Why keep a weblog? The answer to that will vary depending on who you ask, but at the end of the day, it can simply be helpful in so many ways, especially to us writers. Here I’ll discuss some common motivations for keeping a blog, but feel free to join in the comments with your own reasons below!
First and foremost, blogging can be a great way to organize thoughts, keep track of dates, times, etc. It’s sort of like keeping a diary, but usually more public. If you feel the need to discuss a particular topic, but don’t necessarily feel like writing a whole book about it, blogging is a great way to put it out there quickly and easily. You don’t necessarily have to have a specific audience in mind either–you could be writing for yourself, anybody, or nobody at all! And what’s more, there’s no censor or editor telling you what to type about or scrutinizing the quality of your work. While this could be considered a double-edged sword in some cases, it is also very liberating from the stresses and pressures that we tend to feel when writing for more commercial purposes.
Another motivation for keeping a blog is to stay connected with others. Love of a common topic can lead to discussions that help us develop our thoughts and ideas more thoroughly. And when we are given constant feedback from others, we tend to grow, both as writers and as people. Blogging is one of the oldest (and in my opinion best) ways of socializing online.
Keeping a blog can also help you promote your other writing. This was the primary motivation for trying it out for me many years ago after reading a book called Social Media for Writers. By typing about a particular subject, you can throw in a mention of this book you happen to write on the topic for those who want to know more, etc. That’s not to say that the purely commercial motive is sustainable or even desirable. People will tend to tune out rather quickly if every post you make is just trying to sell something, and unless there’s actual passion behind it, your blog probably won’t sustain itself long enough to build much of a following anyway.
Blogs can also be a form of journaling. Some folks keep blogs specifically devoted to a project that lasts a fixed amount of time, then call it good. They may come back to it once in a blue moon to add a follow up post for those interested, or they may leave it alone, a record of their thoughts and experiences at the time to be used as source material for some future research project–or just to draw inspiration from.
Finally, blogs can be stress relieving. Going back to the diary analogy, blogs can be a way to record what thoughts are on our minds right at this moment. They can be a way of venting about the frustrations we are feeling with a certain project or life in general at the time. Or it can just be a nice way to spend a few quiet moments at the end of a noisy, hectic day.
So, whatever your motive, blogging can be a fun and fulfilling experience if you go about it with dedication and passion–to the extent that some people keep several going at once. That’s not to say all blogs have to have posts on a regular, timed schedule. Sometimes you need a break, or else you simply have nothing to blog about. That’s quite all right. But do keep in mind that, as with all forms of content creation, consistency and reliability are key to building a following, if that be your goal. Either way, if you keep a blog, be sure to share it in the comments down below. And if not, why not find a topic you’re passionate about and give it a go right away? You might find you enjoy it enough to make it a full-time hobby!