Why I blog?

Blogging is about community.

Maria Palma, of customersarealways.com answers the question in this post. She believes that each of us has a story to tell. I have found, through the blogs that I read, that many bloggers are people that inherently have a desire to express their experiences and convey that wisdom ( good or bad ) upon others. That isn't to say that blogs are the place to learn about life and follow in the footsteps of others, but rather it is a way to connect with others that share common experiences, thoughts, and beliefs.

Blogging is about communication.

Another common response to the question is that people want to solicit feedback for ideas, products, and thoughts. For example, at Wait till I come!, Chris Heilmann created scripts ( among other things ) and began to get emails asking for add-ons and to report bugs, as well as commercial implementation costs. His blog gave him an alternative to dealing with the difficulties of email for communicating with a large number of people. You can read more about his reasons in this post.

Blogging is about the improving one's self regardless of barriers.

The Internet has opened up the world. No longer to we live in a community within the geographical limitations of our own city, state, nation or continent. We can now communicate with people from Canada, Mexico, France, England, India, Japan, Russia, etc... ( that is if language barriers do not interfere ). This was part of the motivation for Meg. In her post, she describes how blogging gives her the ability to discuss issues outside of her area of expertise with people who share a passion for the topic and may also be more knowledgeable about the topic.

Blogging provides a safety net.

Most people I know, especially by virtue of the fact that I work in the technical field, are pretty introverted people. While the term introverted can have negative connotations to many people, in essence it means that introverted people are shy people. Blogging gives many people, like Mike Zellars, the opportunity to communicate with people even though they may be shy. He talks about this fact in his post. He suggests that blogging provides him a safety net when it comes to communication.

Blogging is about creating a channel from which individual creativity may flow.

Like me, some bloggers have a passion to write. It doesn't really matter what it may be - a short story, a novel, a short post describing the weather . . . but it is a common thread. It is a desire to create with words - a feeling, a well communicated thought, an experience - and share with whomever stumbles across it. This is one of the reasons I found at this post.

Blogging is about changing the world.

Perhaps some bloggers are idealists at the core. There's no shortage of how blogging has had an impact in many areas. Blogging can help you get justice, exposure, friends in the time of need, or bring about change. Blogging can bring a voice to a minority of people that can be heard by the majority. This is one of the reasons Edward Mills provides as to why he blogs. You can read his reasons here. He wants to change the world, and he thinks it's working.

Blogging is about curiosity.

Some people have a thirst for knowledge. While this may not always extend into, for example, knowledge about academic things, some people use blogging as a way to learn more about themselves. Tony2Nice says that he not only wants to learn more about himself, but his blog also allows him to get to know more about people in general. Read more about his reasons here. He puts it, quite straight forward and to the point, this way:

You're never as aware of your own feelings, opinions, and tastes until you relate them to other people. Seeing your tiny thoughts blown up in giant letters for all the internet to see is humbling.

Money and Fame.

There are a number of people that are seeking fame and riches by blogging. Brian Lee at Genius Types notes that he has always been interested at passive income opportunities. Read more about his reasons here. He also goes on to say that he only now realizes the amount of work that is required to maintain a blog. While many would agree that their chances are very limited at achieving the wealth and notoriety they seek, I think it's important to put this into perspective and set achievable goals. It truly is a passion. The content is the product of creativity, expertise, and many hours in front of a computer writing and ( more importantly ) reading. In order to be a decent blogger ( note here that I am not suggesting I am a decent blogger, but I do try ) you really need to read other peoples' blogs. It is much like trying to become a good writer, period - In order to be, for example, a good fiction writer, you need to be a student of writing fiction by studying the best writers. I read, right now, at least 90 other blogs and the list is expanding every day as I come across new blogs that spark my interest.

So there you have it. I'm sure I could have found many more reasons why people blog. But, quite honestly, blogging isn't about being self-righteous or self-indulgent. Although I myself have found a few good examples, and perhaps I'm guilty of that as well. But for me blogging is about expressing my thoughts, learning from myself and others, communicating, and an outlet for creativity that cannot be found anywhere else.

So why do you blog? Share your thoughts and comments . . .