The idea for this post comes from Liz Strauss at Successful Blog where she throws out the challenge:craft a metaphor that explains blogging for those occasions when you can tell the person you’re talking to does not get it.

Analogies and metaphors are fantastic tools for conveying new information to the inexperienced. Teachers routinely introduce new material by tapping into their students’ prior and/or related knowledge on the new topic as a bridge to grasping the new concept. Drawing on relevant figurative language can help a learner get to the “aha moment” much more quickly.

In every classroom, students will begin to get it at different points in time, and the choice of analogy or metaphor will work for some but not all.

That’s why Liz’s project is great. The next time you struggle to find an explanation of what blogging is, stop by her site and see what other people came up with.

Here’s my own take: Blogging as Kayaking. Following are the parallels I see between both activities. If you aren’t into blogging OR kayaking, you might just skip this altogether. For more examples of metaphors, scroll to the end.

The craft itself:

Kayaking: The boat you choose should fit your needs and taste, whether used and scratched up or brand new, how long or short, its weight, whether designed for rapid or calm water. Even the color and hull design are up to you. The many choices are confusing and you can easily spend a lot of money on bells and whistles that you later discover you don’t need. The main focus should be on finding a craft that’s the right one for you.

Blogging: The look of your blog is determined by the theme, design layout, art and colors. You can choose from a multitude of free themes (used!), or hire a designer to create an original theme, or learn how to do-it-yourself. Then it’s on to figuring out your personal writing style and tone. The many choices are confusing and you can easily spend a lot of money on bells and whistles that you later discover you don’t need. The main focus should be on creating an identity and approach that’s the right fit for you.

The Accessories:

Kayaking: You have to select a paddle (color, length, design), figure out storage systems (hatch, dry bags, top mounted bungies, tethers to make sure nothing goes overboard), choose a personal flotation device, decide whether you need a bilge pump or sponge for getting rid of water that you take on. Then there’s your kayaking hat, a watertight case for your camera and/or iPod, binoculars, water shoes, gloves, and helmet. No, you don’t need all of that but when you’re just starting out, you aren’t sure what’s mandatory and what’s optional.

Blogging: Your plugins are your “aftermarket addons” and these determine what all shows up on the pages of your blog (from the way your links, archives, calendar, widgets and other options display). There are even plugins for managing spam, which you will definitely encounter once your blog is live.

Portability:

Kayaking: This is how you get your craft from your driveway to the water, which can be avoided entirely by renting a boat onsite. If you own your own boat, you then have to have some way to mount it on your vehicle and haul it to the water. This can be tethers, racks, bungees, rope, even wheels that you can put under your craft once its off your vehicle, as a means of towing it to the water. Your mounting system should take into consideration your height and strength. You should be able to reach the rack by yourself and carry the boat by yourself.

Blogging: This is how to get your blog live, online. You choose your blogging software (whether WordPress, Typepad, Blogger, Moveable Type, etc.) and select the host for your site. This can be as simple as free hosting by the company who produces the blogging software or a paid hosting options just like arranging for hosting of a standard website. Then once it is live you have to learn about rss feeds, pinging, trackbacks, permalinks, and submissions, so that others can find your blog.

The course:

Kayaking: You are either out for a serene, quiet ride or you’re looking for adventure and speed. Depending on which approach you take, you’ll have mapped out your course carefully in advance, or you may just be meandering on a lake. You may even end up in a remote cove and discover that dismounting and hiking around introduces you to a new aspect of this sport. You may paddle hard for a stretch and then unwind and drift for awhile. You will definitely encounter some unexpected adventure and snags, and your original plans may be subject to alteration if the water is too low, weather turns foul, there is a deep blanket of algae coating the surface of the area you intended to explore, or if there’s a recent hatching of nasty bugs that drive you off the water entirely.

Blogging: You choose a niche (or not, as is your preference) and start writing about it whenever you have something to say. Meanwhile, you download a feedreader of your choice and start subscribing to and reading other people’s blogs on topics of interest to you. Then you continue to read the news online and off, and talk in your own blog about the subjects you have an interest or knowledge in. You have your first encounter with spam and start looking for ways to eradicate that and perhaps decide to change course, to a different theme or blogging platform or niche.

Interaction:

Kayaking: Even if you like to go solo, you will interact with people you encounter on the water, and at stores where accessories are sold, or on Craig’s list or your newspaper classifieds. Then, you’ll run into people in the parking lot where you’ll discuss your mounting system or whether you’re happy with your boat, where did you get it, etc. At some point you’ll probably go on outings with at least one other person, or perhaps a group. On the water you’ll see someone kayaking with their dog, fishing, or wearing a hat you like or using a camera setup you admire and you’ll stop to chat with them before moving on. So the more you interact with others, the more you learn.

Blogging: Reading other’s blogs eventually inspires you to begin commenting, in which you leave remarks on others’ posts or even email them directly to share a compliment or new insight. The more of that you do, the more people begin to visit your blog once they become intrigued by comments you have left on blogs that they read. They may mention you in one of their posts and actually link right to your site. Your posts begin to draw comments and questions and before you know it, you are engaged in an ongoing discussion on a number of topics, spanning across the entire blogosphere. You may even end up participating in group blogging projects like this one, or being asked to be a guest blogger. So the more you interact with others, the more you learn.

Monetizing:

Kayaking: If you become expert, you can teach classes, lead expeditions, or sell kayak related gear from a brick and mortar storefront. You can share your expertise online as well.

Blogging: Enabling others to advertise on your site is the next step toward earning money from your blog. Once you are an established expert, you may have others offering to pay you for content or hire you to manage their blog.

If you are a nonblogger who wants to learn more about blogging and my kayaking metaphor falls flat for you, here are some that have been submitted to Liz already. Visit her site for even more, or to submit your own metaphor.

Enquire Within Upon Everything at Ian’s Messy Desk
Blogging Metaphor–The Salad Bar Blog at Word Sell
My blog is a smorgasbord, come and eat… at Juggling Frogs
Feeding on Plankton at krooz
My Preferred Metaphor for Business Blogging at Business and Blogging
10 reasons why blogging is like dating” at Romance Tracker
Equestrian Ecstasy - Portal to another Reality at INNside Innkeeping in Montana
Blogging Metaphors: Bridge-Building at Middle Zone Musings
Blogging Metaphor: Blogging is like Exercise at Virtual Impax
My Blogging Metaphor: BNI at Kiss2
Why Conversational Blogging Is Like A LineConga at dawudmiracle
Blog 101 and the New Cocktail Party at What Would Dad Say.

Related info on kayaking:
About Kayaking in Prescott Arizona

Kayaking with Dogs