i’m never happier than when i’m blogging. it’s where i get my fire, it’s what inspires me and it’s what connects me to you fine folk.
it’s been known to happen on more than one occassion that i’ve been on holiday or waiting for a friend in a bar (i try to ensure that doesn’t happen too often) and you’ll find me scrabbling around in my bag to jot down an idea that i’ve had for a blog post or video.
you can understand therefore my sadness when yesterday on the train to london, i settled down with the latest copy of wired ready to geek out only to be faced with the news that blogging is dead. i was sad primarily because not only do i not agree but the article was encouraging people to quit blogging.
if you read the article it refers to jason calacanis stopping his blog earlier this year as he had said that the blogosphere had become too big and impersonal. this can be demonstrated by taking a look at some of the most popular blogs out there at the moment – techcrunch, engadget, treehugger etc. this can mean that the personal blogs that previously had been high google rankers are now being relegated by these sites that can afford to pay professionals to blog mutliple times a day – something the average blogger with a full time job can’t afford the luxury of doing.
however, there’s the thing (and this is just my opinion), those bloggers that are out there maintaining their personal blogs are doing it for their love of writing, for the need to share, to connect with those with similar interests – not for the top google ranking on a topic or internet fame.
the personal blogs that have become popular will more often have not got there because of their passion in the topic and therefore their continued commitment to research and article writing. someone starting a blog in the hope of getting noticed (and for that reason only) will be in for a surprise because it takes a while to get a following and if you’re not really passionate about what you’re writing about, your readers will be able to tell.
the article argues that if you’re looking to express yourself, you can do so using less effort and time with tools such as flickr, twitter and facebook. this assumes however that you’re blogging for recognition or creative output. i would argue that it’s a completely different medium and serves a totally different purpose. whilst they say a picture can speak a thousand words, nothing can replace a well crafted piece of writing (and from a personal point of view – pressing publish when you’ve spent time writing).
on a different note, it’s worth considering company/development blogs too. still to this day when developing community strategies, blogs form a critical part of that strategy. the reason? it’s one of the simplest ways of communicating with your users, of getting feedback, giving a voice to your brand and creating an ongoing conversation (often meaning that you can address current issues immediately rather than the length of time it can often take to update the website etc).
so, mr paul boutin, you wired cynic, this gal may never be a famous blogger, she may never rank number one on google when you search “community“, but she’ll continue to write from the heart, she’ll always be passionate and will always have a genuine connection with her readers that a flickr picture of facebook status could never provide. so there.
Piers says:
Jason Calcanis may say that he has stopping posting to his blog, yet my feed reader says otherwise…
December 8, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Rob Hayward says:
Monkey see monkey do?
Good for Jason Calcanis, may the blogging continue!
December 8, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Paul says:
Couldn’t agree more! Should people stop writing books, because they’ll never reach the fame and fortune of a JK Rowling, or any other ‘best selling’ author? How many people write short stories, or even novels for themselves, friends or family with no intention that they should ever be formally published? Lots – me for one.
I don’t blog that often, but when I do it’s for a reason – even if it’s only to make a (permanent) mental note of how I was feeling about something on a particular day, or that somebody may find useful should they stumble across it. I don’t expect people to find, or even read it, but when they do, and especially when someone takes the time to comment, it does make you feel good, and that it might have been worth it after all. Ultimately it costs me nothing other than time, so I’ll carry on, thank you.
December 8, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Sim-O says:
“[whatever] is dead” – Isn’t that what the ‘trendsetters’ always say about something becomes popular or when they find something else new and exciting?
I would put a small wager on people having more ‘amateur’ blogs in their rss readers than professional ones.
The amateur ones have fewer readers each but there’s more of them.
Blogging isn’t dead. It’s evolving.
December 8, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Dan says:
Never have I seen a post I more whole-heartedly agree with! Fantastic work, Mel.
I don’t write my blog for income, google rankings or for any other personal gain. I write it because I enjoy writing it and sharing my thoughts. Take a look at my latest post for instance. Might be of no interest to anyone but me but I took time to write it because I enjoyed it. If others drop by and like it as well then great, bonus. I know, from this post that you feel exactly the same way.
Keep up the good work.
December 8, 2008 at 3:05 pm
John Athayde says:
My “blog” was nothing mroe than a site with updates on it before blogger came out. Call it what you will. It was a way for me to keep friends far and near updated with what I was working on or things I found interesting. The minute the word “blogosphere” was created, the culture was trying to make it a measurable commercial entity. Well, it’s not. There are people who attempt to commercialize it and some succeed, but the vast majority do it for themselves.
Maybe this means I’ll stop hearing VCs talk about how we need to make a blog for their project because that’s what is hot right now.
December 8, 2008 at 5:51 pm
G says:
My blog may be “dead” but I’ll still update it.
I couldn’t agree more with what you’ve said. Blogging is a unique way to express yourself to the rest of the world, just like writing, dancing, and painting. My blog is like my diary, and I really don’t think it could get any more personal than that. And I don’t blog for money; I do it because I enjoy it.
Regardless of whether or not the blogging “trend” is “out of style”, I’m positive there are million of passionate bloggers like you and me who really don’t care. We’ll keep it real for a long time coming ^_^
December 8, 2008 at 6:32 pm
woweewa says:
I don’t think we will see the “death of the blog”, the idea blogging will become extinct seems a bit sensationalist.The blogs that seem to be the most enjoyable to scan are probably not the most popular in the universe but have a real tale behind them something you can experience and empathize with not a commercially driven droning wagon.
December 8, 2008 at 10:51 pm
Mel says:
I’m so glad to see so many people in agreement, fills my heart with joy – may the days of personal blogs (not restricted by company policy or legal teams) continue!
December 11, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Johnny Cordova says:
The fact is there are soooo many out there who are blogging away with little or nothing at all to say.
December 15, 2008 at 10:06 pm
Mel says:
Should I take the hint Johnny?
December 15, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Johnny Cordova says:
Opps. sorry. Part two:
The rise in personal publishing and do-it-yourself digital art and layout programs has instilled in people the notion that they can put out professional work in less time for less cost and that is simply not the case. just because you own a Maserati doesn’t mean you can actually drive it work a flip. same in the independent film scene. I’m a little bit in aggreement after reading so many horrendous blogs on family and weddings and shitte that does anything but make my life better. People in love with the sound of their own hands typing. If I see another post of some idiot child with chocolate smeared all over his face (or is that doo-doo?) I think I might just go postal. What i write is personal politics and though my readers might not always agree with my viewpoints I have the ability to get people thinking. And that’s a lot more that most knitting blogs or mechanic blogs (which are actually kinda interesting) and the rest of the homeless niches out there could ever hope to do. Yes, we are fighting a war with our friends and very many times ourselves to keep a standard of content high and sill not seem needy in our search for readership. I like what you say and how you say it. Therefore here I am. And that’s about it. Unfortunately, in blogging, as in fashion or sexual attraction, there is no accounting for taste. Call me an elitist and I will agree with you. But that is not a negative connotation. It means that I hold myself to a standard of productivity and refuse to gush over my family and actually address real issues that touch EVERYONE not just the indiscriminate breeders of our emotionally crippled society. So my hat is off to you. I’m not familiar with your work but I already am interested in it ON PRINCIPAL and that means more that any photos of dirty children… Write on, my dear…
December 15, 2008 at 10:18 pm
Johnny Cordova says:
and, no, my dear, i was not talking about you in that first line. I’m not one to hide my intensions in my prose. Stop by Casanova Shrugged and you’ll see what I’m about. Not very apologetic but real. I hope to see you there. I like you…
JC
December 15, 2008 at 10:20 pm
Johnny Cordova says:
..and that was ‘WORTH A FILP’…. total fail… i soooo need an editor….
December 15, 2008 at 10:21 pm