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'Posts to a blog can be very short and unpretentious'

What is a post?

As a blog emulates the idea of a diary, the way it is written is based on ‘dated entries’, which are displayed in reverse chronological order. These entries are better known as ‘Posts’.

What does unpretentious mean?

When something is unpretentious, it does not attempt to attract attention or be noticed. It does not claim to or create an appearance of undeserved importance or distinction.

How can posts be short and unpretentious?

Posts to a blog can take many different forms. At one end of the scale, a post can be a simple statement or point, which may only be a few words to a paragraph long. These posts might well be completely unpretentious, i.e. they do not seek specific attention, discussion or recognition. An example of this might be a simple ‘note to self’ by the author, in which they utilise only the personal aspect of the blog, (as supposed to the public aspect).

More on ‘Unpretentious’:

Dictionary Definition
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/unpretentious

A blog called ‘Pretentious’
http://prete.ntio.us/

A blog called ‘Pretentious Fucks’
http://www.poprocks.com/pretentious/fucks.html

'The threshold for publishing a single post is very low.'

What does this mean?

The threshold is the earliest something can begin, the smallest something can be, or the beginning of a new aspect in a specific system. In relation to a blog post, the threshold is basically the smallest length a post can be. This of course is ‘very low’, as posts have no structural limitations (or in this case minimums). A post can be one word if the author chooses to do so, as the material aspect of a post has no boundary.

Why?

In relation to the theoretical aspects of a blog, the threshold for a post is so low because of its many possible purposes. A post can be a detailed opinionate or informative discussion, but it can also be a list of things to do, a personal reminder, a single link to something which is related, or a brief expression of one’s mood or current situation. Because of this, blogs posts have no restricted minimum or maximum in length, and can therefore have a ‘very low’ threshold.

This allows single, small, insignificant ideas to be expressed and formulated.

The low threshold for blog posts means that small, insignificant ideas can be expressed and formulated. This then gives birth to a type of media and a type of writing which otherwise does not quite exist. With a blog post, a person can publish a piece of writing without having researched, developed or analysed an idea. They can simply put the idea down (with little to no thought about it), and with a purely insignificant outcome.

In almost all other forms of writing and media, this is not allowed, and is not done. The blog is therefore a very unique media form, as it can take an informal, random, and brainstorm-based approach to published writing.

'Sometimes these thoughts are left as they are.'

This refers to when a post is not commented on or linked to by others, and is not followed up, discussed further, or elaborated by the author or anyone else. This idea once again demonstrates the dual nature of blogs**. In some cases, a blog can be a highly interactive and communicative device, in which comments, opinions and conversations are developed. At other times though, no further communication is necessary, and a post can have a very singular and small purpose, if any. Essentially, the degree/level of communication involving blogs is highly variable, which relates also to the varied levels of linking density.

'A paragraph is enough and there is no more needed.'

This relates to the structural and formal aspects of the blog. Unlike almost all other forms of writing, a blog post has a completely variable and optional length. There are no structural expectations (such as introductions, conclusions, framework), and the style of writing is purely in the hands of the blogger. If a thought can be expressed in a paragraph, there is no more needed. The author does not need to elaborate, justify, give evidence, or structure their post. In some ways this makes blogging a more expressive form of writing, and also a more personal one.