Why Do You Blog?
It’s a fair question. What are the reasons you blog? Is it for the connection? To make money? To get the most comments? To join a circle of like minded people? To pass the time? To avoid working? To have a creative outlet? To explore other cultures? To rant and complain? To state your opinion? To support a cause? To fight for justice? To create chaos and fear? To have fun and be silly? To be an adult? To search for things to steal? To promote your viewpoint? To keep your sanity? To lose yourself? To find hope?
Why do people have comment moderation? Why do some post so often? Why do some post so little?
What are your favorite type of posts to read? Do you like all the theme days? Do you like text only? Or pictures only? Or both? Do you prefer to comment all the time? Or just read and never comment? Do you think blogs should be censored? Come with ratings?
Tell me; why do you blog?
Have a great weekend everyone. Peace and love.
Our novel can be purchased at 
Blessing~ 1991-2008
I started my first blog to keep my family advised of what I was doing while I was living in India in 2003. After that, I had many requests from friends and family to continue blogging and let them know what was going on in our neck of the woods. I don’t really have a large readership (although it does get bigger on Thursdays thanks to T13) and that’s ok.
I’ll blog about anything, although of late I spend most of my time writing about reading, learning, education, military, or travel.
I try my best to blog every day, but don’t often succeed.
Since I have comment moderation, I feel comfortable explaining my reasons for it. I have less than 300 comments on my blog in over a year of blogging, but my comment moderation has blocked over 2000 spam comments from porn sites, etc. My moderation filter allows all commenters to post unmoderated after their first comment is accepted. I’ve never had anyone complain about the moderation and I’ve yet to have a single spam comment make it through the filter. I feel very lucky
I read a large number of blogs – no rhyme or reason to the topics I read and the sites I visit. Somewhere along the line I made a connection with the author (often via email) and routinely visit the site to see what the author is writing about.
Now – why do you blog?
Hmmm… I ask myself this often.
For me, I began blogging several months ago at a very very low point in my life (hence the Title of my blog). A lot seemed to happen all in a very short period of time in my life, a very littel of it good.
I began blogging simply as a release. Writing down my feelings while enjoying a certain degree of anonymity somehow made me feel better, it helped me cope..
Since that time, for whatever reason, the site just seemed to take off and generate a fair degree of activity, and in the process many aspects of the negativism that was in my life seemed to fade.
Now I just do it for fun, and to share my photography with those that wish to view it..
Maybe its time to rename the site…
I blog in an effort to express myself. Because I find it difficult to speak.
I blog because my friends are far away and it’s kind of like my living room… and we’re sitting together.
I blog because I am compelled.
Thank God. I’d have never met you and Diane otherwise.
Oh Brian… what a lot of questions.
I often ask myself what am I doing here?
When I first found blogging I used to post for an audience, but now I post as my thoughts and my heart dictate. If people visit and say nice things that is lovely; if not, that is their prerogative. I don’t mind, but I’m considering changing my comment status because I am getting so much naughty stuff.
Initially it was fun. Over time it has changed. I’ve met wonderful people and got caught up in their worlds; shared their good times and bad, their laughter and pain. I want it to be a happy place, I want to be a good friend to the people I connect with… sometimes I get it wrong, my friendship no longer welcome and then it hurts.
I hope you don’t mind me posting this here; I wrote it six months ago.
I’m curious and would love to know what you think
About blogging and what it brings
To you… I don’t doubt my world is extended
By wonderful like minded people I’ve befriended
But is there an etiquette, unwritten rules
Do’s and don’ts, good manners and all
For when you visit do you always have something to say
Or do you think, I’ll come back later today
And do you comment on comments and go back
Again to that blog and there follows a chat
Or just leave the one comment and leave it at that
Do you spend all day surfing about
Or just a little while popping in and out
What are your favourites, the pics
Or bloggers’ true life stories, or fanfic
And do you visit someone new
Who for the first time has just visited you
Sorry to ask, but I started to ponder
And realised, you’re the ones with the answer
Are you going to tell us your reasons for blogging?
I wish you well, hope today’s a good one and a lovely weekend too
lotsa luv ann xxxxx
Like Ryan I started blogging at a low point, like pixie Iwant to express myself. There is no one close at hand who cares about my need to be creative. My hubby thinks it’s a waste of time.
So I also blog to find like minded souls who may enjoy my blogs as I enjoy theirs.
This isn’t the first time I have visited you brian but it is the first time that I had something to say so hello, I finally found my voice here and thanks for asking me so that I could ask myself.
Hi everyone. I suppose I should have mentioned that I’ll post later about why I blog. I’m glad so many new people have decided to comment already. Please feel free to say anything you want in response to a comment or the post.
Thanks She and welcome.
Thanks Ryan, glad to see you again.
Thanks Pixie, love you.
Thanks Ann, you shine.
Thanks Cathy and welcome.
My goodness you are full of questions…I blog as an outlet. I find it theraputic to get emotions out there, hell I can’t afford a therapist. This is so much cheaper and I get multiple person feedback!!!
I like the rapport i have established with blogger buddies…and I like that we can all do it during a time that is convient for all of us…
I blog for me, for a record of what my life is like and as a way of getting things off my chest. I’m not the best talker in the world, and too often I just bury things that shouldn’t be buried so blogging gives me a way of expressing my emotions.
I do enjoy the comments of course, but I’ve been keeping an online record of my doings for so long (years really) and for a lot of that time no one seemed to pay me much mind and I continued on. So comments are just an icing on the cake.
And as for what I like in a blog. Well, I like to feel connected with the person writing the blog on some kind of level. When the person writing is able to show themselves through their writing, or through pictures (though, I prefer writing) I enjoy reading the blog…but if the blog gets too technical and the author too far removed from it. It just doesn’t work for me.
Always thank you for comment.
In Sapporo, a sign of spring is felt soon.
春近し 土の匂いが 懐かしい
Asking why I blog is a dangerous question Bri, you never know who’s going to answer. It could take days for all four of us to answer that question. Me, I blog because I need an outlet to tell what’s going on in my life, it’s easier to tell people you don’t see. Solace, you know she’s the creative one, she just loves for people to see her work, but she’s shy and won’t show any of it to people she knows she will see another day. Echo, I don’t have any idea why she does sometimes, ask her, not sure that she’ll answer though. I think part of it had to do with the fact that PB would comment sometimes. And Frau, well she’s a show off, likes to know that she’s good, the best, whether it’s just poetry or something else
Court
Have a good weekend!
I started to blog cause ppl told me I must cause I can write, then I sarted to blog and I could not stop, I blog almost every day mosty over weekends not, now I have two blogs one where I do my writing and the other where I just talk shit……this is me, I like pics and text, and I like ppl who speak their minds…no sensor….whhhooohooo….good weekend….cheers…:)
nosey today huh Brian
just being bratty….
you know why I blog, I need the therapy….and I like to be around people similar and very much unlike myself at the same time….diversity makes blogging interesting stuff.
Back from lunch. I go at 11am to 12. Since I get up around 5am, I am very hungry by that time. Plus the shop is closed from 12 to 1, so I get some more time to myself.
Thanks Rebecca
Thanks Silver
Thanks Monk ( Monk is from Japan and takes the coolest pictures which he pairs with a song)
Thanks Court
Thanks Etain
Amiigwech BG, Noisy??? Moi????
Why do I blog? Guilt.
Have a great weekend!
My blog is like my journal. I’ve always journaled, especially once my boys came along, so when I found out about blogs, I decided to journal online so my family and friends can also keep up to date with us.
I’m a person that feels the need to write down everything, LOL.
And how fun to meet so many new people and make blogging friends! I love reading other people’s blogs and expanding my horizons.
Why I blog –
(”cause you Made me! LOL Not really…)
I blog to connect to people. I am so accustomed to being by myself, for so long, that it is hard for me to stretch myself to go out and meet real people. Not that bloggers aren’t real.
It’s that there’s no pretense about it. Mostly acceptance, no tests to pass. Be who you are and we will read.
I learn so much from others point of view and perspectives. Their problems make me think and be thanksful for everything good in my life. Like you!
the interaction is what I crave. I wish all my blog friends lived in my neighborhood! Imagine the fun and real conversation we could have! that would be SO cool.
Love you! D OX
Hey there,
Thank you for your comment! Your blog is wonderful, and I’ve added yours to my site as well.
See you around!
Hello. My name is Swampwitch and I’m addicted to blogging.
My objection was to learn enough about my camera and computer and blogging to be able to post about Breast Cancer Awareness in October 2006. I had no idea the people I would meet and the BlogBuddies I would meet. The help they would give me about blogging. The fact that one night when my glob totally disappeared from the face of the globosphere, someone named Brian would help me find it. The fact that wonderful poems, and stories, and photos would find their way into my heart. Blogging is an outlet for me. The people who visit My Asylum are kind and give me confidence to continue learning and sharing. Thanks for listening. And, thanks for always visiting.
Evening y’all. Hope Friday is over for everybody and the weekend is free.
Thanks Bice
Thanks Kila
Thanks Love, (that would be my wife Diane)
Welcome Kim, linked you as well.
Thanks Swampy, help is what friends do.
I blog because I’ve got beans and guts to spill, cats to let out of the damn bag, and my curiosity about a lot of things to satisfy. In this way, blogging (witing and reading and interacting) is therapeutic.
If I had money, and didn’t have to work, I’d blog all the time. But I have to work. Life does get in the way sometimes.
I haven’t got comment moderation up because I think it serves little purpose. I think I’d allow almost all comments anyway.
There’s a jerk who stalks black blogger sites and leaves hate comment. It’s about the only comment I’ve scrapped. (S)he comes round two or three times a year and leaves the same, hateful and very long comment.
I don’t always leave a comment. I wish I could just say: “Rethabile was here” sometimes, because I’d like the blogger to know there are readers, but sometimes there isn’t a thing to say.
Have a good weekend everyone.
NOSEY…….yep I forgot and left out bratty.
Miss Kitty has been wild since 4am. I kept her up yesterday, wtf!!??? shes worse now that she has ’settled in’
and I forgot to add Mr.Fish has been ’scoped out’ by Miss Kitty, I hopehe survives my vacation
Thanks Rethabile, you have left an electronic footprint everywhere you go.
Aniin BG. Crazy cat.
Brian,
For the moment it fills a need that has long been festering in my mind. The friends, comments..both giving and receiving, have been an added bonus! It’s a test site if you will. To be sure, this blog shows only a small glimpse of the whole rel. Safer that way for the time being.
I favor blogs with imagery more than straight prose.
rel
Hope you are feeling better Rel.
Hi Brian. Last summer, I was commenting a lot on my former creative writing teacher’s blog when someone suggested that I start one of my own. I thought about it for several days, then took the leap… It’s a lot of things, an outlet for creative self-expression, a way to connect with like-minded people. I got a new digital camera and started taking photos to enhance my posts, and then I found others posting interesting photos, too. Right now I’m not sure where my writing is going, but I’ll keep posting when and whatever…
Hi Robin,
Keep posting indeed, I like reading.
I blog because I had just had my second child and felt like I was losing my identity. I spent so much money in grad school without much poetry to show for it. Also, I’m a writer and an editor but sometimes my decisions get overruled by the powers that be, so I really wanted a space that was all my own.
I try to post five to six times a week, usually early in the week. I’m always posting poems for Poetry Thursday and essays for Sunday Scribblings.
The posts I enjoy reading are short but well written. Don’t like large fonts or lots of color. A mixture of texts and pictures are nice. I try to comment on 5-10 blogs a day, but it doesn’t always happen. And I only comments on the posts where I have something to say. Blogs should be completely uncensored.
The best part about my blog is the community of writers and bloggers I get to read on a daily basis. I love that all of this talent is unfiltered and real.
Great questions, as always!
Thanks January for your thoughts. I find that the quality of blogs gets better all the time as we find our comfort level.
I blog because words demand to tumble out, pictures beg to be displayed, and if I have evoked emotions in anyone, I have lived. But it is also that if any of us write something that makes a difference in one person’s life, if only momentarily, the world is made better.
I love variety in blogs, I love to click on the next blog, not knowing if I will only get a peek through the barely opened curtains over their heart and mind or see them out on the lawn in full view.
(I think I just wrote today’s entry on my blog, thanks for prompting me, Brian, I didn’t know what I wanted to write!)
I comment and don’t comment, depending on my time, if I have something to say, and somewhat on my mood.
Thanks Marcia. I’m so glad I sparked a post, I understand how hard it is sometimes.
Thanks again for commenting.