Last night I received an email from my friend CK who asked me about blogging. The questions he posed I thought were quite compelling – so I decided to build a post around it. His questions are in italics and my responses below:
Writer Chick,
I enjoy reading you, but wonder: I know you don’t think of it as a journal or a diary, you’re aware that it will be read, but …
Is it a monologue, something you write for me (your loyal public) to enjoy, like a book or an article, and I take from it what I will?
Yes, it is a monologue and yes, I hope you, my loyal public will enjoy and hopefully take something away from it. Because, in fact I guess in a way I am looking for my audience, or at least to discover whether or not I have one or could develop one. It would be utterly selfish of me to simply write something without having the reader in mind. So, as with any piece of writing, part of the aim is to in some way give something to the reader for his/her enjoyment.
Or is it more of a dialog, requiring give and take, react and respond, a thread debated potentially ad infinitum?
I would have to answer yes to this as well – because the internet and most especially blogs, message boards, etc. have the aspect of interaction and it is immediate interaction. I find I like that and do very much look forward to the reactions, responses and additions that any readers contribute. I think that all writers learn from their readers as readers learn from the writers they favor. And in this forum, the give and take is a wonderful aspect of it.
Or is it something altogether different, not knowing a better word I’ll say a polylog, where you flop it out on the table, we all have a go at it, cooing at it or poking it with a stick until we all decide it’s done, and it’s morphed into something totally different from the original thought?
This I would have to say is a yes and a no. We aren’t talking rocket science. Truth be told, really we’re talking opinion. My take on something. If someone wants to challenge me I’m more than happy to play. Thus far in my neophyte career as a blogger, I’ve only had one reader challenge me. I responded promptly, but to my knowledge he never returned to the blog. Perhaps he lurks but he has not added anything further to the debate. Let’s just say on this aspect, I’m willing. Whether or not it will ever seriously come to pass on the blog I can’t say. But it could be fun.
There is one other reason that I am finding the blogging adventure satisfying and good for me and it is this – I write every day. In all the years I have slogged away at writing I never could find that place where I could write every day. Or find anything that would ‘force’ me to do so. Now, I realize I must. And it’s funny because it turns out to be quite motivational and even inspiring.
So, now I’d like to pose it to you, the bloggers out there. Care to answer CK’s questions? Or just write a little bit about why you blog? I’m going to be very interested in what you all have to say.
WC
Anita Rodgers Mystery Writer 
This is a great post, I have been wondering why it is that people love to blog so much. I agree, it’s hard to find the motivation to write every day when no one is reading it. I love the immediacy of blogs, that often you get a response right away.
And like you, I find that when people read my blog, I start to write for the audience.
For me, blogging is a path towards becoming a writer. It could be a very slow journey but a fun one.
It most definitely is a path to becoming a writer. For me, it has restored the joy of writing. Very interesting that I am noticing things everyday about this. I’m loving it.
WC
LikeLike
WC-
For me, blogging gives a sense of order to the daily events of my life. I like the fact that I can put something on the table if only to see what others think about my take on a given subject.
It does have an addictive quality to it which sometimes scares me.
You know me, I blog alot.
The wife thinks I’ve gone off the deep end.
I tell her it’s pronounced the “blogosphere”…
Great post that should elicit many comments.
I like this take, Michael…I never would have thought of it that way – but I can really see how it would give a sense of order. The one thing that you can control completely? Very good.
WC
~m
LikeLike
I’ve recently, as you know since you commented, did a post about blogging myself. So rather than rehash, i’m going to pimp my post…hehehehehe
Take a look here.
One thing you said that hit home for me was the motivational properties of being a ‘blogger’ I have started countless diaries, journals etc etc and this is the ONLY one that i’ve managed to keep up. It’s helped me on a personal level alot. And apperently amused and entertained a few folks along the way 🙂
You know you’ve set yourself a very high standard of blog post early in your blogging career right? Just thought i’d mention it 🙂
Kel, you can pimp your post anytime. Interesting isn’t it, that it does bring about that motivation. I am in awe of that aspect. Very high standard, yoiks, no pressure here!
WC
LikeLike
Hi WC,
If there were more bloggers like you who asked themselves this question, there’d be more interesting blogs out there.
I went into blogging because I have this passion for writing. It just so happens that when I write, there’s very little interaction between me and my reader. With blogging, they can even contribute to the conversation through comments and suggestions. Disagreements are also welcome.
You get to know your readers and you can adjust to them, or at least you know what they’re thinking about your work. This is the reason why blogging can be the medium with which writers can hone their skills.
Thanks for the comment Roberto and welcome. I agree, you really have to hone your writing skills. It seems to come with the territory.
WC
LikeLike
I do not consider myself a writer. I consider myself a story teller. Blogging is just a natural extension of sitting around a campfire and telling a story. Only we are no longer limited to those just in earshot of the campfire. Our audience spans the globe. I have readers from all over the world and is amazing to me just how many people relate to tales told by a simple storyteller deep in the middle of nowhere.
I do it because I love to tell my twisted little tales. I would do it whether anyone came to my site or not. But I am honored by all of those that do come. And I always try to remember the old adage that it is the tale not the teller that makes a good story. Sometimes I fall on my face and sometimes I succeed to a very small degree but this medium never fails to amaze me.
Through this medium I have made a great number of friends. And even though we might not even recognize one another if we passed on the street. There are many things that we know of each other that many of our closest friends in the off line world do not know. Blogging is more than a journal it is a correspondance to yourself and to the world.
There is much more that I could say but I will stop myself before I make this more of a post than a comment.
Fuzz, you are more than welcome to make your comments as long as you like. I like your take on this – it’s different. Though I would still contend that bloggers are writers – as are storytellers – I think the whole point of telling stories, blogging, writing, etc. is the same – we want to share something with someone else, an idea, a point of view, a laugh. Communication is what we get the biggest kick out of, derive the most satisfaction from, yes?
WC
LikeLike