…And yet another website: The Blog Salon

My arms are a lot better, thanks, but still no new art from me.

The reason is: two friends and I have started a new blog here in Holland (De Blogsalon.nl) since we realised, after doing some research, that Holland hardly knows the phenomenon of guestblogging.

Even worse: there are hardly any blogs that write about writing and online life in a fun and professional way.

We get either ‘literary’ blogs by serious writers or self promoting blogs by copywriters, journalists etc. Holland also knows a lot of large, portal-like blogs where many different authors write about the latest online gadgets or politics.
And of course there are tons of private blogs.

But that’s about it.

Overall, there are no superior writing platforms. Anywhere.

Nothing as wonderfully stylised as Copyblogger, Men with Pens, Everyday Bright or Penelope Trunk‘s blog.

So we (a copywriter, an online marketeer and me, an ex-journalist) got together and started a blog called The Blogger’s Salon.

We want to set a new standard for online writing (and we are broadcasting this idea but tongue-in-cheek, it all sounds terribly serious when translated); it should be pleasant, tell stories, inform and be very polished.

We will write ourselves and offer space for guestblogging.

So – I translated the Salon’s statutes for you, rather quickly – just to give you an impression. In Dutch it all sounds a bit wittier.

Draft of the Blog Salon statutes

1. The blog salon wants to enhance the quality of the Dutch Blog
2. The themes of this site are: professional writing, blogging and life online.
3. The blog salon writes articles and also invites others to write guest posts.
4. The blog salon values quality over quantity. The salon will publish one post a week, on Tuesdays.
5. The blog salon is not finicky. Full stops and comma´s have to be well placed, but debates about the demise of the Dutch language are of no interest to him. The salon will use borrowed words wherever he pleases. The salon will even publish in English if called for. The salon is a world citizen without a trace of national arrogance.
6. Anyone can become a member. The blog salon does not discriminate on the grounds of age, sex, race, nationality, sexual preferences or Kloutscore.
7. You become a member by signing up for the newsletter on the member’s page. Newsletters will only appear when there is news.
8. Members will be invited to the annual member’s meeting in Utrecht and the dinner afterwards.
9. Members will mention the blog salon at least once, with a link, in a post on their blog. Or they may stick a member´s badge in their sidebar. The membership of those who fail to do so will be terminated. The blog salon will publish a list of all members, with a link to their blog, on the member’s page.
10. Members can follow the blog salon on Twitter or Facebook. The blog salon will always follow back.

N.b. the editors welcome ideas for guest posts (with headline and pitch). The blog salon is also happy to write guest posts on your blog. Then e-mail the editors.

If you read Dutch, head on over to take a look!

Most of the work now being done, I expect to return to a normal working schedule this week.

Tags: blogging, dutch language, holland