Friday, October 9, 2009

What's in a Blog?

So a friend says to me, "Hey, you're a writer, why don't you have a blog?"

My first response was something like this: "Why would I have a blog? What could I possibly have to blog about? And what is blogging anyway, really?" 

I'm sure most of you are shaking your heads or rolling your eyes. After all, who in this day and age does not understand what a blog is? So ask yourself, what is it really? The definitions are out there. An online journal of events, a running commentary of personal thoughts, the modern version of letters to the editor, or any number of things which all relate back to one main idea. Communication. Blogging is just the next evolutionary step in human communication. It's a way for all of us to become writers, because if you blog, or respond to a blog, or comment on a blog, you're writing. That's what writers do, we take a thought, develop it, nurture it, and then arrange it on paper so we can share it with the world. And perhaps that's too simplistic a view of what a writer does, but the basic idea is there. We have ideas that we want to share with others. And maybe that's what makes blogging and other various forms of modern communication wonderful and horrifying all at the same time. After all, not everyone will get a publishing contract and have their story available for everyone to read and comment upon, but just about anyone these days can post their writing on the internet and ask for feedback. 

As for me, I'm going to have to tell my friend that he was indeed correct, I am a writer and I do have stuff to blog about. So if you have thoughts on the evolution of human communication, the purpose of blogging, or the relevance of an online journal, go ahead and knock yourself out. I'd love to hear about it!

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