Every so often, I don’t feel like typing out a blog post. I know what you are thinking, but it is true! Between my several websites and blogs I can easily suffer from keyboard mileage. I feel that way right now actually. If I don’t blog regularly, however, all the work I have put in to ‘professional’ blogs will quickly fade and my traffic will decrease. As it has been widely reported on over ten thousand blogs, traffic is the key to profiting on the web. I don’t plan on boring you by talking about that.
In addition to my professional blogs and websites, I maintain a personal blog. I post less frequently now because of my ‘web’ endeavors but it is still my preferred release of emotion.
In the case of keyboard mileage I usually ask myself a simple question. Why do I blog?
For me, there are a few variables. First and foremost I want to be an author. It has been a dream of mine for a long time. Blogging basically turns me in to a self publisher. I am opinionated and I seek a limelight. This probably stems from being able to command an audience from a stage. There is a certain thrill to knowing that I have a captive audience to basically say whatever I want to. I always try to make sure I have something relevant to say, but honestly, the attention is something I have always craved.
I like to blog because it lets me display my talent in writing. I know there are a million better writers than me out there, but I like to feel I can articulate better than some and usually have a straightforward and to the point way of discussing a topic. Some writers get intimidated because they will come across a writer who flat out blows their mind. Rather than be intimidated I tend to be inspired by them.
Another key reason I blog is because I feel I have something to share that may help people. That is the main reason I write songs as well. Obviously, people by nature seek attention and they seek emotional release. I would not spend time promoting my websites and blogs if I wasn’t looking for personal gain from them. It doesn’t mean I do not respect the art and medium however. Although I am looking to gain, I am also looking to share the knowledge. It was the same way in music. I would spend hours working on music that I had very personal attachment to. Once the song was written, however, it was all business. Just because I was working hard to make music a career didn’t mean I didn’t care when someone came up to me and said a song moved them. I cherish those moments.
Lastly, I can blog from anywhere. Before I started blogging, my main outlet was music. I would write song after song but it would take a long time to be able to publicly display those songs. On the web, it is almost instant gratification. I will post and within hours I will get feedback from various sources. That, in turn, helps me become a better blogger.
When people come up to me and say that I only blog for personal gain, all I can really say is “yes I do.” I hope that my writing will eventually lead me away from my current job. At times like that I am reminded of a something a great musician once told me.
If you are in it strictly for the music, then write and sing songs for your dog in your basement. If you are in it for the music and the ability to try to earn a living, take it public. -Matt Wydra
After going through the reasons in my head why I blog to begin with, I usually feel inspired to write and try to make my next post relevant and important.
Why do you blog?
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