Beginning May 4, Pikesville Patch will be making room for local bloggers on the site.

I'm 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 our community.

• Are you passionate about the Pikesville area's core issues? Its businesses, its development? A school, synagogue, congregation, an organization, shopping or church?
• Are you a religious expert, foodie, educator, artist, gardener or craftsman, who can share do-it-yourself tips?
• Do you have strong opinions about Baltimore County or Maryland Government, Baltimore's professional sports teams, or Pikesville's local sports—past or the present?
• Can you just make us all laugh?
• Can you write compellingly?

Then we want to hear from you.

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. If you're reading this, then this is an invitation to you. 

If you've ever asked 'where does my writing fit in?' The answer could be 'here.' We have a large readership right in your community.

My role as editor would be to review blog entries submitted to Pikesville Patch to ensure there are no libelous claims. I might correct obvious typos, too.

If you'd like to chat about the opportunity to share your unique voice with our readers, let me know by emailing me at janet.metzner@patch.com, or call me, Janet, at 410-302-9093.