“I am a blogger!” he proudly added after introducing himself. I smiled and replied that I had already guessed so, after having observed him in the crowd with his friends for a while. It was quite obvious to me as I have known thousands of bloggers in Bangladesh for the last 10 years, ever since the first Bangla blog started, in fact.
Actually, yesterday, December 19, saw bloggers in Bangladesh celebrate their 7th Bangla Blog Day -- and apropos of this little fact, I want to chalk out how one can spot a real blogger.
No no, I am not going to give away clues to machete-wielding butchers, who, in any case, would not be smart enough to read a leading newspaper.
I want to show what exactly it means to be a real blogger, in order to broaden your perception about them.
You see, bloggers constitute such a beautiful and enriching diversity of opinions, appearance, and characters that no one can even put a label such as “blogger” on them in the first place. However, they do have a few characteristics that give them away.
First of all, real bloggers are true storytellers who can capture your imagination and attention as if it came naturally to them.
Bloggers always care about something, some issue or subject, so much that they just cannot remain ignorant or passive when it is being discussed.
Engagement is what throws them into blogging and online debates, makes them return day after day to publish new posts on their blogs.
The culture of Bangla blogging is so community-oriented and relationship-focused that bloggers are almost always found in groups, engaged in deep “adda” and camaraderie with other fellow Bangla bloggers. Through their strong community engagement, many nation-wide campaigns have successfully been organised.
Bangla bloggers have spent their own money to print and distribute thousands of posters to create awareness against eve-teasing, they have traveled to the northern regions for timely distribution of warm clothes, and they have successfully helped sick children and youths through expensive life-saving operations by collecting the necessary funds for them.
All these campaigns are the results of the extreme engagement online between the bloggers.
Bloggers rarely settle for the established and commonly accepted views. Whenever important questions involving lots of “whys” and “hows” pop up in their heads, the seeds to a new blog post are sown.
Bloggers are resourceful, talented, and smart and have no deadline for subjects they want to investigate deeper into.
The journalist Sagar had started a blog series based on deeper research on sensitive issues before he was brutally murdered.
Big movements to debate or stop the ecologically-devastating power plants, unfair revenue share of big gas contracts and brutally intrusive housing projects, have all been initiated by bloggers after sincere, and not to mention proper, research and analysis.
Needless to say, courage is a defining trait of real bloggers.
Bangla bloggers have a strong passion for Bangladesh and love sharing their experiences through stories about our culture, heritage, and travel destinations.
Through their blogging, they have created an amazing collection of stories in Bangla and have made them available to all.
Stories about beautiful places and the interesting lives of people around Bangladesh, as well as everything we love about our country.
Through the comments of others, Bloggers get instant feedback on their stories and become emboldened to write more. Many real bloggers take the next step to become an author, a journalist, or even a poet -- truly proud achievements for those who love writing.
I hope I have been able to chalk out discernible enough clues in spotting a real Bangla blogger.
Though the best way is still to track down a good blog and read through it yourself, if you want to take a real peek inside the amazing world of blogging. You’d be surprised how their writing can enable your own talents. Happy blogging.