Blogging

[MKG]

Being an old stick-in-the-mud (definition: one who claims to be open-minded to any innovation but then blithely ignores it) I've tended to never read blogs - my uninformed opinion has always been, I have to admit, "Oh, that's just another wannabe writer raving at the world". But now I've actually read some of them by members of this site and - you know what? - some of them are good. Some of them are well written. Some of them I'll go back to.

So I wondered - why does anyone start a blog? What particular thing kicked you off? How many fall by the wayside after three months? I assume they entail paying out money - is it worth it?

I'm beginning to be fascinated, so do tell.

[Stonehead]

I've been writing online since the dim, dark days of dial-up BBSes and Usenet, way back before the web was dreamed of. When the web did come along, I quickly set up my own website (the Bowerbird Cafe) in 1993 and started writing what is now called a blog. Then, it was "just" a personal website that covered my interests, my thoughts and what I was doing.

I suppose it "officially" became a blog about 1996/1997, changed servers and platforms a few times, and finally landed on Wordpress in January 2006. It's remained there ever since.

As to why, there are all sorts of reasons. It's a good way of finding like-minded people and exchanging information with them (in my case from restoring classic cars to programming, from cooking to climbing, from eco stuff to politics, from self-sufficiency/self reliance to crofting, from gardening to Lister engines). Depending on where you live and when, it can be quite hard meeting people in the real world with those interests.

The blog is a way of staying in touch with family and friends who are scattered around the globe.

It's a way of sharing information and advice that other people passed to me, so I feel it's only right that I pass it on in turn with the addition of my own peculiar insights.

It's an outlet for rants, raves and mutterings (and believe me, I do a lot of those!).

It's an opportunity to keep my writing skills in use and poliished. Having made my living from writing for 20 years or so, I'm not going to let those skills wither.

It's a social opportunity for people who can't get out for whatever reason. In my case, workload but it can be many others.

And I'm sure others will come up with more reasons for blogging.

[MKG]

Oh wow, Stonehead - you're not the Bowerbird who sent the entire establishment of Gutenberg and DP into a complete tizz, are you?

[the.fee.fairy]

I started mine because i got asked about 6 times a day 'where did you get the recipe for today's soup then' or 'so what's in it today?', so i started the soup blog with recipes on it so that i could just point them to there...although its been a bit out of action lately...i got into sandwiches again.

[red]

I started with a website. I had free webspace and though I could put links to useful home ed resources there. then I expanded it to cover other things.. in particular OH (colhut) can never remember how to cook anything.. nor find the recipe.. so I put it there and he has no excuses!

I was against blogs... but found myself reading a few as some are pretty interesting.. particularly if you are doing the same thing.

I experiemented with wordpress.. I am a nosey sort and wanted to know how it worked.. and it was free to set one up so I did just to play with it etc... then got sucked in! - yup lots of free blog sites

There is a community side of things to having a blog.. when my sheep were lambing.. there were others who were in the same place doing the same thing.. and it was good to share with people who understood. We dont all have the same opinions.. but you form them by listening and bouncing ideas around.

My RL friends dont really get what we are doing here!!... when I said I made nettle pasta.. they said.. 'why' - so its good to have forums likes here.. but also the blog.. to share.. and the people that are interested are the ones that read it!

I found I enjoyed writing. and why not.

[Annpan]

I loke the idea that my friends and family can dip in and out of the blog and mooch around to see what I have been up to...

I got a bit sick of the question... "so what have you been up to?" and then trying to work out at which point they switch off... much less awkward when one of my friends (or family) says, I have been looking at your blog. Then at least they can discuss what is of interest to them rather than hear me harp on about Dandelion Cordial, hot beds, traditional terry squares v shaped reusable nappies, slug traps, getting my bike, etc, etc, etc...

[Moonwaves]

I discovered blogs about a year and a half ago while searching for info on simple living. When I tried to find out what a blog was it was described as essentially an online diary and, after reading a few for a few weeks, I decided it would be a good way to keep track of what I was doing.

It was only later that I realised some blogs really are written by very talented writers and some are more like mine, just a diary keeping track of what's going on. Have found it very useful for venting on occasion - I know writing down what's bothering you can be a helpful thing to do but was never able to take to it when I was then left with pages of meandering self-pity (which it invariably turned into) sitting staring back at me. Now I can write down all that stuff and send it out into the ether.

I've never been too bothered about whether people read my blog or not - I do have it inclluded in my signature on a few forums and get the occasional comment so assume some people do. But really, it's a place for me to (a) keep lists of what I'm doing, (b) keep track of other blogs I like to read and (c) get stuff out of my head for a while. :)

In relation to the cost, I use blogspot which is free but I do have a very basic blog. One of these days I might get around to figuring out how to do more with it but it suits me for now.

[Green Rosie]

When we moved to France we found we weren't always the best at keeping in touch with everyone - the blog makes this a lot easier. It'll also give us something to read back on and have a laugh/cry when we're too old to do the things we write about in the blog

[The Riff-Raff Element]

I write two blogs. One is hosted by a newspaper and I do that for money. But I have to keep within certain (fairly broad) bounds: I have to write about France.

The other I write because I enjoy writing. It keeps my brain oiled. It costs me £4 per year as an add-on to our existing commercial site and I am free to write and publish just about any rubbish I want.

As far as I can tell, only about six people read it, and I'm one. My wife is another and a third is a complete looney. Most of the hits on my blog come from spambots. But I don't care. The interweb thingy is a big place with plenty of room for junk.

I do enjoy the blogs of other SSishers. Very illuminating many of them. Well written too.

[eccentric_emma]

I jumped on the blogging bandwagon after being on here for a few months. Liked everyone elses and thought I'd do one too. I had grand plans for it in the beginning but I don't have the discipline. I used to write a personal blog for years and years but now I'm a bit more private now.

Cost wise, its free so why not do it, as for visitors I don't get many but it puts a smile on my face when I do get the odd comment and for that it is worth it.

[kiwirach]

i started mine as a way for family back home in NZ, and in Oz could keep up with my goings on.
i've had a couple of the overs and have just deleted my craft one, so now i have one that i'm also using to record the transition i've chosen to take in settling here in the UK. ( so when i'm old and senile, i can look back and remember )

[multiveg]

I started it as a way to log whats happening allotmentwise - when did I sow this, when did it go out, and first harvest. However, a lot of that information was missing. I should keep a year diary too but... It takes time to sit down at the computer, and type up (plus upload pictures).
I could have published several posts last week, but didn't get round to it. When I updated this morning, I even forgot things I was going to say (still forgotten though).

Then, I started one for a creative writing course I was doing, it was the first year of presentation of the course, so I thought I'd write about my progress (plus perhaps hope that it would help others). Didn't keep that one up to date. I haven't done any serious writing since completing the course (with a pass grade that said that I could write competently).

I've started others but then they have fallen by the wayside - they need regular tending and time...

[johnhcrf]

Karen Cannard's The Rubbish Diet blog, keep her fully occupied, the five working days. The contacts she has are a vast spread. Its great for spreading the message wide. Most blogs I come across are female enterprises. I do not think I could find enough to talk about to fill the pages.

[Ellendra]

My mother keeps a blog solely for sharing pictures of my nephew (her grandson).

I started one intending to keep a log of my attempts at starting a homestead from a bare lot. It only has the first entry still, even though its been a year. I'm not much at keeping a blog.

[johnhcrf]

You 're right, the blog has to come first if you want it to run full-time. A joint effort could be done but with 1 chief.