To Blog or Not To Blog?

Some thoughts on blogging, as I start my own blogging journey.

To Blog:

• To send detailed updates on my varying craft and garden projects to people who are interested in them, such as my Grandma, without spamming up people’s news feed and making everyone think I’m a crazy herb lady. That is, those who don’t already think I’m a crazy herb lady from how much I fretted when it snowed.
• To build a fan base for the eventual release of my slowly growing novel… If only I believed this! Blogging seems to be a common thing for authors to get into to try to both publicise their work but also use it as a writing ‘soundboard’. Who knows maybe it will work for me…*descends into daydream about being a full time writer*
• Make connections with people from the comfort of my sofa/bed in a capacity outside the realms of Facebook, blogging also seems particularly common in the world of introverts and the socially anxious. Maybe it is the illusion of a shield/disguise that the internet provides us with that can allow like-minded people who do not meet in clubs, bars and other hard core and terrifying sociable places a chance to converse with each other and make connections. Especially as many of the ways our Grandparents generation made friends seem to have gone down the pan – this is especially true for isolated stay-at-home-mums who have their very own blogging niche, although not so relevant for me!
• If you really have something important to say and can write is so well, and have enough connections and followers then the internet can create revolutions. This one is not really applicable to my blog, but felt it should be included for a sense of completion. Although maybe I will get all politically ranty eventually. I mean don’t say I didn’t warn you.
• A form of procrastination! Need I say more?
• Self-indulgence. I mean who doesn’t love talking about themselves? Socially frowned upon to do this in real life but in a blog… go for it!
• Pay attention this is an important one…. BECAUSE YOU ENJOY IT. And what else is there is life but to find things that you enjoy and do them. Who cares about the ‘shoulds’ and ‘should nots’. If you enjoy any excuse to write, they go ahead and blog. Leave the haters behind.

 

Or Not To Blog:

• Internet trolls. Although we may feel the internet is a great platform to float our ideas and opinions into, and many can open up in the impersonal written format that blogging provides in ways they are unable to in face to face conversations it is important to remember that it IS NOT private. Nothing on the internet is private. By putting your thoughts and opinions out there onto the worldwide web you are opening yourself up to being trolled. And trolls are thorough and stubborn. The grown up equivalent of the playground bully. Saying things so hurtful and offensive you cannot conceive any adult saying them directly to your face. This is a huge problem in the online world and one that has driven people into depression and sadly, suicide.
• What happened to diaries? Shouldn’t a lot of this stuff be going in a diary? Yes you can use blogging as a political platform etc etc but for the everyday ‘look what I cooked for dinner’ ‘look at my garden’ ‘listen to my angry rant’ blog, this is the stuff that back in the day would be going in your diary and no one else needed to be bothered by it. Why do we now feel it is acceptable to fill up the internet with our mundane lives? And why, when it comes down to it, is this ‘diary style’ blogging so popular? People are creating entire careers based on blogging. Being invited onto television, being given book deals, getting financed to open restaurants and shops. WHAT IS HAPPENING? WHY ARE WE ALL BLOGGING?
• Because you don’t want to. Even if there is a reason you think you should, don’t force it. Don’t ask people what to put in your blog. Don’t go to sleep worrying if people will like it. Don’t sweat about the negative comments from people you have never met. Just stop.
• You want to publish a book but your blog is so rubbish that it really gives it away to potentially publishers and editors that you are a no-no. I hope that this doesn’t happen to me…. *descends into author dreamland again*
• Is the growing trend of having our entire lives online detracting from the real world? Should we be facing our fears of interacting in real life and making connections in person instead of hiding out on online platforms where everybody posts everything they do, but who really know is enjoying it and who thinks ‘oh no not another ranty post about the junior doctor contract.’, ‘Oh no – not more holiday pictures from xyz. I can’t take this anymore, when do they come home?’, ‘Oh dear some of my friends had a social event that I wasn’t invited to’ or even ‘oh god why is my dad trying to be funny again.’

In conclusion, seeing as so far in the last 24 hours I have been really enjoying myself, I am going to plod on with my blog. Because its fun. Because I like sharing my pictures of herbs. But don’t worry, I know everyone does it, I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea and I won’t continually post links on my Facebook page. Just occasionally.

A parting thought: This is Howard the goat. Goats will find a way to eat blogs.