August 26, 2010
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I blog because…
My friend, who is a blogger herself, asked me how I come up with topics to write about. I’ve been doing this for on average twice a week, for the past eight years. She asked me why two times a week, and the answer was simple: once was not enough and three was too many.
Every Monday and Thursday mornings, I ponder about things that have happened to me in the past week. Most things are not important, but I always feel that there is a lesson somewhere–something that made me take things a step further in thought and ultimately, help me understand myself a little better.
And that’s precisely my style. I write about trivial things and hope to provoke thought in the reader. I blog because I want people to read my thoughts, but you can’t get readers if you give them nothing back. If someone reads my entry and takes nothing away from it, I feel that I have failed them.
I want every reader to read my posts and almost instantly provoke some kind of thought or question. I know that when something makes me think, a little bit more about me comes to light. What would I do if I was in such a situation? Do I agree or disagree? These are all questions that we would ask ourselves if the writer allows it.
To be honest, I cheat and end my posts with questions to be answered, but it’s because I want my readers to comment. I read each and every single one, and many times, learn something insightful. That’s what blogging is all about isn’t it? Sharing thoughts about something so that your readers will share something back. And they won’t do that if there is no substance behind the words you write.
That’s why I blog. Why do you? Do you care about readership?
Comments (31)
casual readership, not so much. loyal readership, very much so!
Would you still blog twice a week if no one commented you?
I blog because it’s a way of venting, I like writing so I figured writing everyday will be good practice, and to share my thoughts with the world…or whoever reads it.. even if no one reads it lol.
i care about number of eprops i’m getting, haha
well, i do care about comments i’m getting… it’s kind of knowing you are being heard of some sort… it give the feeling that the effort in posting that post is not ‘a total waste’…
just that nowadays, that kind of feeling is not as it used to be.. thus i tend to timestamp a lot less, haha..
I feel the exact same way! I want to write to see if I meant something to them. Not that I want to be important to anybody but what I say or think, helps them to see something differently. Or if anybody could relate!!
I wanted to hear from my readers but I failed at getting their response. Am I doing something wrong? Or am I not doing something enough to get that?
Do I even make any difference? I used to blog for a place to vent but now I write because I want to make a difference.
Well, I blog as a way to keep in touch with people who are far away and want to know how I’ve been doing. Because I have a friend who is also loyal to xanga, that’s what got me started on xanga.
Also, I blog because, even though people very likely don’t care about how my day went, it makes me feel good I wrote something about my day. So perhaps, if I ever look back on my old posts, I can see how much I’ve changed.
@Momma2babies34 - I think when your entries are about yourself, then it’s on the personal side. If your entries are about your thoughts, then people are more likely to share what they think. Of course, I’m no expert and I’m purely speculating.
-ray leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Originally when i first started blogging. it was for myself. Random boring blogs about my day no one cared to read. occasionally a funny story here and there.
I semi miss the days when only my friends would read it. EVERYONE was on xanga. In fact, I wouldn’t let anyone I didn’t know read my blog and wouldn’t likeit if they commented.
How things have changed. These days, I don’t want my friends to read my blog (although, a few still do. Some still read it secretly). I want people I don’t know to read my entries so I can be more open with my readers.
@jigg - good point.
I was just thinking about this earlier yesterday. Readership doesn’t matter as much as people understanding the post, I think. I don’t want people to write ‘Great post!’ or just give me props.
I would rather people read my post and respond with a legitimate than not have readers, obviously. LOL.
Nice way of putting it. I really respect people who blog this way.
I’d like to be one of them, but blogging is my only outlet of catharsis, my therapy, for dealing with a ton of crap in my life so it ends up just being a place to deposit a bunch of brain vomit for me. Also since I have a really bad memory I want to write down a lot of details about events in my life or my days so that I will have them to look back on later.
Sometimes I will have a “real” post though. I wish I were more capable of doing that more often but I’m just not that creative I guess.
I’ve read your blog a couple of times & always liked the messages I got out of it
I like your style, it’s very inclusive to both yourself and your readers. I guess I’m the same way at times, but I mostly just blog to express my feelings and frustrations; not so much for readership. It is a nice thing to have though!
I don’t really blog. I just come on xanga to read people’s blogs. Initially, I started xanga because i wanted to improve my writing, but that didn’t do too well. I’m not that interesting and don’t really have anything intersting to write about. Although, it has crossed my mind to write about things that help people improve their oral health. Afterall, it is my profession.
@DoRi_dOrI - If NO ONE commented on my blog, I would stop blogging. lol. It’s a two way street–I provide something and my readers provide something back. We are mutually dependent on one another. My blog exists for readers and readers exist because I try to blog for them.
-ray leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
…i blog because most of the time, my mind is a jumbled mess, and also, there’s something magical about seeing my thoughts or experiences come alive on the screen, and on paper. it’s a type of validation. i’ve been printing out all my entries and placing them into binders since 2002. it’s kinda like having my own autobiographies on the shelf. as for readership, it’s great if you have them, and quite alright if you don’t. writing and blogging is my outlet. i do it for me. =)…
I mostly use my Xanga to post pics now. I write mostly in a secret Xanga or in private. >.<
i look forward to mondays and thursdays on xanga, and when you don’t post on time, i suspect something must be wrong!
I don’t post much. I mostly comment and lurk. I don’t have many readers, but I’ve done little to earn any.
I USED to blog for all those same reasons, now it’s become more of a chore. Something that was almost expected, and also, a need to fill a certain image that I guess I must have portrayed at some point. In any case, it feels bittersweet knowing that I won’t be blogging anymore.
BTW, your profile reads like a novel. Christ man, how long did that take?
@Mr_Jin - I almost never think of it as a chore. It’s challenging to try and figure out what to blog about. 800+ entries is no joke man.
I don’t think I can ever stop blogging. I enjoy it a lot.
Anyway, it took me about 30 mins to do my profile. Not too much work.
-ray leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
lol ray… you don’t have to refer to me as your friend who is a blogger herself. you can just say, PT asked me
@petitetokio - lol. The overwhelming vast majority of my readers, do not know who you are. lol.
-ray leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
the question works
for me; no
i didn’t really consider the social aspect of xanga until the 3rd or 4th year that i was on here. when i finally did start branching out, my focus was between getting feedback as well as writing down thoughts and things i had learned.
the readership i found, came naturally. now though, i like to extend myself to other xangans because i like reading and going through my subscriptions is something i find more rewarding than a random magazine.
Blogging is now really important to me now, as I’m on exchange in france right now, lets my family and friends keep up to date with what I’m up to=D
However I am still very old fashioned and write letters to friends:):) nothing better to have something to hold and keep…if that makes sense
Keep up with the good work ah, I support you with your thought provoking blogs;)
i blog because i got tire of having conversations with myself…but my blog is just starting off so I am hoping to get more traffic while still just talking about what i want to talk about!
I wish I had more readers, although, that is my own fault since I stopped writing. I want to pick it back up again, I just haven’t done that quite yet.
I like the anonymity of it. I like that random people will comment on situations that I write about, the third party perspective on some things is really nice. And sometimes it’s just nice to know that someone took the time to read what I wrote and say something about it.
I blog from time to time to let people know I’m still alive =oP
This is why I keep up with your blogs. You make a really good point about how you “provoke thought in the reader.” I blog because i like to come across what other people have to say. I actual learn a lot from some of the xangans i follow. Who’d ever guess huh? I wish I had more to say when i blog, but i feel that i don’t give as much as some of the people i sub to, so im a reader. not a writer. hehe. but thanks for always sharing your thoughts
weew
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