Your purpose of writing?
In our Technical and Professional Writing course that we take in UTP, we are taught on how to write technically and professionally (duh!). We are taught about the introduction, the body and the conclusion, which is the skeleton of a writing piece. In the introduction, it is important that we state the purpose of that particular composition because we must recognise that there are people who are busy readers who want as many details as they can in one glance of the eye.
In whatever we do, we must have a purpose. We strive hard in our academic goal to fulfil the purpose of getting a good job and leading a good life in the future. We play Defence of the Ancients (DotA) to relieve mental stress. We must practice a healthy diet in order to maintain a healthy life. All these have a purpose to start with. But perhaps many, or some of you, do not realise your purpose for...
BLOGGING.
What is your purpose of blogging? Why do you blog? What made you start blogging? All these questions refer to purpose. Do not take this issue lightly for reasons that I shall discuss herewith.
Some people blog because they think it is fun; some even just to see if it is fun. Some people blog because they want to sharpen their writing skills (or typing skills). Some people blog because they want to deliver their opinions on various issues to the world. Some people blog because they want to let the whole world know what is happening to them in their daily lives.
So those are some purposes that drive people to begin blogging. However, how many of them actually continuously maintain their blog, as in updating it faithfully? Have you not seen so many bloggers out there who blog for just a few weeks or months, just to abandon their blogs with no more updates thereafter? So what's causing them to stop?
It is one thing to have a purpose to begin a blog, it's another to have a purpose to continue with the blog. In a nutshell, you would normally have two different purposes (one is to start your blog and another is to continue blogging). But why so many bloggers fail to be faithful to their blogs is that they do not realise the purpose in continuing their activity in the blogosphere. They think that their purpose in beginning their blogs will be the same as the one to continue blogging.
Recognising your purpose to start blogging and to continue blogging does not mean that you will continue blogging after a trial period (of 30 or 90 days). In order to continue blogging, you must have the attitude, the love and the passion to blog, not forgetting commitment! Some people know that they have their purposes, but without passion, the interest to blog simply dies away.
So, why did I start blogging? I started because my cousin in Singapore introduced about blogging to me back in 2002. I started my first personal blog in December 2002, only to neglect it a few weeks after that due to lack of passion.
The revival of my interest in blogging began during the CNY of 2005. I felt lonely and it led to depression. I wanted to let my depression out, as in sharing with people, but I have no siblings. I have my parents, I know, but they are busy people. Therefore, the best way was to vent my depression through blogging. That was why I started blogging again.
However, the thing that drive me to continue blogging is my readers. True enough, I have not many readers of my blog, perhaps because I am not much of a blogger who can attract people's interest so easily; or perhaps because my blog content is simply uninteresting (which also could be why my posts generally have less comments) that not many really bother to come back. Still, I am blessed by the ten or twenty of my ever faithful readers who would drop by my blog and tag my Tagboard to tell me that they were here in my own personal blog and read my posts.
Fellow bloggers, know your purposes here, but most importantly, know your passion and commitment. I have utmost faith in the RANDSTers here that they have the passion and commitment to blog, for that is one of the criteria to be accepted as a RANDSTer. It doesn't matter whether or not you have a personal blog, it's the heart that matters. But also important is the purpose that is driving you to blog.
6 mad rant(s):
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hello, very well written. I was given an english assignment, and I chose the topic 'blogging'- does it bring more benefits than harms? I wasn't confident about the topic because I felt as if I would be the only person thinking about why people blog, what the benefits are as well as the harms, and the effects on society. After reading what you have to write, I am sure that the topic I've chosen is something I really want to write about.
You are right, passion and commitment. of Maple Syrup and Cherry Blossom is probably my 2nd blog after TYPE 89. I started my blog because I wanted to practise my writing skills. I figured that writing posts are like essays and it also generates spontaneous thinking and brush up the abillity to convey certain messages to readers.
From the information I've gathered, people have blogs as journals, commentary, carthasis, muse and to build a community. But what drives people to be a faithful reader, I think it's probably the contents of what we write, whether it's coherent with the reader's "taste". ;)
Passion and commitment. The lack of both proved to be our previous outing's undoing, eh? Sad that it had to end that way, but as I've said, the lessons are well-learnt.
Maverick Musings, the first serious incarnation of my blog was probably set up for almost the same reasons you did yours. A need to feel connected to the world, to write and let thoughts, emotions and opinions flow into words that just about anyone could read.
It's a great way to keep friends up-to-date about how I'm doing now too. Oh yeah, moving to WordPress was the best thing that's ever happened to me regarding blogging! You should try it out too. =)
In conclusion, RANDTS is doing pretty well at the moment. Looking spiffy too. I think we're on to something better this time round.
~verus rara avis~
haha.. Now jared's promoting wordpress to henry. :D but yeah, wordpress is nice.
[Esther]: Actually I've already signed up in Wordpress. I AM considering to move to Wordpress.
oh really? nice to know. what's your blog add?
[Esther]: I haven't set up the address yet. And neither have I done anything to the new blog in Wordpress. When I'm done transferring I'll make a public announcement in my Blogger blog, OK? Hehe...