Well, this week is apparently question week...or maybe I just have a lot of musing time on my hands. Unpacking boxes doesn't really require that much brain power :)
I watched Julie & Julia the other day (loved it!) and there was a line in the movie when she's talking about starting a blog. She says something along the lines of "I could write a blog. I have thoughts."
Which got me thinking - why do I blog? I have thoughts, sure. I like to think they are occasionally interesting, funny, helpful and maybe (on a really good day) witty and intelligent :D Though, maybe I just like to hear myself talk (or see it I suppose, as we are talking about blogs) (I do, by the way, as I'm sure most people who know me can attest to. But hey, in my defense, I am home all day with a 4 and 6 year old. If I get within 100 yards of someone with thoughts that revolve around something other than Barbie and Spiderman, I just can't be held responsible for the unstoppable flow of words that shoots from my mouth).
But is that why I did it? To share my thoughts? I don't think so. Maybe partially, but really, I never imagined that anyone would actually be interested in what I had to say. I mean, who was I? Nobody...just an unpublished writer trying to find my way in the big, strange, and scary publishing world. So, why do I blog? Why did I start doing this in the first place?
Honestly, peer pressure, pure and simple. Everyone was doing it, I thought playing with the templates was fun, and I had heard/read/saw somewhere that if you wanted to be a successful writer, you had to have a blog. So, here we are.
But along the road it has evolved into a little something more. I love, LOVE, connecting with other writers. I can't tell you how awesome it is to type up a post that most people would think was nonsense and have people comment saying "I do the same thing! I think the same way!"
Knowing I'm not the only crazy writer out there has really been a wonderful discovery. Seriously, I thought I was completely weird most of my life. I mean, how many people sit there staring off into space while a whole other world of characters plays out in their heads? How many others can't carry on a "normal" conversation because they can't resist going off on weird tangents that suddenly occur to them? Especially when those tangents involve people, places, or situations that don't really exist. :D How many others get dirty looks from complete strangers and suddenly realize they've been staring at said stranger, taking mental notes about their appearance or mannerisms because that stranger's look/actions would be PERFECT for this book you are working on? How many others notice strange, obscure little details about places and people and things and every day life that they squirrel away for future musings, or have conversations with themselves, or scribble weird little notes on anything and everything?
Apparently, quite a few :D I always felt so alone in my weirdness and then I found some forums, and started blogging, and I have had the opportunity to meet so many wonderful, crazy people, people just like me who just laugh and say "Oh yeah, definitely!" when I ask, "Hey, do you ever...?"
So, I suppose the reasons why I started blogging don't matter in the long run. I guess what's important is why I keep doing it, what I get out of it. Yeah, it takes a little extra time out of a day that might not have enough hours to begin with. But it provides a forum for my insane thoughts and it allows me the opportunity to connect with all these incredible people, from all areas and walks of life, who all have the love of writing in common. And really, what could be cooler than that?
So how about you? Why did you start blogging? Why do you keep doing it? Or if you don't, why not?
9 comments:
I started my first blog to rant, rant, and rant some more. I mean, seriously, sometimes people - mainly politicians - just make me so mad. So, I began to blog about that, and it sort of morphed into something a bit deeper, but still ranty.
As for my writing blog, well, originally, it was just something created to keep track of my writing. I don't know how it become something more about the process of writing, but it did, and it is what it is.
The best part about blogging has been meeting such interesting people and forming friendships that go beyond the blogsphere!
S
I blog because it relieves so much stress from all those rejections!!
I started blogging as a way to keep in touch with college friends. It was a way of keeping up with their daily lives. These days I do it more to connect with other writers. I hope at some point it will help me market my work, but I'm still a long ways off from that point.
I blog to enjoy the camaraderie among writers - to have others who share my journey and understand its joys and heartaches.
I started blogging because I wanted to chronicle my journey as a writer. I found so much more. The community, the friendships, the depth and the scope--I can't pay for this kind of therapy and understanding.
I blogged to force myself to improve my writing...a make sure it's good because people are reading this mentality. It forces me to work harder.
I started a blog because, as an author, it was expected that I have some sort of a web-presence.
I keep blogging because I like being part of a community of writers. I couldn't care less about the web presence part now (hehehe)
Shelley
I started blogging as a way to express my thoughts and to connect with a community of other writers.
It's one of the best things I've ever done (which doesn't say much about the excitement in my life).
I loved reading this post :)! Thank you for sharing.
I started blogging to document my journey, so hopefully other writers could learn from my successes and mistakes and get some help along their journey. I kept blogging for the community--my commenters and blogger friends are AMAZING, and I wouldn't trade them for anything :).
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