Andrew Huff of Gapers Block Visits DePaul Journalism Class
DePaul University’s online journalism class was visited last Wednesday by Chicago-blogger Andrew Huff. Huff discussed his life as a blogger and how he started his own Chicago-based blog.
Andrew Huff speaks to DePaul Journalism students about blogging. Photo by Mike Reilley.
Huff began blogging as a way to stay in touch with family and friends.
Huff said, “I used to send an e-mail to my friends and family every month updating them on my life. Then I decided to turn it into a blog and it grew from there”
Huff began his blog on the Web site Tripod.com and worked his way up to creating his own site, GapersBlock.com.
Gapers Block is a blog by and for Chicagoans. The blog gives news and advice for “Eat, drink, and play,” said Huff, in the Chicago-land area.
According to Huff the idea for Gapers Block began with four separate Chicago-bloggers, including Huff. The group met in a small coffee shop in 2003 to discuss the idea for their blog. By 2010, the staff has grown to over 80 members.
Huff mentioned ChicagoNow.com as a comparable Web site to Gapers Block. Both sites contain blogs for entertainment, sports, music, and food, among others.
When a student asked how he could start his own blog Huff advised him to work his way up from the bottom. He suggested using Blogger.com as a starting point.
Huff also made note of his own personal blog, me3dia.com and how it has impacted his life having personal information available for the world to see.
“At first my mom said she wouldn’t read my blog because she didn’t want to invade my personal privacy,” Huff said.
Recently, Gapers Block received a $35,000 grant from the Chicago Community Trust. They plan on using the money to improve their website and to compensate many of the unpaid volunteers who write for the blog.
