Why blog?

 Authors are often advised to have a blog for readers to engage with. There are other reasons to blog. I know I am not the only ACW member who uses or has used blogging as a way of learning to write better. I joined ACW after I had been blogging for a couple of years.

A post on this blog about a writing day mentioned a member, who introduced herself as “Only a blogger.” Some ACW members, who are just beginning to write, might consider blogging as a way of developing a writing habit. By way of encouragement I decided to write about some of my blogging experience.

The amount I have learned through five and a half years of blogging amazes me. Sometimes there are unexpected technical challenges! Learning how to upload photos, provide links to other blogs or websites and coping with changes introduced by WordPress (not to mention the differences between WordPress and Blogger) all keep the little grey cells working.

Through blogging I have online friends in other countries. 

There are challenges which come round on a regular basis – daily, weekly, monthly or annually. 

The Blogging from A to Z in April Challenge is very friendly. I have taken part from 2013, when I was really a novice (rookie) blogger. One year I managed to complete the challenge on two blogs. Having a theme for A to Z posts is optional, but (for those choosing a theme) there is an additional bogging event – the Theme Reveal. This takes place in March, raises the profile of the challenge and allows people to find blogs they may wish to read. After the challenge is over there is a chance to continue visiting A to Z blogs on a so-called Road Trip. With over a thousand blogs involved it is impossible to read them all. Making one’s blog stand out from the crowd is a further challenge.

I aim to write and schedule my A to Z posts well in advance now. In fact I had an idea for this year’s challenge (which begins on Sunday 1 April, but skips the other four Sundays) at the same time as the idea for this blog post.

A bag from the 1st UK blog awards evening

There are writing prompts on WordPress and elsewhere. The post40bloggers have challenges and link to posts they have appreciated. Various bloggers set up a Linky whereby blogs on a theme (perhaps an inspirational one) may be added. Communities of like-minded people are formed through these initiatives. 

Blogging is said to have peaked in popularity some time ago, but there are still many new posts worth reading. The World Wide Web is a very big place!

I have had spells of blogging daily, but now I normally limit myself to one post a week on Sue’s Trifles and a maximum of two including the Photo Challenge from the Daily Post on Sue’s words and pictures. A spell using the Daily writing prompts from WordPress and later their Blogging U Introduction to poetry course has helped my writing. A balance between writing and the rest of life is required, however.

Are you a blogger? Are you considering blogging? Have you abandoned a blog? Have you done any blogging challenges?