going through stressful projects. Along with a narration of the experience and advice for people struggling through the stresses, I am going to 1: perform awful close readings on famous writings and 2: perform close readings on the poems my friends submit. Additionally, there will be an Instagram account where I photograph books that I will be using for my thesis (maybe) and write humorous annotations as I stage them across campus. Through this platform I will let my audience know that– I AM HERE FOLLOW MY BLOG FOR MORE CONTENT.
People take themselves too seriously during the whole thesis writing process and if I can make someone laugh (or even myself), I want to deliver.