by Beth Maisano

Created on: April 22, 2009   Last Updated: April 23, 2009

A blog is a personal expression, inside and out. A blog will differ from person to person aesthetically, according to their taste, and even more so in the actual content. It is a writer's place to put into words what perhaps can't be spoken, or to think through the struggles in their lives. Why do people blog? Because people are. It is the inverse of Rene Descartes' famous statement: I am, therefore I think.

When I write on my blog, it is with the understanding that I do not write for my eyes alone. A blog is a platform for the unpublished writer. There is nothing as satisfying as realizing that you have an audience - visitors who will continue to come back, simply because they enjoy your writings. What used to be a hobby can soon become a passion, as you craft your words in such a way as to be pleasing to the reader while still conveying your thoughts and feelings.

A blog is both impersonal and personal - or rather, a seamless fusion of the two. A blog worth reading is usually a blog that is written openly, where the writer does not seek to hide who they truly are. And yet, there will always be a certain aspect of aloofness, and the knowledge that this is only a small glimpse into the writer's mind. A masterful blogger will prove himself human through his writings, and yet maintain an almost imperceptible wall of self protection.

Why would a writer seek to achieve such a delicate balance? Because in the heart of every writer is the deep and yearning desire to be heard. The words spill out our pens and onto our paper, but where then? For those of us who have not enjoyed the luxuries of publication, we often find ourselves with page after page of our thoughts painstakingly translated to words, and yet no reader with which to share our brain child. A blog is simply a place to show others what has already been formed in our minds.

Blogging is only one aspect of creative writing, and certainly can't be used exclusively - a blog could never take the place of a private journal. Rather, a blog compliments the writer as they seek to perfect their craft, and gives them a voice in the real world. Maybe a person blogs about their life, or their job, or their latest photography. But regardless of the subject matter, there is a common thread: the need and desire to create. Why do we do it? Because we have the mind, the thoughts, and the guts to share.

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