By Lindsey Holland
The Crimson White, U. Alabama

(UWire)--Some students that create blogs may wonder if anyone really reads what they post.

Life is different for 24-year-old Sharon Nichols. She first created her blog, called "Thank You, Ma'am" in her sophomore year of her undergraduate studies. Nichols' blog has won first place in the student category for the American Bar Association Journal's "2008 ABA Journal Blawg 100," the 100 best Web sites by lawyers for lawyers. Out of those 100, five are in the student category.

The ABA Journal is a Web site that is read by half of the nation's one million lawyers every month.

"I just started it because I thought it would be funny and it really took off. We have T-shirts," Nichols said

"I was really excited," Nichols said. "The administration here has been really supportive and my readership has gone up since this nomination."

Nichols is in her second year at the university's Law School. Aaron Latham, spokesman for the University of Alabama Law School said he thinks Nichols's writing is key for a blogging world.

"Sharon is a great writer," Latham said. "Her style, which runs a gannet from playful to point, is suited perfectly for success in the blog world."

Nichols started off writing about current events but said she was always interested in political writing.

"I started it as a personal blog about the news," Nichols said. "I like to write. My parents told me when I was six years old that I was going to be a lawyer because I like to argue."

Nichols said she hopes to use her degree to write about legal news and to keep up with her blog as she continues her writing career. Nichols said she tries to write in her blog every day.

"She's representation of a larger value that UA law nurtures within its students, which is the importance of focusing ones strength through creative channels," Latham said.

Nichols received her undergraduate degree from the College of Charleston. She majored in political science and philosophy.

In addition to her winning blog, Nichols also has a book coming out Sept. 29 titled "I Judge When You Use Poor Grammar," named after the Facebook group she created.

Nichols said she started the group one day when she was walking by a store and saw a sign in the window that said, "Now excepting applications." The group has more than 350,000 members and more than 10,000 photos.

"I just started it because I thought it would be funny and it really took off. We have T-shirts," Nichols said.

In September of last year, Nichols got a call from Bob Morris from The New York Times. He interviewed her and soon after, she received a call from an agent asking her for a book deal. St. Martin's Press accepted the book.

In addition to The New York Times article, Nichols has been interviewed by Wall Street Journal, Baltimore Sun and the Canadian Press.