Sunday, April 19, 2009

Blogging.

Sunny said in her latest post:

"I was much more interesting when I first started blogging.

No two ways about it- I had much more interesting things to write about then. I could somehow twist the mundane into some semblance of humor.

But as the years have passed, my world has changed....things have happened that brought my world crashing down about my ears and it shows in my writing."

You know what? I completely disagree.

As Evan said in his latest blog, people constantly change anyway, but reading your old blog posts isn't really a way to gauge how you've changed.

Blogging is a pretty strange activity. I remember back in the early 90's when someone told me about 'This website where people write diaries and then put them online'. Online diaries? Why would anyone put something so personal online? Well, the truth is, blogging really is nothing like a diary.

Everyone starts a blog for the same reason. We want people to read it. It's our own personal editorial column and we're going to write such awesome stuff that we're going to be famous. So, starting out, we all make a conscious decision to be entertaining and put a hell of a lot of effort into our posts. Like Sunny said, she would 'twist the mundane into some semblance of humor' and that's because when you start a blog you're constantly on the lookout for something interesting to write about.

Back when I first started blogging I actually carried a small notebook around with me to jot down ideas for posts as they arrived. When I wrote a blog post I'd go through four or five drafts to make sure each post was as punchy and polished as possible. Getting stuck behind a doddery old lady at the grocery store would become a thousand-word wonder about old ladies trying to draw money out of ATM's with their library card and trying to change the channel on the TV with their their glasses case.

Then, about a year or so later, one of two things happen. You get bored and quit or your blog becomes just another part of your routine and a way to communicate with a small group of people.

Basically, I blog today because it's become a habit. It's an outlet for when I have something I want to share or rant about. I don't write for the specific purpose of entertaining as many people as possible anymore. Basically, this is my blog, this is what *I* want to write about, and if you don't like it, don't read it.

If you go back to the very first post on this blog you'll find a satirical piece about Televangelists in which I try so desperately to be funny it's almost pathetic. Where I to write that post today, it would probably be a few short paragraphs on how I really dislike them for praying on people's gullibility.

Long story short, if you go back through your blog posts, don't be surprised to find a more happy-go-lucky and vibrant person wrote it. That person was trying to appeal to a new audience, today that person just jots some thoughts down on a blog.

3 comments:

Sunny said...

I still try to draw new ppl to my blog tho.......

I start out with an idea and try to run with it- but somehow it seems to just kinda peter out and i lose interest after half of it is written.

I dunno.....It'll work it's self out at some point I'm sure.

MC Etcher said...

Well said, dude!

Just like at the beginning of any relationship, we try really hard, then it usually turns to coasting...

Evan 08 said...

Good observation.