"A blog is usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability of readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs." (Wikipedia)
So what motivates a Blogger? Amid the inevitable suggestions of "having too much time on your hands" and "because you're a geek" , the art of blogging takes many different directions, and can reveal much about the author - both good and bad.
Unlike a conventional website, your Blog will immediately broadcast your writing to your select audience (your followers) with the potential to reach a much wider audience in the shape of those who follow other Blogs - especially those who have kindly provided links to your own blog. Your followers will start out as people you know - be they family or friends, work colleagues or business acquaintances. Then suddenly you find complete strangers declaring themselves as your followers - and when you take a look at their blog, you can sometimes (though not always...) make a connection.
Your generic Blogger probably subscribes to social networking sites too - but maybe started to realise that Facebook has been taken over by fantasy farmers and Twitter just doesn't allow you the space to say everything you need to say in 140 characters. Where Twitter excels, though, is the potential to entice a much wider group of followers (those of your choice and of theirs) to taste a morsel of your news before being drawn to a link taking them, wisely or unwisely, to the heart of your Blog. Twitter, in particular, has increasingly become a promotional medium for business - a quick hit on their customer base, and an efficient method of checking what other businesses are up to. Bakers to Bankers, they're all inviting us to follow them on Twitter - and then suddenly you realise that there aren't enough hours in the day to read everyone's tweets!
By comparison, Blogging remains much less pressurised. You can blog once a day (or more), once a week, once a month - or whenever. Half the joy of blogging is taking time out - just to read what others have been up to, marvel at their photographic prowess or catch up on their recent travels. No matter how long it's been since you last visited your Blog, your invitation into someone else's world is still there - minus the mystery eggs and lost black sheep - and uncluttered by several hundred retweets from people whom you neither know nor care about.
You may still come to the conclusion that your fellow bloggers have too much time on their hands, or that they are simply geeks. But you may also learn something new - and something of genuine interest to you. You find yourself waiting for their next blog - just to see what they've been up to, where they've been or who they've met.
Then you start to wonder what other people really think of your Blog? Are they really interested in what book you're reading, your latest DIY project, or what your kids are up to? In most cases the answer is probably not - but what the heck - you enjoyed writing about it; someone, somewhere, probably wanted to read it, and as for everyone else? Do we really care?
A Blog is what you want it to be. Period.
By comparison, Blogging remains much less pressurised. You can blog once a day (or more), once a week, once a month - or whenever. Half the joy of blogging is taking time out - just to read what others have been up to, marvel at their photographic prowess or catch up on their recent travels. No matter how long it's been since you last visited your Blog, your invitation into someone else's world is still there - minus the mystery eggs and lost black sheep - and uncluttered by several hundred retweets from people whom you neither know nor care about.
You may still come to the conclusion that your fellow bloggers have too much time on their hands, or that they are simply geeks. But you may also learn something new - and something of genuine interest to you. You find yourself waiting for their next blog - just to see what they've been up to, where they've been or who they've met.
Then you start to wonder what other people really think of your Blog? Are they really interested in what book you're reading, your latest DIY project, or what your kids are up to? In most cases the answer is probably not - but what the heck - you enjoyed writing about it; someone, somewhere, probably wanted to read it, and as for everyone else? Do we really care?
A Blog is what you want it to be. Period.
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