Let’s get one thing straight: Patch is not a newspaper, it is much more. Yes, we do report the news. But Kirkland Patch is also your community commons, your town square. It’s the place where you take a stroll and talk to your neighbors. It’s where you come to tell the community what is on your mind. Washington's recent bout of inclement weather showed the power of a community that mobilizes through Facebook, Twitter, emails and Patch, to keep everyone informed of what roads were impassable, problems spots, when schools were closed, even to share photos.
So come and be a part of the online community, let your voice be heard as a blogger on Kirkland Patch.
This isn't a reporting job. It's blogging. You write what you want to say when you want to say it and do it on your own schedule. You can post multiple times a day, once a week or several times a month. It's up to you!
Patch won't own what you post, so you can repost your entries to and from your Wordpress and Tumblr account. Much like The Huffington Post has done, Patch is providing local bloggers an online platform to have their words seen by a larger audience.
The editor of a Patch site will review blog entries to ensure there are no libelous claims and to avoid obvious typos, but they won't change your content because your voice has a right to be heard.
If you're interested in learning more about blogging on Patch, submit an application here and tell us a little about yourself.
Once you're given blogging rights, follow these guidelines to upload your first blog:
- Log In to Patch.
- Select "Blog Central" from the tool bar (It will be on the far right).
- Click "Write a New Blog Post."
- Select the template. Use "Standard" if you're writing a post, or use "Media" if you are only uploading a photo, video or PDF.
- Write a compelling title that will attract readers to your blog.
- Type the body of your post. This is where you say what you want.
- Add hyperlinks to articles you mention, website you talk about or to your other blogs.
- Select the "ABC check mark" button to make sure you've spelled everything correctly.
- Write a brief description about what you just wrote. IE: 10 steps on how to make vegetarian lasagna.
- Upload a photo, if you want.
And you're set. After selecting "Save & Preview" at the very bottom of the blog form, the editor of the site will receive an alert that a new blog post has been submitted. He or she will then review the entry and post it. If you write something compelling or of great public interest, your blog might even be featured in the top spot on the homepage.
