As I was writing the preceding article, one of the reasons I gave for my guild’s recent doldrums was "expansionitis." It’s a term I’ve seen a few times in recent weeks1 but I wasn’t certain where I’d seen it.
I had a couple of options: Open Google Reader and search on the term, or simply Google it. To be honest, I didn’t think of option one at the time (although I’ve used that technique several times in the past). So I entered "expansionitis" into my Google search box, and the following came up:
Those are the first eight results that came up; two of them (25 percent if you want to make it sound even more impressive) are links to WoW blogs. A third has to do with WoW, while a fourth mentions WoW. Obviously, World of Warcraft is huge. However, one doesn’t often think of WoW blogs as being "mainstream." One doesn’t, unless one is not only a WoW blogger, but also is aware of WoW blogs outside one’s own.
Case in point: At the Twisted Nether Wiki, where I am one of the "wikibrarians" (i.e., I catalogue new blog submissions to the Wiki), there are roughly 200 blogs listed, and that’s nowhere near all of the WoW blogs extant. (WoW Wiki lists less than half as many as TNB, by the way.)
So what’s the point here? The point is, WoW blogs are one of the most ubiquitous, and informative, resources available to WoW players. Have you hugged a WoW blogger today?
Notes:
- The first time I heard the word, I used it, but I am not claiming credit for the word, not even within the WoW context. ↩
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*sniff*
I reject the mainstream label.
I am nicely niche.
Remember kids, mainstream=manky.
You know it.
Leafshine’s last blog post: On An Absence of Leafiness
I still don’t know what “manky” means, but I’m pretty sure I’ll remain blissful in my ignorance.
Manky, stanky, skanky. Are these synonyms? Help a chica out!
Game Dame’s last blog post: Where were you when you heard about…?
I think Leafy linked to a “New Dictionary” definition in BA Chat; I was too scared to click the link.
Manky is the smell of 4 week old damp broccoli.
ChainTrap’s last blog post: Getting done with TBC…
“Manky” doesn’t even start to sound as bad as that would smell. (I love broccoli, but are there many foods that smell worse as they cook??)
HUG. Big big Huggity HUG.
I have now hugged my WOW blogger for today. All hugs back are gratefully received (and stored in my memory should I ever get to meet anyone IRL and claim them all in person – mmmmm lovely thought).
Sephrenia’s last blog post: More completely useless WotLK information
Well, I wasn’t really out to solicit hugs for myself, but I’ll gladly take what I can get!
/hugs back!
/hug =D
I didn’t realize how huge and resourceful WoW blogging is until I started my own WoW blog. I had been cluttering my private LJ with too many WoW posts and felt I wanted to post so much more.
Then I found the TN Wiki, Blog Azeroth, and since then my reading list steadily increases and I feel a better player and blogger. Hugging my fellow WoW bloggers!
Kadomi’s last blog post: Heroics order part III: the hard ones
I, for one, am glad you decided to blog WoW. Not many tanking blogs (compared to, say, hunters, druids and priests!) so it’s nice to read one from a casual viewpoint.
Thanks a bunch! I have recently seen an increase of tanking blogs, which is great, but yeah, for the moment I seem to comfortably fill the niche of casual protection warriors.
I love being part of the WoW blogosphere!
Kadomi’s last blog post: Heroics order part III: the hard ones
Eff hugs, I hate WoW bloggers, zogm!
megan’s last blog post: 3 Reasons Why You Should Cheat..
/hugs Megan. Sure ya do, Braids…sure ya do.
HUGGY MCHUGGERSONS!!!
Game Dame’s last blog post: Where were you when you heard about…?
/target Kestrel
/hug
/hug
*checks off list*
hydra’s last blog post: Orcapalooza This Saturday
I win at the internets! \o/
I had been noticing that, oddly, terminology used by both wow and the world-in-general will often bring back wow results before more general uses these days. Kinda funky. I never really though of WoW bloggers as not mainstream, simply in their own community niche.
Ah well.
/hug
/vanish
I think even more salient is my perception that WoW itself, is moving into the mainstream. Something to think about…
I was beaten to it, but /HUG Kest! There’s my WoW Blogger hug for the day!
Saresa’s last blog post: In Defence of Pink
/hug!
Well… there are more and more WoW bloggers and a stronger and stronger community of said bloggers.. plus because of it’s structure a blog indexes really well in search engines.. resulting in… really good page rankings for WoW blogs in Google.
Jezrael’s last blog post: A huntery look at My Hyjal: Rage Winterchill
Is it at the point where creating a WOW Blog is hard to do? I mean what information could you share (aside from your personal journey/diary) that the other blogs haven’t already covered? I guess you can never have too many of them…or can you?
Creating a WoW blog is ridiculously easy, from both a practical and content aspect. You can be as general (as I am, more or less) or as specific as you like. Even within, say, a hunter blog, you can focus on a single talent spec. Mania’s certainly created a niche–albeit a large one–with Petopia (which, while not strictly a blog, is supported by Mania’s Arcania, which is a blog).
You can only have too many blogs if you try to read them all.
On the other hand, we can’t all be Big Red Kitty or World of Matticus or Resto4Life, each of which is huge in its own right, but has also spun off other WoW-content sites, including forums.
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