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Have you ever considered the reasons why you blog? You may have a few ideas why you do what you do, but have you ever put them down on paper and listed your reasons according to importance?
With one year ending and another about to begin I have been giving a lot of thought to what I do and why I do it. It simply isn’t enough for me to say that I am a freelance writer, rather I have to give an account for the time I spend writing for customers, marketing my business, social networking, and blogging.
I’ve been writing for many years but blogging steadily for just over two years; although I believe I can make a living without blogging, I choose to blog and for the following reasons:
1. Blogging Is Enjoyable — For me, there isn’t any reason to blog unless I like to blog. If I did not enjoy blogging, I would soon grow restless and bored. Why add another “must do” task to the daily grind? I will quit blogging the moment blogging drops to the level of flossing my teeth.
2. I Reach A Lot Of People — Although I like to think that I reach a lot of people through my websites, online work, referrals, social communities, and more, it is through blogging that a lot of people find me and I find them. Blogging is one of the best ways to connect with people across the world wide web — besides, unlike with a forum, if someone flames me I can delete their messages!
3. Blogging Is Easy — Coming up with the right words to say isn’t always easy, but once you do posting them online is a snap. Thanks to blog platforms like WordPress, all I have to do is post what I want when I want it posted and my work is done. No messing around with with HTML pages, no FTP-ing to the internet and no lost time spent on wasteful administrative tasks. (Okay, I did upgrade this blog to WP v.2.3.2 this morning, but it was a three-minute change, that’s all!)
4. Blogging Is Forgivable — If I am a little bit sloppy with my sentence structure or I mess up on a word or two, readers are much more likely to overlook a mistake on a blog then they would elsewhere. I still look at blog as being online journals, a place to write informally and without a ton of pressure to edit again and again. Where else can you find out what is going on inside this great mind of mine then on this blog?
5. Blogging Is Profitable — All right, paid links are dead and the occasional click on an ad pays me chump change, but blogging is financially rewarding. I get paid to blog on two other blogs and I’ve landed work simply because a client found this blog and liked my writing style. Blog monetization may not be what it used to be, but I have no reason to complain.
2007 is coming to an end and 2008 will give us bloggers one additional day on February 29th to blog. Unless your blogging includes Reason #1, is there any reason for you to continue blogging in 2008?
I blog for mostly reasons one and two. I’ve had some amazing opportunities to reach people via blogging, especially other families with deaf and hard of hearing kids.
It’s always nice, too, when a total stranger comes up to me and says, “I read your blog!”
1, 3 and 5 are on my list. I fell in love with blogging a couple of years ago and haven’t fallen out of love with it yet. The fact that I can make money from it too is the icing on the cake.
Allow me to throw a little ‘in-joke’ at you. Blogging is to us like flying is to some of our mutual friends — it just gets into your blood!
Happy New Year to you and your family. Onward & upward!!
As a nwbie to blogging, I think your post is very inspirational for me. Well, I’ll try to give a thought for why I started blogging, and why I should continue to do so.
1, 3 and 4 are on my list. I aim to reach 2 as well. But, so far I haven’t thought about 5.
Karen: I agree! I especially enjoy hearing from people who normally don’t read blogs to tell me that they discovered mine. You never know who you audience will be!
Sharon: I like that — the icing on the cake. Blogging is still the best way to reach people with the least amount of hassles too.
Bobbie: Well, Bobbie you’re the one who inspired me to blog in the first place! Happy 2008 to you and yours and, yes, onward and upward!
Ami: You’re in the exact position I was two years ago — a new blogger with nary a thought about income. In fact, I hadn’t realized that blog monetization was a possibility. Blog because you want to and you’ll blog for a long time. Best wishes to you too.
I have just started blogging and so far, I love it and will continue. I have so much to learn.
like typing in my correct website
Jonathan, welcome to the wonderful world of blogging. Blogging is always changing so learning is an ongoing process. Enjoy and keep on blogging!
Matt, I agree 100% with you. Ever read Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography? Anyway, I feel that I’m editor, publisher and author as a blogger. And I take liberty with that. I can return to edit as I see fit. I don’t have as many blogs as you do, but I write when I feel like it.
For whatever reason, I feel less pressure on Murphy’s Law than I do on my other blogs. Great post, and I’ve linked into you on my blogs!
Ev, I haven’t read Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography. I should, as he is one of my favorite early Americans.
The editing aspect of blogging is my favorite part. If you write something, it isn’t set in stone — you can always return and update the information whenever you want.
I will visit your blog again — congratulations on quitting smoking too!
Great post! I agree with everything you brought up, for reasons. I always find it hard to stick to blogging though, like, motivated, i always find myself trying too hard to think of something to write about, but i don’t think this should be, right? Do you have any tips for blogging, and how to stay really into it?
Marty.
These are all great reasons to blog – all writers should blog for these reasons, however for those who are not writers may find blogging challenging as they may not know of “tricks” to handle writers block and things like that. Best of luck in 2007!
Marty: If coming up with topics is that difficult, are you certain you want to maintain a blog? Blogging isn’t for everyone, so putting pressure on yourself to blog could be one of the reasons you are having difficulty finding material to blog about. Reading news sources, other blogs and articles are some good ways to help generate ideas.
Hazel: Thanks, Hazel. A lot of the “tricks” really aren’t tricks at all — blogging because you like it usually generates enough interest to bring about the results you are seeking.
Sometimes I feel that blogging is like taking pictures. After a few weeks or month you can get back to your blog and see your life from a completely different perspective! It is amazing!