Why Blog?
So there’s been much made over the weekend about “top bloggers ” For example here. Whether this has been set off by the Christian New Media Awards or not, I don’t know. It can be a little disappointing to not be included – or worse still, not even noticed, but that then begs the question of what are you blogging for anyway. Is it to be popular? To feel important? To big ourselves up? It is lovely to receive recognition. Who doesn’t like that?
But for me blogging is preaching. Not telling everyone what they should be doing, but exploring God’s word and what it means for us in our lives today. So without trying to sound pious and up myself, blogging is about God – and it’s about me. About thinking my way round a bible passage (for that’s what I’ve decided to generally base my blogs on), and also very much about keeping myself sane. Because a preacher is what I am, and if I can’t physically preach, I do it this way.
So blogging isn’t about numbers or glory -well perhaps a little bit 😉
Pam's Perambulation 
I totally agree.
I find the blog by Adrian Warnock quite confusing to be honest, when he is the one creating this ‘list’ and therefor by default being part of creating an environment where numbers and popularity matters to people.
And using ‘numbers’ as a measure of how popular or good a piece of writing is, or a blog is a bit odd also, seeing as in this day and age, buying followers seems to be becoming more and more popular and often people gain followers just by being who they are instead of the fact that they actually tweet/interact/blog interesting things.
I often have people commenting to me about my blog, how I should redesign it, write about more cheerful things, label it more specifically, focus more on Christianity and so on and on, because then apparently my blog would become more popular.
Thing is, I don’t give a toss. I am genuinely glad when one person reads my blog, or when 50 do. I am genuinely glad that over the several years I’ve been writing online, a small handful of people have been impacted by what I have written. Have been comforted. Have not alone. Thats important to me. Not how many people follow/read/comment/subscribe etc.
I write, sometimes sporadically and sometimes regularly, but it is always about something that is relevant to me, or that I feel is relevant to other people, and always something that is laid on my heart to share/express.
But if some people don’t like it, they don’t have to read it. Just like if someone does not like what I tweet, they can unfollow.
Although I am not a ‘commentator’ as such, or someone who has an opinion that many people listen to, I watch with interest what goes on in ‘socal media’ land, and find it fascinating. I find the ‘christian fame’ thing quite interesting too. I see a fair few folks out there who write and tweet, and desire so badly to become ‘famous’. Why? I dont get it.
Anyway, really thought provoking blog you’ve written, thanks!
Sorry for my rambling and long response 🙂
P.s Did you see @Gerrarrdus blog on the most Humblest of blogs? very amusing 🙂 x
Thanks!
The other point I forgot to mention, in my struggling to write it on a tablet, is that a click on a blog doesn’t even mean someone’s read it – let alone that its helped them!
You stick to the blog that’s in you and true to you – someone else can write the ones they think are right!
[…] of the blogosphere. Archdruid Eileen had her list of the most humble online christians, Pam Webster mused on the purpose of blogging and Anita Matthias gives her take on the matter […]
Digital ego (@TheAlethiophile) #DigiDisciple said this on October 10, 2012 at 6:01 am |