Blogging Mysteries

Does blogging make you a better writer or a worse one? Is blogging effective in sharing ideas? Should everyone create a blog? Why should we blog?

Such questions have countless possible answers. In Andrew Sullivan's article, "Why I Blog," Sullivan attempts to define blogging and how it can be effective by offering pros and cons of the blogosphere. Meanwhile, Sullivan slowly reveals the reasons for why he blogs. He begins the article by defining a blog as a "web" and a "log" and continues to explain the function of a ship's log. Sullivan states that "a log provides as accurate an account as could be gleaned in real time." In this way, logs (and blogs) can become a "narrative that was never intended as one... and is more truthful." Do you agree? Are blogs unintended narratives? Blogs are instantly published to therefore receive immediate feedback. Sullivan describes a blog “not so much as daily writing,” but rather he describes it as “hourly writing.” It can capture someone’s life based off the raw emotions built up from simple moments in time. According to Sullivan, it is an “embrace of… hazards” and a form of “literary liberation.” Blogging is “more accident-prone, … more alive” and is, conclusively, “writing out loud.” These were all phrases that really stuck out to me when I was reading the article. I tend to agree with a lot of his sentiments because I definitely feel that blogging is not as structured and put-together as traditional writing. Blogging as "writing out loud" is exactly how I view blogging, so I found myself nodding along while reading the article. 

Sullivan doesn't reveal much about his purpose for blogging until later on in the article.  He conveys his idea of a “successful blog” as one with a balance between the blogger’s perspective and outsider’s perspective. I think Sullivan blogs as a catharsis, and, at the same time, he blogs as a way to learn and improve upon his writing. He writes that blogging “makes the skills of a writer… much more valuable.” He used his past blogs to create better columns and to use parts and polish them to create a more effective argument. This is what we will be doing as a class. We will be writing individual blog posts, and, hopefully, we will be able to use bits and pieces to compose our future essays with more refined ideas from the addition of feedback from our fellow classmates.  

On another note, I found it surprising that he states that blogs are unlike diaries in that they are less private and more public. In my experience, I have written on my blogs in a very similar format as to the way I would write in a diary. I guess this may differ from person to person. Even Sullivan states this. “The atmosphere will inevitably be formed by the blogger’s personality.”

I have a final question for my fellow classmates and for other readers out there.To my classmates: Aside from this blog for our writing class, 

why do you blog or why would you blog?

And to dear bloggers and readers alike, I pose the same question.

Have a marvelous day & follow your dreams!