When a reader (hopefully you!)
participates, all he or she has to do is click on the "Celebrating
Bloggers Blog Hop" icon above and it will take you to a page listing a
large variety of blogs you can sample.
This particular Blog Hop runs from
September 10 - 13, and I am scheduled to post about it on the 13th. The focus of this particular hop is why we blog. So…here goes!
Why I Blog
First off, I love writing. It is a
form of communication that is as natural to me as speaking. Now, don't get me
wrong--I'm not saying I'm a great writer, or even a prolific writer. But I seem
to think most clearly when my fingers are poking at a keyboard.
I have written in a wide variety
of genres, from journaling to magazine articles (both print and online) to
videos and screenplays to novels. I
guess, like most writers, I want to be read. As it turns out, it takes great
patience to get read in traditional print media. And, in traditional media,
writers are at the mercy of editors and publishers when it comes to choosing
topics to write about.
Since I enjoy journaling and I
want to be read, a blog seemed to be a natural medium for me as a writer.
Figuring out what to write about is no problem. Figuring out what to write
about that readers might want to read is a whole 'nuther challenge.
Many bloggers write about their
personal everyday lives. I leave that kind of writing to my journal and to
emails to family and friends. I figure
most people in the blogosphere aren't really interested in the goings on of my
everyday life.
However, I do think readers are
interested in observations I make on life and culture. One of my most read blog posts is about a
belly dance recital I went to in which I discovered that belly dance is an art
form that celebrates womanhood. Recently,
however, that post got surpassed after I wrote about spending Father's day inthe V.A. hospital with my 95 year old father who is a WWII vet and former
P.O.W. That post was a tribute to the
medical personnel who work in that hospital as much as a tribute to my Dad.
Interestingly, a little piece I
did on my reaction to reading the Steinbeck novella Of Mice and Men has drawn a surprising number of readers. It could
be they are high schoolers googling the novel to avoid reading it. But I hope
not. I hope students aren't trying to avoid reading this little book published
75 years ago. My reason for recently checking it out of my public library was
because of an article I read about an inner city school teacher assigning the
novel and the amazing reaction of her students when they'd read it. Of Mice and Men is a truly timeless
treatise on human nature--something that surprised me--which was why I blogged
about it.
So, that's why I blog. I am continually
surprised by people and by things and events I experience or hear about or read
about. And I find it fun to ruminate and
to write about what I have learned or about my reactions to people, their
lives, and the things they do.
If you want to find out why other
bloggers blog, click on the "Celebrating Bloggers Blog Hop" link and
sample some other writers. You might find you enjoy the variety of
observations, reactions, and celebrations found in the many blogs represented
in this particular hop.
Happy reading!
