Welcome to the Bloggernacle Miller-Eccles Study Group March 24-25, 2006.

Welcome to the Bloggernacle

Miller-Eccles Study Group

March 24-25, 2006

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What is a blog?

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Blogology 101

• “Blog” is a neologism formed from the words “web log.”

• The word is both a verb and a noun; one who blogs is a blogger.

• A blog is a type of website on software that allows easy, text-based updating.

• Because of this, blogs tend to include a lot of entries (posts) and are often updated frequently.

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Blogology 101

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Blogology 101

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Blogology 101

• How did the blogging phenomenon start?• The first blog dates to 1997.• Since then, the number of blogs has

exploded. • Millions of bloggers now.• Blogging software has improved greatly –

easier and more interactive.• Blogs differ from other electronic media

such as message boards and listservs.

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Blogology 101

• Are blogs a Mormon-only thing?• Heck no!• People blog about a variety of subjects:

– Food– Their love lives– Cats

• Blogs have been increasingly prominent in the political arena.

• And yes, people blog about religion.

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What about Mormon blogs?

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Bloggernacle 101

• Ahh, now we get to the interesting part.• The bloggernacle. • How was the bloggernacle started?• It’s a relatively recent phenomenon:• 11/2002: Appearance of anonymous

group-blog, Metaphysical Elders, that discusses Mormon issues.

• 08/2003: Solo blogger “Dave” launches Dave’s Mormon Inquiry blog.

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Bloggernacle 101

• 11/2003: Times & Seasons is launched by Nate Oman, Matt Evans, Adam Greenwood, and me.

• It is an onymous group blog that springs out of e-mail discussions on the LDS-law listserv.

• Following the launch of T&S, the bloggernacle starts to become a self-feeding phenomenon.

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Bloggernacle 101

• T&S traffic stats:• 11/18/2003: Blog begins; no audience.• 11/30/2003: 65 visits a day.• 12/5/2003: 140 visits a day.• 2/2004: 400 visits a day.• 6/2004: 900 visits a day.• 12/2004: 1800 to 2000 visits a day.• Since 12/2004, traffic has held steady at around

2000 visits a day. (Sometimes dipping to 1800; sometime rising to 2200 or 2400).

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Bloggernacle 101

• Other large group blogs follow: By Common Consent in 3/2004; Feminist Mormon Housewives in 8/2004; Millennial Star in 1/2005

• In March 2004 (in response to my own on-blog call for a name for the community) the term “bloggernacle” is coined. Appropriately enough, it comes out of blog comments on that post.

• In early 2005, we see the first major aggregation service, “Mormon Archipelago” at LDSBlogs.org

• Today: Depending on who’s counting, universe of Mormon blogs is between 40-50 up to 200+

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Bloggernacle 101

• And what are we all blogging about?• A number of different things:• Questions about church doctrine or history• Personal posts about (Mormon) life• Interviews with scholars; book reviews• Announcements and events.• Navel-gazing• A hundred different things; every blog different.• Many blogs (particularly in the bloggernacle)

allow readers to make comments as well.

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Bloggernacle 101

• At one blog alone, Times and Seasons, there is nearly 10 megabytes of blog posts in a little over two years, and over 60 megabytes in comments.

• What does that mean?• Each megabyte, printed as straight text in a

Word document, equals about 250 pages.• That’s about 2500 pages of text in posts alone –

and over 15,000 pages of comments.• That’s over five times the size of the

Encyclopedia Britannica. . .. . . and that’s just one blog!

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Bloggernacle 101

• How many people read the bloggernacle?• It varies widely. (There are also some technical

gaps in our ability to measure this accurately).• The numbers that we have: Times and

Seasons: 2000 to 2400 a day; By Common Consent: 1000 to 1200; FMH 1200 to 1600.

• Newer blogs and solo blogs draw less traffic.• Popular solo-blog Splendid Sun: 300-500 a day.• Recent entrant Blogger of Jared (3 months old)

currently draws 60-100 visits per day.

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Bloggernacle 101

• As noted above, commenter participation is a big part of the bloggernacle.

• How many people comment on the blogs?• Some numbers from Times and Seasons:• All who have commented: 3241 since blog inception in

November 2003; 1271 in the past 6 months. • Every commenter who has made more than ten

comments: 617 since inception, 267 in the past six months.

• Every commenter who has made more than 50 comments: 219 since inception, 73 in the past six months.

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Bloggernacle 101

• What do these statistics show?– A core group of 70 frequent participants (50+

comments in 6 months).– A much larger group of semi-frequent participants

(10-50 comments in same period).– A very large number of people who make one or two

comments.• In a day, T&S usually draws 100-150 comments.• The bloggernacle can be distinguished from

non-Mormon blogs by its comment level.• Popular political blogs (for example) typically

don’t generate nearly this level of comments.

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Bloggernacle 101

• Do the comments add to the blog’s value?• Yes and no.• Comments may come from professors, lawyers,

scholars, artists, or experts on some topic, for example.

• On the other hand, at most blogs, just about anyone can comment.

• Noise-to-signal ratio isn’t always ideal.• Problem commenters (“trolls”) can be edited or

outright banned; software helps control spam.

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Bloggernacle 101

• How do we decide who blogs with us?• Nearly every blog has permanent

members; many also invite “guest bloggers” who post for a short time.

• Decisions on who to include are typically made by the blogger, or group. (At T&S, we regularly vote on potential guests).

• How to locate guests?• Blog commenters; networking; cold calls.

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Bloggernacle 101

• Former guest bloggers at some of the major blogs include Richard and Claudia Bushman; Daniel Peterson; Jed Woodworth; Greg Prince, and many other scholars.

• Similarly, interviewees include Neil LaBute; Todd Compton; Terryl Givens; Armand Mauss; Sen. Robert Bennett; Kathleen Flake; Sally Gordon; and numerous other scholars.

• By Common Consent is in a partnership with Dialogue, where a number of Dialogue staff and editors post at BCC.

• Choice of guests and permabloggers, as well as editorial decisions, create tone.

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Bloggernacle 101

• T&S comment policies: No insults; no questioning others’ righteousness; no attacks on all church members generally (“all members are idiots”); keep it clean and on topic.

• Similar comment policies in place at many blogs.• T&S: Strives for neutral, thoughtful tone. (Downside:

sometimes perceived as dry.)• Other blogs have different reputations. E.g., BCC is

sometimes perceived as less orthodox or less formal. • Such reputations are at best, highly simplified.• It’s not like the bloggers are sacrificing goats at BCC.• (They sacrifice chickens only.)

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Bloggernacle 101

• And now you’ve learned all that you need to know about blogging!

• Well, at least you’ve gotten a basic explanation.• Just enough information to make you

dangerous.• Or rather, to let you understand the rest of the

panel discussion.• Now, for a (slightly) more substantive topic.

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Why blog?

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Why blog?

• Everyone blogger’s reasons will differ.• Both inside and outside the bloggernacle, there

are a panoply of standard reasons• For instance, people blog for money or for fun.• Besides the standard reasons, there are three

important reasons for blogging in the bloggernacle in particular:

• Testimony• Criticism• Community

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Why blog?

• First, bloggernacle blogs may help participants develop or strengthen testimonies.

• They can be a forum to discuss topics with others who have similar experiences or questions.

• Blogs provide an ability to ask “non-Sunday School” questions in a forum that isn’t hostile.

• At least one blog reader was baptized (and e-mailed to tell us).

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Why blog?

• Second, the bloggernacle provides a forum for criticism.

• Participants may be able to analyze and discuss (and criticize) church policies.

• Participants can find others who have similar criticisms, and discuss the issues.

• This may result in a decision to leave the church. (One reader said that the bloggernacle led directly to her exit from the church).

• However, it is also a forum for those who don’t leave – a way to air and deal with concerns.

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Why blog?

• Finally, the bloggernacle provides a great community

• It’s a community of people for discussion, support, friendship.

• People come, read, comment. • Bloggernacle blogs are typically designed to

facilitate commenting and dialogue. • One reader described her reaction as “pure joy”

when she realized the comment dynamic in the bloggernacle. . .

. . . and then she went and started her own blog.

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Why blog?

• Bloggers ask questions – how do I prepare for the temple? – and discuss topics.

• They write about jobs, about family, about marriage, about death.

• Do we ever meet in real life?• Hello! Look around the room.• There are bloggers all around you, and you don’t

even know it.• Sometimes bloggers meet for real-life

“bloggersnackers.”

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Why blog?

• The bloggernacle has also been the venue of miracles that have helped forge the community.

• 2/25/2005, at 12:02 a.m. Geoff J. wrote a blog post titled “Please pray for my boy.”“I just came home for a few minutes from the ICU to write this post because I believe it could make a difference. We found our sweet three year old son Quinn face down in the pool this afternoon. He is alive and stable now but there remains a very real risk of brain damage. You bloggernacle citizens are righteous people—I can tell. We are praying for a full recovery for Quinn. Can you please help?”

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Why blog?

• Dozens of comments poured in. • Readers from around the bloggernacle prayed

for Geoff’s son.• Later that evening, Geoff wrote “All is well.”

Quinn was doing better; full recovery expected. • At last report, Quinn was doing normal little boy

activities like harassing his sisters.• So, so miracles happen in the bloggernacle?• Just ask Geoff.

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Why blog?

• So, what is the future of blogging?• We really can’t say.• Perhaps technology will render the medium

obsolete in a few years.• Perhaps socio-political conditions in the church

will make the forum inhospitable.• Perhaps we’ll all just get bored and go home.• But for now, the bloggernacle is the place to be.

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Why blog?

• Finally, why do I blog?• It is a good way to relax and unwind.• Blogging lets me figure out my own balance

between spirituality and intellect• It’s a fun intellectual exercise, and a fun medium

for spiritual growth.• I like the community; I’ve made great friends. • There are even career benefits! (Whether they

are a net gain, I can’t say.)• Many great reasons to blog.• But the last reason I’ll leave with you . . .

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There’s something for (just about) everyone in the bloggernacle.