Del Marbrook from theSOP.org Gives Bloggers Food for Thought

By Deanna Lee Meiresonne

TheSOP.org is a fantastic website for both established and beginner journalists and editors. TheSOP.org is not only designed as a teaching resource, it is also a high quality news and information source. Judyth Piazza (founder of TheSOP.org and content editor for NewsBlaze.com), through her expertise offers friendship and advice to both contributing writers and editors through daily podcasts, story opportunities, as well as informative articles.

Recently, Piazza launched a new weekly podcast "Hot Copy" hosted by Del Marbrook, an established editor and mentor for TheSOP.org. Marbrook's most recent podcast titled "The Ugly Blogger", addressed bloggers directly. The hard-to-miss trend has undergone positive and negative exposure, whereas some print publications struggle to compete with the accessibility and availability of blog headlines.

Rather than re-hash previously discussed issues of blogging, Marbrook choose instead to re-direct the focus back to the quality of the writing. Any writer, young or old, print or online, would be well advised to read or listen to it. Marbrook acknowledges the blogging world as a trend that will not be disappearing soon. He bravely points out that blogs have their values too, if the power handed to the writer is used wisely.

True journalism, Marbrook reminds us, is not about expressing every opinion that comes to a writer's mind. It is rather about a story, one that affects more than just the writer, and reaching out to the people so that they may be informed. While it may be simple to flush out a few haphazard buzzwords and press "Publish", true bloggers should never forget that they too, however fleeting it may seem, "have a responsibility." While some readers want a shock affect in their stories, no one wants to be slapped. Marbrook helps distinguish in his podcast the fine line between truth and trashy.

It is easy in these circumstances to let slip the spelling error or the run-on sentence. But what can be most damaging to you, your idea, and your reader is the overall quality of your writing. As Marbrook put it, a blogger should seek to establish a trust between themselves and the reader. A reader will only put as much value into your writing as you put into it.

In the heated discussion between online and print journalists, the original idea behind journalism is often forgotten. Marbrook reminds us why we are all here; to write, to read, and to understand. To spread an idea that is worth knowing. Even the best of us would do well to keep this in mind as we set out for our next headline.

Marbrook is the author of the book Saraceno (Open Book Press), and has been the editor of such publications as The Baltimore Sun and The Washington Star, as well as a reporter for The Providence Journal. You can visit his website at www.delmarbook.com , blog www.djelloulmarbrook.com or read or listen to "The Ugly Blogger" here.

Deanna Lee Meiresonne is a talented journalist and fashion editor, additionally well-versed in screenwriting and creative fiction. Contact her at NewsBlaze.com or view her work at BrooWaha