'The daily reading of virtually everyone under 40 -- and a fair few folk over that age -- now includes a blog or two, and this reflects as much the quality of today's bloggers as it does a techno-psychological revolution among readers of news and opinion.'

'I've come to appreciate the purity and power of blogging. I have appeared in more than 40 movies, written a book and given countless interviews on TV, radio and in print. Yet none of this has allowed me to spotlight issues important to me as completely as my blog.

I have blogged from some far-flung locations, such as the ravaged borders between Darfur and eastern Chad. And even in the most isolated regions, I knew that I was not alone. I had brought with me 30,000 readers a day, and they stuck with me every step of the way.

Via satellite phone, I sent messages from the outskirts of the newly attacked town of Paoua in remote northwestern Central African Republic. I found myself in the middle of a humanitarian catastrophe. Hundreds of people had fled into the bush. They were eating leaves and drinking swamp water. No one was there to protect them. "Drums and gunfire are the music of the night," I blogged. Neither the reader nor I could know what would happen next. That immediacy and urgency was transmitted to my family and friends back home, along with thousands of members of the larger human family.' [Mia Farrow]

'Of the various blogs I've written or produced, the ones that worked best -- the ones that had the biggest and most loyal readerships -- always had a few consistent qualities. They were topically focused, often in niche areas. They published regularly and frequently, typically during office hours and several times a day. They published content that was original or difficult to find, from breaking news to proprietary photographs to obscure links that readers are unlikely to find on their own. They were usually well-written, which has its own intrinsic appeal for anyone who prefers to enjoy what they're reading. And lastly, they engaged their readership by soliciting feedback and responding to it, in the form of asking for tips, allowing comments or otherwise demonstrating some level of interest in their audience's preferences.' [Elizabeth Spiers]