Danah Boyd offers an introductory study of a sometimes hard-to-grasp form of expression in “A Blogger’s Blog: Exploring the Definition of a Medium.” Over the course of the article, Boyd attempts to lasso the act of blogging into a definable sphere, using research and testimony from a range of experienced bloggers. Through wrestling for a definition for a blog, Boyd illuminates portions of the nature of blogging. Problems with definition arise, mainly with the use of metaphor to facilitate the understanding of blogs. Blogs as “online diaries” is not a sufficient explanation for Boyd, a sentiment with which I agree. Though many may use blogs for accounts of personal thoughts or events on a day-to-day basis, the act of blogging can be much more than an individual expressing his or her feelings. Boyd reminds us that blogging can be a form of journalism, and cautions people at large not to regard journalist bloggers as purely amateur or even naive. Apart from the uses of blogs, though there are many, Boyd also addresses the public aspect of blogging and how bloggers act when it seems that any wandering eye can fall on their personal online space. Yet Boyd makes a clear point in saying that bloggers expect a great deal of onlookers, but that expectation does not dissuade them. Rather, bloggers must welcome readers in order to attract those with whom their content will resonate. If that means that a few unwelcome guests may visit, bloggers accept such an event as a possibility of having a blog in the first place. Yet ultimately, this form of personal expression, which cannot be seen as a simple diary, is about connecting with like-minded readers – from wherever those readers may come.

“Blogs blur the line between orality and textuality, altering both the mechanisms for performance the power dynamics between performer(s) and audience. The medium creates a dynamic that is synchronous and asynchronous, performative and voyeuristic. Yet, it is unclear how the blurring of the lines in this medium may affect the relationship between orality and textuality in other mediums.”