Blogging: Going The Distance

One fine afternoon I was bored and decided to check out random blogs. Naturally I clicked the "Next Blog" on the Blogspot navigation top bar to see if I can chance on interesting blogs.

After scrolling through maybe about hundred odd blogs, I sense a pattern. Most blogs run for about 4-5 years, typically starting from 2007-2008 and their last post end around 2012-2013. For those which look to be popular, the authors leave a post redirecting the visitor to their personal domain website address. For the rest, the posts simply taper off at the end with sporadic entries over several months and then nothing.

With that I started to reflect on my own experience of blogging. I can appreciate the time commitment it takes to blog. It's not as simple as writing stuff on a whim. Well you can do that but after awhile you would also want to write meaningful (at least in your own opinion) content so it doesn't become monotonous. I know over the years there have been many occasions where I've stopped blogging regularly due to work and studies. So the authors of the dormant blogs may have faced the same challenges, became tired of blogging or have been waylaid by real life. It's a real pity though, some of these blogs are very well written, even if their content is simply about their daily personal lives.

Another reason for the dormant blogs could be the lack of readership. Many bloggers write in hopes that people will appreciate their content and form a credible reader base for advertising income or branch into other revenue streams. Others want people to peek into their lives and create social connections. But the fact is, many do not succeed. And hence they drop off  when their motivation to blog is no longer fulfilled or supported by the number of audiences. 

I'm coming up to year 8 of blogging this July. And I feel good that I would continue to blog. I write not for the audience or advertising income. I take this blog as a diary and an avenue to express my daily life, my experiences, my history. Even now, looking back at the old posts from 2007-2009 brings back fond memories and a smile to my face. This is what drives me to continue to blog. May this blog bring more smiles to Meimei and I (and others) in the many years to come as we continue together on our journey through life's pleasures and pains.