Social Media | The Writer's Nest

Thursday, September 12: Discuss ways that blogging or social media has changed you.

In third standard, I became fascinated by diary writing. There was something charming about keeping a secret diary and locking it in a special drawer. I tried keeping a regular diary. But I couldn’t. I had a great friend with whom I could share everything. I didn’t need a diary to vent out my feelings. When this friend left and I became alone, I could write freely. For two years, my diary was filled with long pages of typical teenage emotions, problems and experiences. Then again, I made a friend and my diary now sees less of me. But this time I didn’t completely stop writing. By now I had begun writing other things apart from my diary. And this writing made me happy.

Studies and entrance exams kept me busy for two years. And then, I just couldn’t get back to writing. I used to stare at my notebook hoping the words would come. They didn’t. Blogging began as an attempt to get back to writing. The earlier posts required a lot of efforts but it has become easier now. Especially these days, with Blogtember. 🙂

Discovering new blogs has been one of the best part of blogging. I’ve met some awesome bloggers; some of them are so unlike me that I would probably have never found people like them if it weren’t for blogging. So yes, blogging has helped me find people and ideas that are very different from me.

I love that somebody in some far off place takes the time to read what I’ve written, and that it resonates with them. It tells me that humans are pretty much the same all over the world, and what I write is bound to touch somebody. Blogging has given me a platform to be myself and find others like me.

I’ve written stories that I always wanted to write.

I’ve started enjoying writing poetry, something that I never attempted before.

I’ve written things that I strongly feel about.

And there seems to be an audience for everything!

I’ve never been fond of other forms of social media; I’ve never enjoyed sharing anything on social networking sites. Blogs have been the only form of social media where I’ve actually “connected” with people. They are like letters. And letters are always much more personal and touching.

It has been more than six months of blogging. And it has been a thoroughly enjoyable journey! 🙂

Pride and prejudice has been adapted many times. Sometimes, it retains the original form, sometimes there’s creative inspiration involved. Of the latter form is the Lizzie Bennet Diaries; a web show that finished in March this year.

I discovered the series by accident; quite by accident. Owing to my habit of reading everything put before me, I happened to glance through a webpage that I opened by mistake. Honestly, I wasn’t even aware that something called Web shows even exists. And I’m super-glad I discovered this one.

Lizzie Bennet lives with her family comprising of her parents and their three daughters, Lizzie being the middle one. She’s twenty-four, a final year grad-school student of Mass Communications. Jane’s the eldest sister, Lydia ‘s the youngest. Since the adaptation was based in the year 2012, they showed only three children, while Mary Bennet became the first cousin and Kitty Bennet the cat.

Lizzie has a video blog where she documents her family’s life, talking about Jane’s romance with Bing Lee (a play on Bingley. Smart, right?), her crazy baby sister Lydia, George Wickham and of course, the proud Mr. Darcy.

The story starts with the ever-famous quote from Pride and Prejudice: It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife (on a t-shirt).

The videos are recorded and edited by Liizzie’s best friend Charlotte Lu. Each video is about three minutes long and the series incorporated the social media beautifully and efficiently. Since the LBD is essentially a blog, the viewers got their dose of Pride and Prejudice actually happening on their Twitter feeds and Tumblr blogs! It was luck that I discovered the series after it was finished. Not complaining, I wouldn’t have had the patience to wait!

Lizzie is funny, ambitious, clever, thoughtful and yes, a little prejudiced. But she’s a good sister, and basically a good person, just like our original Elizabeth Bennet.

One of the highlights of her video blog was role play. Lizzie’s imitations of her mother are downright hilarious, and her interactions with pretend Darcy (role-played by Charlotte) are a delight to watch.

The best part about the adaptation is the focus on Lizzie’s, Jane’s and Charlotte’s individual careers. The choices that they make and the impact it has on their friendship is shown beautifully.

You can check out the entire series here.

Have you watched the Lizzie Bennet Diaries? Do you know about any other web-shows?

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