That is the question! After taking a peek at a recent issue of School Library Journal, I came across an article directed at librarians with the title "Five Reasons Not to Blog." I read this article with a little interest since I've recently (a few months ago) joined the blog community. Read it and see what you think about the author's five reasons for not blogging (my comments are in italics):
1. “I want to give them a piece of my mind!” Be careful what piece you give them!
2. "2. “Oh, the stories I could tell.” This section basically tells you not to tell those stories. But that's not fun!
3. “I think I can find some time at school…” We all know how this one would play out.
4. “Nobody will find out that it’s me.” Oh really?
5. “It’s OK, I will keep it private.” Much easier said than done. I've commented to colleagues that I've started a blog, which some would like to read. I think I made a mistake mentioning it.
After reading and rereading this little article, I did think a little about the purpose of my blog. Is my blog meant to hide my identity in case I do say something inappropriate? Do I care if my reader knows I'm the author? Is this blog set up as a way to kind of vent and just get stuff off my chest? Probably, all of the above.
When I first read this article, I thought it would make a good blog entry. Today, when I decided to actually start writing the blog during my rather boring grad class, I couldn't remember where I read it. Time for Google! I searched for "8 Reasons Not to Blog" thinking that was the title. Well, it wasn't, but I did come across reasons to join and stay away from this often addicting hobby as well as other reasons.. The 5 reasons mentioned in SLJ are much more serious than the other two, but all do have some interesting points. What do you think?
For me for now, the blogging continues!
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In my world, most people look down on blogging as trouble-making, so I don't tell anyone about my habit. Keep in mind that some people have been fired from their jobs for things they've written online.
I enjoy blogging because I like to write. In many ways, writing about what's on my mind is like therapy.
When I first began blogging, I used my real name and talked about it. My friends and family pooh-poohed it. When I reached the point when I was certain that nobody read it, I wrote a post that proved me wrong. It turned me into a pariah for about six months, and to some extent it still haunts me. Since then, I've created a new blog with a new identity, and when anyone asks, I simply state, "I don't do that anymore."
It's unfortunate, because in my opinion, there is so much potential in education for blogging to give young writers both a purpose and audience that is meaningful in the context of the world as they understand it both in the present and in the future. How much better is this than a composition notebook?
sigh. i haven't fully decided how i feel about this yet. i do blog at school sometimes, and i definitely read blogs often at school. but part of that is that i'm a student teacher, which means about half my day is just informally observing my supervising teacher, so i have more time on my hands than i might otherwise. but still, it's something i've thought about a lot and haven't come to a decision about. what if the students found my blog? the administration would be LIVID. i guess for now, it's still worth the risk. especially now that there are only 8 days left...
good post. :)
I've been through all of these thoughts in my head for sure! Lately I've been thinking about just coming out.
But then I think about how pointless my blog really is and I wonder why I would bother.
My family members know I have a blog, and sometimes my mom reads it, but mostly it's just stranger popping by. My husband doesn't even read it--even when I tell him I've been writing about him. In fact, he probably doesn't even know what it is called. He's just not interested. He has own hobbies, too that I don't want to know about, so it's all good.
Sometimes it feels like a dirty little secret. Even when I can't think of anything to write, I enjoy reading what others are writing. It is my time-consuming hobby, afterall. Considering it takes up so much of my time, you'd think that everyone would know that I do it, but some of my close colleagues don't even know about it. My close friends do, but they don't read my blog.
Anyway, thanks for the links and food for thought!
Blogging is a great stress relief. I'm not good at talking about things that bother me. I tend to keep my feelings to myself. Here I can be free because no one knows who I am.
I think you gotta do what you want to do. It's a hobby, and if you like it, do it. If not, find something better to do.