As a veteran blogger of nearly 6 years, I understand the sentiment of this article. I have never blogged for anything more than my personal entertainment and a desire to somehow connect with other adults. I started blogging in the first place as a sort of personal coping mechanism for the various difficult circumstances I was facing at the time. I have kept blogging for that reason and also to keep a sketchy record of our family’s life and my thoughts about it. Occasionally, I throw in something else. But I never expected to earn money or gain fame by blogging. I just thought it was cool technology that wasn’t too difficult for me to play around with in a way that might be fun and helpful.
Alas, we all know that real “bloggers” do much more than that.
The article in CT makes me wonder about the whole future of blogging though. Any thoughts?
no thoughts on blogging – I’m distracted by our current excitement – thanks for commenting – check out our latest medical adventure on my site…
I don’t know if it’s dying… but leave it to me to get in on something just as it’s fading away! Kind of like fashion…I’m always a tad behind!
I nearly wrote a posts-worth of comments here, but I’ll spare you! Maybe I’ll post about YOUR post!
Weren’t people saying this 2 years ago?
I think the gold rush mentality certainly has peaked. Ad earnings at my site are well below 50% of what they were last year. And they weren’t very exciting last year anyway! That said, we are just scratching the surface of what personal publishing can do. What happens in 3-5 years when posting audio and video is as easy as posting a text blog today? What happens when everybody has a wifi capable camea phone and can publish to their blog or Flickr from anywhere? It’s possible today, but is still mostly the domain of the nerds.
I’m allegedly out their on the leading edge, yet I just posted my first “produced” videos this month.
http://horseshues.com/?p=161
http://darkhorsefencing.com/?p=79
(warning – that 2nd one features Mark approved music 😉
2 -4 years from now anybody will be able to do this stuff – and probably a lot more, with little to no technical ability required.
We have a long way to go before we can claim that blogging has peaked.
I’m not sure they’re dying, but definately changing. Some of my favorite blogs are less than what they used to be because the blogger is writing in so many different places that the work on the orignal spot is just so-so at best.
I feel the same as you, it’s a place to put some family mish-mash, talk to other adults and feel a bit of a connection.
I can’t bring myself to put anymore advertising on my sight because the part of me that wants to be famous always chickens out. I like blogging mostly because I know people read and that makes me write more than I would if I were just writing in a journal. My content is a bit different because it’s public, but at least I’m writing.
Mrs. Horne,
I tend to read Mark’s blog and occasionally comment there, but once in awhile I read your blog as well. On this subject of changing blogs, I echo the sister’s comment above, I also tend to get into something just as it is changing or going away. Fortunately (or not so fortunately), only my brother as ever read my blog (I think Mark did glance at it once–but he’s a really busy guy), so I don’t have to worry about readership. I just use it as tool for forcing me to write. Cheers and hang in there with all your difficulties, I’ve been praying for Mark and your family.
I really think that blogs are changing more than dying, too. I just thought the CT article had some interesting points.
Jim,
Thanks for your comments. It’s great to hear from you. We really do appreciate your prayers. Please tell J hello from me. We have fond memories of your sweet family.
Um, I’m pretty sure I have you on my feed reader Jim. I get every entry!
Well, I finally read the article, and I think the author makes some very good points. I, like you, primarily entered blogging because I wanted to capture and share the things our family did and whatever random thoughts I have. It has been a joy to “meet” other Christian moms from around the world through blogging. And yet… sometimes I feel like I serve the blog rather than the other way around. I have to go view and comment on all the blogs of all the people that visit mine. An enjoyable task, to be sure, but it devours precious that I should probably spend elsewhere. (Your blog excepted, since I know you personally and am SO glad to be back in touch! 😉 I’ve listened to Focus on the Family interview with the author of the book “Margin” and was convicted that I need set boundaries on my blog time. And if my readersip suffers, so be it. The six other people within my four walls take priority over someone I’ve never even met. I’m not quitting – but I think the key is keeping it in the right perspective and not getting caught up in the blog fury! Also worth noting… I’ve come across 2 blogs in the last 2 days where the author is “quitting.” One had 2 blogs and is cutting back to one; the other is limiting access to her blog to only family and close friends.
Anyhow, food for thought! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Jenn! I wonder about this topic– I wonder if “I’m starting a blog!” isnt a little like “I’m starting a family scrapbook!” isn’t like “yeesh I need to catch up on those thank you notes!” in some way– people start a blog because it’s THE thing to do, THE supposed way to stay in touch with others. Which would naturally mean many blogs die, since the scrapbooking and the thank you notes can feel like a chore at some point.
I wonder if blogs are going by the wayside because social-networking sites are so immediately satisfying. Facebook is stinkin’ fun and highly addictive– posts get responses in a way that blogs do not. And professionals are in on it, too– it’s not just college kids.
I work with magazine message boards and blogs– the magazine blogs get zero traffic, whereas message boards fill with responses to inquiries. So I wonder if the die-off has to do with “feeling heard,” or in this case, feeling “read.”
Having said that, I get a huge readership from a site called Cherry Hill Cottage, which is a photo blog for one woman’s cozy home. Each time she posts a photo of a pillow case or a recipe for peach jam, twenty people respond to Tina, the blogger. And then they mosey over to her links and visit me, though my blog is nothing like that. I’m still trying to figure it out.
Meanwhile, I’m still over-half in love with my blog, so come by any time and all the time. You know where to find me.