Make Blogging on Patch a New Year's Resolution

Wheaton is a diverse community, and we want the Wheaton Patch to reflect that truth. That's why we're sending out the call for you to join our Local Voices section.

We're looking for bloggers who can riff on various topics, share their personality and engage our readers in discussions.

Patch is more than a news site, it's an online conversation about the Wheaton area - and we can't have the conversation without you!

• Are you a community organizer...or someone new to the neighborhood?
• Are you an expert craftsman or hobbyist who can share do-it-yourself tips?
• Are you an enthusiastic gardener? A daring baker?
• Do you often attend school events or volunteer in a PTSA?
• Do you have strong opinions about local government?
• Can you just make us all laugh?
• Can you write compellingly?

Then, we want to hear from you.

And blogs are not limited to the English language. Considering the strong Hispanic population in Wheaton, we would encourage you to blog bilingually or even exclusively in Spanish.

This isn't a reporting job. It's blogging. You write what you want to say when you want to say it. Do it on your schedule, whether that's posting multiple entries per day or a couple times a month.

Patch won't own what you post, so you can repost your entries to your other blogs. Much like The Huffington Post has done, Patch is providing local bloggers an online platform to have their words seen by a larger audience.

Be interesting. Be provocative. Be yourself.

My role as editor would be to review blog entries submitted to Wheaton Patch to ensure quality. I may make small spelling, grammar and style changes to help your blog shine.

If you'd like to chat about the opportunity to share your unique voice with our readers, please feel free to email me at esther.french@patch.com or call 301-332-8835.