Why I Blog
I first started to blog because my mom blogs and it seemed fun to me. I have always enjoyed writing, but it seems so much more "worth it" to have someone else actually read your work, instead of just you. When I first started out there were two readers... my parents. I then had a few of my close family friends start reading it. Its popularity started to pick up little by little, then I made a bold decision. I shared my link on Facebook.
To most people, this may not seem like a big deal, but to me it really is. By sharing the link on Facebook I was opening myself up to everyone's opinions and ideas of what I was writing about. It took something personal, my thoughts and emotions, and turned them into something public, something that pretty much anyone could see. When I saw how many people had viewed my blog, I was astounded (I won't name the number but it was more than usual). "These people actually care what I have to say to the world," "they are all reading this because I'm such a great writer, because I have such great wisdom and guidance to share," my head grew 10 sizes in a short amount of time. I then started to compare myself to other bloggers, and what they were doing, how many shares, likes and comments they got on each of their posts.
I started to think of different posts I could write about. "Hard hitting" topics that would help the blog world in one way or another. The focus became, "how can I make people like my writing," rather than being my true, vulnerable self. That's when I had to take a step back.
Writing is personal, it shouldn't be about whose opinion is right or who uses the most eloquent wording in each of their posts. I realized, this is for me. This is for all of the things that I want to share, that I want to communicate to other people. It is also for the reader, it is for them to learn from my mistakes or to somehow form a bond with me, to know that they are not the only one going through a similar struggle.
I don't blog for likes or shares, I blog so that I am able to share my feelings and connect to people on a different level than I normally can. I blog to make myself vulnerable and accountable. I blog so that I can share a piece of who I am with anyone who reads. Rather that be one person or one-hundred people.
To most people, this may not seem like a big deal, but to me it really is. By sharing the link on Facebook I was opening myself up to everyone's opinions and ideas of what I was writing about. It took something personal, my thoughts and emotions, and turned them into something public, something that pretty much anyone could see. When I saw how many people had viewed my blog, I was astounded (I won't name the number but it was more than usual). "These people actually care what I have to say to the world," "they are all reading this because I'm such a great writer, because I have such great wisdom and guidance to share," my head grew 10 sizes in a short amount of time. I then started to compare myself to other bloggers, and what they were doing, how many shares, likes and comments they got on each of their posts.
I started to think of different posts I could write about. "Hard hitting" topics that would help the blog world in one way or another. The focus became, "how can I make people like my writing," rather than being my true, vulnerable self. That's when I had to take a step back.
Writing is personal, it shouldn't be about whose opinion is right or who uses the most eloquent wording in each of their posts. I realized, this is for me. This is for all of the things that I want to share, that I want to communicate to other people. It is also for the reader, it is for them to learn from my mistakes or to somehow form a bond with me, to know that they are not the only one going through a similar struggle.
I don't blog for likes or shares, I blog so that I am able to share my feelings and connect to people on a different level than I normally can. I blog to make myself vulnerable and accountable. I blog so that I can share a piece of who I am with anyone who reads. Rather that be one person or one-hundred people.
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