I have always loved to delve deeper into why people started their blogs and read a bit about their journeys. Since I have gotten a lot of questions about why I started a blog, here goes!
The short answer is I was reading a lot of blogs, and in 2009 most blogs were “here’s what I did this weekend” and “here’s some random stuff on my mind”. So I figured my life wasn’t any different then the girls blogs I was reading, so I should start one.
Truthfully, I did not think it would last very long. I gave myself a month before I forgot about it. I had started blogs before and never kept up with it.
Well in December of 2009 it was different I guess. I really loved reading blogs, and once I started mine I found out how much fun it was. It was really different then. It was a lot of finding blogs from commenting on other blogs. It was a lot of linkups, a lot of Twitter, and no Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat or Pinterest. Sure Facebook was around, but not for blogging. Just for you know stalking random people from your past! HA!
One of the reasons I started blogging was just to share my life. I had no idea that sharing my day to day life would interest anyone. I also had no idea how much I would love sharing my life and reading about other people’s lives. One reason I continue is that I love connecting with people, and this is a great way to do that.
I met the most amazing people in my first year of blogging. These are people I still talk to all the time, and are huge parts of my life. I for sure think these days in blogging it’s just as easy to make friends, but I am for sure more closed off than I was. One reason I continue to blog is that I have met the most amazing people through my journey.
Blogging was not about making money in 2009. I’m sure there were people doing it, but it was very few and far between. Now making money on your blog is just part of it. I do not blog because of sponsored posts or money. It is a great bonus, and I am very blessed that it has been my full time job for over two years, but it’s not why I do it.
Another reason as to why I started a blog is that having a creative outlet is something that is very important to me. Some people draw or paint, some people play music. I am not very musical or artistic, but I love to blog. I love to share my feelings and my life. One reason I continue to blog is that it has allowed me to continue to be creative. During times that I could not be creative in other areas of my life, like grad school, I had this blog.
There are a lot of reasons as to why I started a blog, and it’s really easy to start one. Continuing to blog is where the challenge lies. I would be lying if I said there haven’t been days I wanted to close my laptop and move onto something else, but everyday I love what I do and that’s what brings me back.
I would love to know why you started you blog. Let me know in the comments!
Wonderful to know someone else blogs because they enjoy blogging and not about making money.
Aw I love this! It is a wonderful creative outlet.
I also needed a creative outlet and I was already very virtual so starting a blog just seemed natural. Thanks for sharing Neely!
I started my blog for similar reasons, I had no idea how much was out there! I loved just writing and creating!
I started my blog for kind of the same reason. I treated it as a journal and it became really therapeutic for me to write. Once I learned that my words were impacting other people reading them as much as they were impacting me as I wrote them, I started transitioning to writing with the intention of encouraging and inspiring not only myself, but others, too. 🙂
I loved reading this post! I can relate to a lot of this for why I started blogging. It later developed into more, but a lot came from the same reasons you did. Thank you for sharing, Neely!
I love this post! When I started my blog two years ago, I actually had no idea you could make money from your blog! Obviously now most people are trying to monetize, but I’m glad that wasn’t my intention when I started .
I’m the same way, I had started blogs before nut ever kept up with it. For some reason, this past December, I really needed an outlet. Another big reason was to write down goals and hold myself accountable to them. And I’ve been blogging consistently for over a year now! I love the community and being able to look back on my life and where I was at certain points this year. A lot has changed in one year alone! I wish I started earlier when the community was more open though.
Danielle @ afloat on a full sea
I started to fill the time when my youngest went to college. I was crying and miserable without my babies in the nest. It just grabbed a hold of me and never let go after that.
I love that I could relate to this! I’ve also started blogs before, and lost motivation. Last year, I started a blog and made it to the one-year anniversary! Huge accomplishment for a fickle perfectionist like myself. I had a nagging feeling, however, that it was icky, sharing my life on the internet. So I deleted my blog on its 1-year anniversary… Within a month, I was feeling like I REALLY missed it, which was new for me. I think I had finally gotten so used to having that creative outlet, being my main motivation. So I started a new blog last week, and I’m determined to be mindful and see it through this time. I’m sharing my life in a new way, a way that doesn’t feel silly or icky to me, and keeping the pressure to a minimum by keeping the layout and design and everything about it simple. This blog already feels different, and a fresh start from my previous effort. I’m excited about blogging again!
Aimee | chaptersaimee.blogspot.com
Wow! You’ve been blogging for a really long time. I think it’s great to think about why we started. and our motivation for continuing to do it every day. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve always had a lot to say and always require a ‘creative outlet.’ Before I started my blog in 2012, I used things like Facebook and Twitter to write funny statuses or tell followers funny things that happened to me. Then, I found myself unemployed and with a lot of extra time, so after years of being told I should start a blog – I did! And haven’t stopped since 🙂
I started my blog in January 2016, when we received a terminal diagnosis for our daughter (I was 20 weeks pregnant at the time). I started writing as an outlet, about everything we experienced carrying her full term and meeting her. I never expected it to grow into anything. I was very surprised to discover that I loved writing, and fell in love with it. Haven’t stopped writing since.
It is funny how blogging has changed over the years. We use to be so into the Wordless Wednesday’s and then went to coupons. Now it seems that everyone is trying to monetize their blogs.
I started mine on a whim! I didn’t even read many blogs before I started mine. I was just like “today I’m going to start a blog” and I did! I had no idea how much went into blogging or that you even could make money from it. It’s been quite the adventure!
i started blogging to showcase my love for fitness and in turn help others stay motivated to keep fit!
I love hearing why people started their blogs. For me it was a creative outlet as well.
I use my blog as an outlet. I never thought I would be sharing as much as I do, but it feels good to share my experiences knowing it’s helping others as well. I continue to blog even when there are days I don’t want to because I know people are counting on me and it feels good to be a blessing to others. Thanks for sharing!
It sounds like you started and continue to blog for such great reasons. It’s also a creative outlet for me, as well as a way to help other women who struggle with difficult births. Great to learn more about you!
I also started blogging for a creative outlet. After I graduated theatre school, I went from being creative all day every day to working in a restaurant and having no idea what to do with myself. Blogging helped me be creative and motivated me to expand my creativity into learning more about design, HTML, and even video editing.
I love hearing about the person behind the blog, so thanks for sharing your personal story. I think you can easily spot the difference between a blog that’s been written by someone who has a passion, rather than someone who thinks blogging is an easy way to make money.
I really did not want to start a blog–but one of the people I knew online kept at me–to the point that she made me a blog!! I tend to stick to book reviews and giveaways these days–but who know what I will write about next–I don’t lol. I think it has been about 6 years——and I still consider it a very mixed blog!
I love having a creative outlet in my blog, it helps to just get it out sometimes.
I started blogging after entering so many blog giveaways.
Loved this post Neely! I started my blog almost 2 years ago and have never looked back.
xoxo, Jenny
I love reading why people start blogging! I agree with you about it being a creative outlet, it’s why I started mine!
Greta | http://www.gretahollar.com
Love this! I started blogging for similar reasons and am so glad I did!
Congratulations blogging is a wonderful thing sometimes we do not realize but we touch the lives of so many people with our stories and articles. Blogging changed my life and gave me a new begining.
Blogging was SO different just a couple years ago, it’s crazy!
I love blogging for the same reason… I enjoy it! It gives me another purpose and something to do on a daily basis.
It’s so crazy how much blogging has changed in such a SMALL amount of time! I started my blog as a way to share my journey in adulthood when I was living in LA and feeling a little lost. I swear it’s saved my life. 🙂
I’m an expat, so blogging is a way to keep my family informed and also a way to express myself. I have made a lot of amazing friends through blogging too!
I started mine to bring more attention to North Dallas/Plano. I wanted to share all of the exciting things we have going on, while inspiring others to get healthy and feel good about themselves.
I love reading why other people start their blogs! I created mine as a creative outlet too.
I have a fashion-resale boutique, but I wanted to show how to style the products I have. I was also hoping to drive traffic to my site. It’s so much fun!
Blogging has been a wonderful yet challenging endeavor for me. I started mine as a motivational resource for the managers and agents who were on my training team and continued writing beyond the group. I’m proud of my longevity with this medium. Best wishes with yours! 🙂
Great post! I also started blogging in 2009. It’s unbelievable how much has happened in the blogging world since then!
Ah how far it’s come since the livejournal days! Love seeing how this world, this creative online outlet available to anyone with an internet connection, has grown over the years. Communities, a new branch of magazines, and so much more has come from it.
xo
I hear you! I started my fashion blog just for fun and never thought it would have turned into such an exciting journey in only two years. Happy blogging!
My Two Cents blog was mainly to provide background, thoughts, opinions, and more information to support my beliefs, values, and facts and the nature of my website, which focuses on longevity and healthy aging.
The “tone” of my blog reflects my status and stage of my life as a “baby boomer” with colloquialisms, idioms, slang, and jargon typical of my generation.