Why Blog?
Blogging is like writing an email to everyone on the Internet and hoping some fraction of them reads it.
Above: My WorkPlayLove.com blog circa November 6, 2009
Why blog? Each person’s reasons differ. Below are mine:
- Make something useful – I’m happiest when people find value in something I’ve assembled
- Capture fleeting thoughts – Time flies. Taking a moment to reflect makes a big difference
- Improve my writing – Writing gets better with practice. Blogging forces you to practice
- Get hands-on with the blogosphere – I want to tinker with blog analytics
- Blogging is fun – I enjoy sharing, particularly with friends. Why not let others join in?
Some caveats:
- Blogs blend personal and professional lives: Some posts may be controversial, some might make me look obsessive compulsive, all the posts are public. If you plan to clearly separate your personal and professional lives, blogging might not be for you.
- Blogging puts you “out there”: If you’re afraid to be judged, emailing the Internet is probably not in your best interests. People will have opinions about you. Booggie Booggie Booggie!
Not scared off yet?
Best blogging service I’ve worked with is wordpress. Easy to use, easy to start, and free. For a little money you can buy your own domain name there as well. Once you’ve setup an account, I recommend using Windows Live Writer to toss entries together quickly and easily, along with images. It’s a phenomenal piece of software.
Alright, I may be intrepid enough to try this out. Oh wait, so this means I gotta carve out an extra hour somewhere in our busy schedules? Hmmm…
If you enjoy it, I think it counts in the recreation/procrastination pie slice of the week.