On Blogging: Why Do I Write and Why Do You Read?

 

Dear Blog Readers, Blog Writers, and General Internet Users:

What are we doing here?  I’m really just curious.

Here’s my story: I started this blog because I want to share the DIY-type projects/crafts/sewing/cooking/etc that I do. I am a glutton for knowledge, and as much as I value it when I seek and find it, I thought I should share it as well.  I definitely want to keep doing that.

But if you have ever tried to blog, it’s a lot of work! I’ve really wanted to do this kind of blog (or some form of sharing) since at least 2005/2006, (my friends know I am always DIY-ing things), but taking the appropriate (blog-worthy) photos and writing/summing things up into reader-friendly posts takes more time than you’d think.  And of course, real life gets in the way. Now that I have job and a little time to write, I don’t have as much time to do the actual projects. When I was full-time renovating our house, it was hard to find time to write (or maybe I just didn’t make it a priority and that’s my problem!)  In any case, I don’t see my blog turning into Young House Love any time soon.

And therein lies my problem.  What should I do with my blog? I can keep up sporadic posts and keep them fully along the lines of my DIY/Young House Love-esque projects (PS I adore Young House Love and becoming them is my real dream) or I can turn my blog into something a little more personal, where I share some more thoughts and opinions that lie outside the realm of everyone-friendly content.

And here’s what I mean: two of my favorite blogs, Young House Love and Cup of Jo, are run as full time businesses.  So even though all their personality shines through, I feel like you can tell that they are keeping everything friendly for the masses.  Just like I don’t talk to clients at work like I talk to my friends during a night of drinking, I know they aren’t always sharing everything think and feel in terms of keeping it light and clean. (Again, I am not downing them for holding things back – they are both amazing blogs and their professionalism is why I keep reading them!)  Because they’re both run as full time blogs, I feel like they have more time and energy to devote to this. 

Then there are more personal blogs.  I have a lot of opinions, and even though I’m honestly a pretty cheery person who likes to keep peace and thinks the whole world should play ukuleles together and pet puppies, I do have opinions and will share them out loud when asked.  I think I’m a pretty fun person (heh heh) who’s a good time to be around, but I’m not sure how some of my personality will come across on the Internet. (Like when I have to tell you how much my dog, Grounder, makes me insane. How when he runs away, I always cross my fingers that he won’t come back.  What’ll happen is you’re gonna want to chide me, but you have to remember that this dog has lived with me, in doggie luxury, for 9 years!! and I do all sorts of things to accommodate him…so that saying funny things to complain about him is really just a part of  pet ownership for me: a privilege I think I deserve for putting up with him!  I think this doggie video sums up how I feel about Grounder.)  And while there are times I LOVE reading snarky blogs, or reading posts with that sarcastic and dry sense of humor, I also know there are some blogs whose content I like, but I quit reading because of the blogger’s personality.  (Is that something that all bloggers, all writers really, have to understand will happen? I also hate negative comments on any blog…do I just have to prepare myself for things like that no matter what? And do my best to ignore it?)

(And, actually, I guess Cup of Jo and Young House Love are both really personal blogs as well…are their personalities just that great? Maybe! Do I think mine is? I don’t know!)

I also know that in Web2.0 (is that a term people still use?), blogging (and the Internet in general) is a source of vast information, and I don’t want to go back to the days when people though blogging was just a form of whining on the internet.  Whatever I do, I want to keep my blog informative and, hopefully, funny.

So what do you think? Do you want to know how much of a book nerd I really am? (Will I pretend that my blog is a modern Walden?) Do you want to read what I really think about tackling DIY projects? How I really feel about Grounder and what I do for him? Will you share doggie horror stories in return? Or should I try to keep it straightforward and professional, attempting to appeal to the larger audience, with how-tos and actual after pictures?  And keep the whining to myself…  :)

PS – I plan on unashamedly passing this post around so I can get opinions. I know that blogging is supposed to be social, and even though I am not the most social person, on the Internet or otherwise, I have enjoyed the feedback I’ve gotten from blogging! So even though I don’t often want to push my stuff in front of others, I’m going no-holds-barred on this one!