Something has been on my mind today: Blogging.
A little bit of that thought was wondering what I was going to write today. I hate forcing a topic, so I usually don’t. If there’s a day I don’t have something to write, I won’t. But, today’s content wasn’t what was at the core of my thinking.
Instead I’ve been thinking about why I blog, why you blog, or why anyone blogs.
Why I blog
It’s kinda funny really. A couple weeks ago while bored at work I decided to dig-up my old LiveJournal account that I abandoned when I bought the devilishduck.com domain a few years ago. Every other entry had to do with a girl I was madly in “love” with, including the first post in June of 2003, all the way through the journals death in October of 2004.
I started blogging because I have always been a writer, and journaling in a public forum was my therapy. I’ve always been an introvert — and while I’m overly sensitive, I tend to hold things close to the chest until I know I can open up. The journal allowed me to be genuine and real, while opening up to anyone who would listen. I developed a network of friends, made up of those I already knew allowing the development of a deeper more personal friendship, and also made up of people from completely outside my world, people who could offer a unique perspective from outside whatever situation I wrote about. Sometimes we need those outside perspectives on life.
When I bought devilishduck.com, I may have made an error. I switched away from the personal, and started blogging politics. Mostly, it was just regurgitating articles and links from other places. Anything I blogged lost the personal touch, other than whatever political topic was interesting to me on a given day.
While politics was and still is a passion of mine — and I think it’s important to blog your interests — to be a successful blog you can’t lose the genuine rawness and passion that comes out when you write what you think.
So, I deleted the archives and started afresh. Then I restarted again, and again. I’m on my third or fourth version of devilishduck.com now, but I think I’ve found what I’ve been looking for. I found the balance of passion (politics, religious discussion, sports, and music/film/tv), with the personal touch.
Jason Carr on my post “leaving church” said something to open up his comments that validated the feeling that I’ve found what I’m looking for when he said, “Wow! I can sense the passion in the tone of your recent post.”
So why do I blog? Part of me wants to be a micro-celebrity. I want to be a Josh Brown or an Adam Walker Cleveland. A place on the web you go for great writing, insightful opinion, and a network of people who discuss and debate. But, that’s not why I really blog. I don’t think I’m a good enough writer or thinker to become like them anyway.
I now blog because it gives me a place to really think through the important things in life. No, not music, tv, and sports. Those posts are just fun to write about. But rather I blog because it again gives me that therapeutic place to write out my thoughts on religion or politics, or anything. I’ve struggled the last couple of years to communicate verbally what I really believe — partly because I’m still figuring it out for myself, which I’m beginning to realize will always be the case. Blogging gives me the creative forum to write and communicate. To develop those deeper bonds with people I already know, as well as gaining perspective from outsiders — much like my first days of blogging.
By the way, the girl that I was in “love” with got married this summer. I still consider her among my greatest friends, and her husband is an absolutely amazing guy who, if we lived in the same town would easily be my best friend.
Why you blog
Yesterday I posted a link to Shawn Blanc’s post on “Why We Began Blogging.” At one point in the article he says this,
Those of us that do blog started our sites because we had a hint of creativity or passion or hope that simmered up inside us. There was that moment when the spark of inspiration hit us and we realized that we would love an outlet to share our passions: graphic design, language arts, technology and gadgets, or even sewing. A weblog is a perfect outlet for anyone to cultivate their passions and share them with the world.
Then this morning while reading the blog of a friend, one who’s become one of those deeper relationships through blogging, was reflecting on the year that passed and had this to say about his blogging experience which began in 2007,
There’s something so peaceful about just sitting here, writing my thoughts to you. I don’t know why I like doing this so much. It’s as if the Heavens open and my soul pours out on this cyber screen. This is one of the best things I started in 2007…
What makes me sing is words……… no, it’s stories, your stories and the mystical things behind each and everyone of them. God has given me an ability to see things that go beyond words and explanation. I think this is my dance card. I think this is the song that my life longs to sing. I think this is how God speaks through me and to me.
Tomorrow I’ll have a post on my 2008 resolutions. It’s something I haven’t done in a very long time, but I look forward to sharing them with you, my new network of friends, acquaintances, and strangers.
This post is tagged Blogging
12 Comments
I just love you, Josh. What a great post…..
Josh, I started blogging, really because of you. You were able to provide a foundation, some advice, and a link to this cyber world. I must thank you. Since I chose to “Be the Church” rather than “Go to one”. this cyber church world has become quite important to me.
I thank you for that.
josh. thanks for the kind words. although us rednecks prefer the phrase “d-list celebrities” as opposed to micro celebrity. one wants to move higher up the ladder (micro) and the other just wants to crash weddings (me).
in all seriousness . . . you’re a very good blogger yourself. and the thing i’ve learned/ing is that you got blog for yourself. that’s what i hope to do this year . . . get back to why i began blogging and what i used the medium for, a repository of thoughts and reflectons from my context.
Josh, I’ll try and blog more with some more interesting topics so you have more reading material.
I’m destined for the world of micro-celebricy! Good luck Josh and I personally enjoy all your posts and recommend your site to people at my church and on the web.
Josh,
I meant it when I made that comment about you being passtionate.
I couldn’t agree more with what you said. Many of the reasons you blog, are the same reasons I blog. Since I quit TV, and now work in a career where writing is not one of my top priorities, I rely on my blog to provide me with an outlet. I couldn’t be happier (althought when it comes to the technical side of a blog, I’m lost. I’d rather build my own blog with a personal touch, but my wordpress blog will do).
I spent nearly 10-years in TV, and never once thought about writing for myself. Once I did, it opened a whole new world for me, and my relationship with God.
Thanks for sharing.
I think Jason and Rick hit on something here that rings true for all of us (you Josh, me, Jason, Rick, sounds like Luke, and the other Josh up there may feel this way too….). Writing (no matter the format, but blogging especially because it is like writing and talking all rolled into one) has become an avenue for each of us to grow our relationship with God.
Whether it be by telling stories, or articulating our faith and beliefs, I sense that we’ve all grown in our relationship to, understanding of, and love for our God(s) through this medium.
Remember that old saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me”? We do children such a disservice when we try to minimize the power of words, no matter how good our intent (and, btw, words do harm, usually much deeper and longer than sticks and stones, but that is another topic for another day and another blog!). I know I’ve rediscovered, and have a new sense of appreciation for, the power of words. This blog, my own writing, Epinoia, Rick’s blog, the sharing of all who respond and frequent the blogs I frequent….all of that have helped me rekindle my love of words, and of stories, and of just plain talking.
Again, Josh - what a great post.
So here’s a question and I may be off base, or it might not make sense, but is blogging the new poetry?
For centuries poetry has been the spiritual element of writing for many. For me, I’ve never been good with writing poetry (or interpreting it).
David wrote psalms, Samuel wrote proverbs, the old and new testament is full of poetry.
I bring this up because Barbara you said, “Writing (no matter the format, but blogging especially because it is like writing and talking all rolled into one) has become an avenue for each of us to grow our relationship with God.”
Just a footnote, by no means do I mean poetry is dead by saying blogging is the new poetry.
Wow…I have to say that I love your blog. I was sitting at work today really contemplating why I like to blog and you hit it right on the head for me!!! My goal this year is to blog way more then I ever have. It is very therapeutic and I think you are right about the fact that you can go deeper with people and really truly see who they are.
I think you could be onto something here, Josh - the blogging / poetry thing.
Some of the blogs I read are very poetic in their feel, and in the emotion that they invoke in me (I do love, and mostly understand, poetry!).
It is interesting to think of David “blogging” the Psalms…..
@ Ronda - Thank you for your kind words. Blogging has been very therapeutic for me as well. I’ve also had the goal to blog more before, and I have it again this year. But don’t let blogging more replace the joy of just writing. Don’t feel obligated to write because you haven’t posted in a long time. Just go with the flow. That was a tough lesson for me to learn. I lost focus and started worrying about who read what I wrote and what they thought - not about the benefits the writing had for me. After reflecting on my blogging experience and refocusing on what’s important, it’s become natural for me to sit down and just write out my thoughts most every day now.
@ my barb - “It is interesting to think of David “blogging” the Psalms” … isn’t it?! Isn’t that what this whole emerging conversation is about? Re-thinking the way we look at things. Viewing them from a different perspective. I love living in the time that we do.
I can read the same Scripture everyday, and it is different in some way every time I read it. That was NEVER true for me before this latest “stage” in my life. I just find that amazing….
ps - Off topic, but, say it w/ me now, “O-bama, O-bama, its your birthday, its your birthday, O-bama, O-bama…..”
Woo Woo!!
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