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2/25/2009

Let's Talk About Blogging

I want to talk about blogging! I want to talk about some stuff I have learned as I tweaked templates, wrecked HTML code, and set up about a bazillion blogs. And I want to know what stuff you know! Stuff that will make my little corner of the blog-o-sphere friendlier.

So lets talk about what we know. I will blab about some bloggy topic and you can share your two cents in a comment. Or blog your two cents and shoot me an email with the link so I can add it to the post. Maybe I will even attempt to conquer Mr Linky a time or two. And maybe not.

We will call it Let's Talk About Blogging!


I was going to start yapping right here, right on this post. Get down to business! But honestly it got a little long! So lets start with a couple of questions for you!

Why do you blog? Is it the social aspect? Do you promote another site (like an Etsy store?) Is it to share a hobby? Is it a personal journal? Is it because you are so funny that you feel it is your civil duty to share yourself with the rest of the world?

And are you a Blogger or a Wordpress user? Or Typepad? Or something else?

PS - don't worry, this will in no way take over my blog! I promise there will still be a ton of cute things to look at!

45 comments:

Thena said...

I blog through blogger, seems to be the easiest one for me to navigate around. But then again I'm not sure after it took me an hour to put 3 pics on my post this morning. lol My oldest daughter encouraged me to blog, told me That I had plenty to talk about.
Her blog telling me to blog.
http://meganbhulsey.wordpress.com/2009/02/09/nothing-to-blog-about/

Lisa @ Fern Creek Cottage said...

I started my blog as a way to keep in touch with friends and family that live out of state. But now I find I do it as a creative outlet in my life (and it's just fun!).

Anonymous said...

I blog as an emotional release, as well as to keep family updated on what's going on at our house. If I happen to be funny (usually it's my kids that are funny, I just write about it) then that's a bonus.

Wordpress all the way, I have a blogger account, but it just points to my wordpress site. I only have it so I can read some friends invite only blogs. Wordpress is SOOOO much better.

meg said...

I use blogger and I blog to keep family out of the country in on all the things happening in our lives. I also use it to kind of keep track of all the things we are doing with our "preschool" stuff at home.

Kristina P. said...

I blog as a social outlet, and because I enjoy being humorous.

And I'm all about the Blogger.

That Girl said...

I am a blogger user and I blog for the social aspect. I LOVE meeting new people, learning new things and finding a zillion crafts to put on my to-do-list.

Erin said...

I'm on Blogger. I like making friends, and finding things in common with people. Having people think I am funny is just a side benefit!

Cajoh said...

To be brief… I have been blogging to put down those things that have been floating around in my head for years.

I actually use both, but have more experience with Blogger at the moment. I'm currently building my pages off-line for my wordpress blog (http://cajoh.wordpress.com) which will contain a lot of helpful hints that I have collected over the years.

Amie said...

I blog because I wanna! To share, document, show of, entertain, etc. I use blogger...for now, because it's free and relatively simple to use. Been doing it almost 3 years. =)

Jan said...

I can't help myself. I love learning and the people that teach me so very much. Blogger is my choice.

Lois Christensen said...

Blogging started out as something fun, something to document my life, the kids, etc. But then my father had an accident and died and blogging became my release. I hardly had anyone reading my blog back then but it was still some place for me to go to share my grief. Now I blog because I realize it filled a void I knew I had in my life! I have met so many wonderful people here in blogging world! I use blogger. Don't know what Word Press is, would love to learn more!!! Thanks, great idea for a post!

~Emily~ said...

I blog to get rid of random thoughts in my head. Otherwise I could never sleep. I also stay caught up with family and enjoy reading about other lifestyles different than mine.

Insanitykim said...

Yeah that funny thing...I do it to share the funny. I am compelled...plus I love hosting giveaways, and c'mon now, I do it mostly...

for the comments...

on blogger...

Jennifer said...

I have always written in a journal...as soon as I learned HOW to write I was jotting down my thoughts in a Holly Hobby notebook!

Blogging is just a natural progression from that. I have one for my friends (that's the one I bitch in, lol) then I have one for my etsy store that has evolved into a personal/craft/tv review type thing.

I also have one for my little boy that is for his Grandmas to read, but I hardly ever update it. Not enough hours in the day!

Renee said...

I started blogging as a pseudo journal, but it's turned into a collection of random useless information. I still enjoy it though, and have "met" some really great ladies too. It's fun.

Lorie said...

Kristina, I was thinking of you when I typed that you are so funny it is your civil duty to share it with the rest of the world! I still laugh out loud when I think of you Lifetime original movie post!

Lorie said...

tdljld - There are a lot of great features on Wordpress...how I wish I could have tags AND categories on Blogger! (I have a few of those too!) but I think the Blogger community is actually better developed. The only wordpress community I have really experienced is th open source side.

IF that makes any sense. Of course, I have spent more time in the Blogger community, so that may be why I feel that way.

I wish I could smoosh them together and have a blog sandwich of the two of them!

Lorie said...

tdljld - There are a lot of great features on Wordpress...how I wish I could have tags AND categories on Blogger! (I have a few of those too!) but I think the Blogger community is actually better developed. The only wordpress community I have really experienced is th open source side.

IF that makes any sense. Of course, I have spent more time in the Blogger community, so that may be why I feel that way.

I wish I could smoosh them together and have a blog sandwich of the two of them!

Lorie said...

Wordpress is just another site you can blog on. wordpress(dot)com. You can set one up on their site just like blogger, or you can put it on your own site.

They are open source, which basically means they give you all the HTML code and WANT people that use it to change it and make it better and then share what they do.

Because of that you can get a TON of really cool features for your site.

Gill said...

Oh i am a total blogger blogger!!(i tried others but Blogger is like my fave slippers..it's comfy and it fits!)
Why is a good question though! Erm well i now do it to document our family lives for my kids in the future...I also like to throw the occasional post asking opinions if i cannot reach a conclusion myself! I know people out in blog world will be honest because they dont really know me know me! But i started because "it seemed like a good idea at the time!"
And yeah i like the idea of me sitting at home in the UK and having folk all over the world reading my daily hum drum goings on. Those little comments are a bit of a buzz to recieve huh? I mean who doesnt like 'em!!?

john and steph said...

I started blogging with much pressure from friends that kept telling me how fun it was. Now that I have been doing it for over a year I am greatful that I am keeping a journal of sorts of our family. I wish I could of started this 13yrs ago when I got married. I also love keeping up with friends and family without the need to call all the time or send individual e mails. It is just so fun!!

jori-o said...

I started blogging because I knew of a few extended family members who did it, so I thought it would be fun to join. Then I found old friends...and new friends...and now it is very much a part of my life! I'm a Blogger blogger =)

Cupcake Dessert said...

i use blogger.. it seems like the easiest thing for me to use.. i blog as like a personal journal but i love my followers!!! i would love to promote other things.. but im not that popular yet lol...

Joanne Kennedy said...

I am on blogger. It's just the first one I found and was easy to set up.

I started to blog to keep track of things and sort of a journal. I was shocked when people started to read my blog and follow me.

Now I blog to share tips, ideas, places I've gone and to meet new and fun friends.

I feel by reading others blogs and getting to know them that I have friends all over the world.

Hugs,
Joanne

Crazy Mom of 6 said...

I blog to vent I have three blogs One is my spiritual and personal journal of my life as a mother of four, then I have my creative one to make me do projects to keep going. Then I have our family journal the good the bad and the ugly. I use blogger and get my backgrounds from all of the free wonderful websites.

Now I have a blogger family. I love it

SUGAMAMA'S CAFE' said...

I'm new to blogging, but dig it.. I use blogger.. Trial and error seems to be my motto. I am having gastric bypass in a month and wanted to keep it real w/ myself and my family...So I Blog!

4handfulls said...

I use blogger and I blog to keep family up to date. Because somehow after 4 kids I became horrible at sending pictures to every grandma and aunt.

Melody said...

At first I started blogging to make my family closer. Then I used it as a journal to keep track of my garden and cool thoughts. Then when people started actually reading my blog, I got into it for the friendship/social stuff.

I guess it is for me whatever I need it to be at the time. :-)

Kim said...

I began blogging (using blogger) by visiting HGTV.com's Rate My Space. I saw a beautiful home and there was a link to her blog (Kristen's Creations). Before that, I didn't really know much about it. I am now a certified addict. And, probably one of the most annoying bloggers! I practically beg people to follow my blog and leave me comments! HA!! LOL. Seriously, I enjoy the social aspect of it and sharing my love of decorating. I'm still learning myself, but hubby is a Tech guy so he helped set me up. I just love the "circle" of bloggers i have met in such a short group of time. I sometimes wonder what I did before blogging! Poor hubby misses me...;)

Kristens Creations said...

I blog for all the reasons you listed except the funny one. I try to be funny on occasions, but it probably comes out at just plain stupid. lol! I love visiting other blogs such as yours to get ideas too! Kristen

Danielle said...

I started my blog because everyone else was doing it! Gotta love peer pressure. It turned into a chance for my family and friends to follow the milestones of my first child. Now it's a hodge podge of everything from cooking to celebrity gossip to various reviews. I love it and I use Blogger.

Myrnie said...

I've been thinking a lot about this lately, what a timely post! I started blogging in October of '07, just as a way to share our days with family (using Blogger, because it's all I had heard of.) In January '08 I had 52 PAGE LOADS. Total. Three days ago, I had over 500 for the day. So my family blog has morphed into a crafting blog, and I've since started a more private venue to talk about the kids.

I think I blog...just as an outlet. I've never been a writer, but it's fun to do.

I have an etsy shop, but my blog isn't really to showcase that. Besides, I seem to post tutorials on everything I sell in the shop. Funny way to market, eh?

I'll be thinking more about this- I'll link back if I write a post!

Dawn said...

I blog through blogger. I started blogging to share my love of home decorating for less, and crafts.

-Dawn
www.lifeateventuallycottage.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

I use wordpress :(

its not as good as blogger

there's two different aspects to blogging.

the writing
and the reading

I like to write because its a creative outlet for me
and I like to read blogs because I get good ideas, read funny stories, and stay connected to family and friends.

Lorie said...

Shellie,

I totally disagree. Wordpress has its really great points. I keep telling myself I am going to switch over, but I like some of the ease of Blogger, so I don't. And then I find something that I can't do on Blogger that I know I can do on Wordpress and I want to switch again!

Lorie said...

Melody, I think you hit the nail on the head. It is whatever we need it to be at the moment!

betty-NZ said...

I started my blog as a journal for my friends I left in the US when I moved to New Zealand. I have since discovered the cult-world of blogging and my attitude has changed a little bit.

Yes, I am funny, dangit, but my humor doesn't find it's way to the blog very often.

I'm on blogger because it was connected to my gmail acct. I don't get all crazy with the layout cuz that doesn't impress me.

LunaMoonbeam said...

I started my first blog, Bubba Bubbles, to share cute stories about my daughter. My second and third blogs, Chow Review and LoLo-Craft, were started because cooking and crafting were starting to crowd out BBJ stories.

I blog because I like to tell stories, I like having an (invisible) audience, and I think I'm funny. LOL

Oh, and I'm a blogspot user.

Kelly O. said...

I haven't read through all the comments so I'm sorry if I'm saying the same thing as others but I use blogger and I blog for two main reasons: First, as a journal to help me keep track of what I did and when. Second, sadly enough, it makes me feel more connected. I'm a busy girl and I'm not big on talking on the phone so when I finally do get to see old friends and family, I don't feel like a complete stranger around them.

Anonymous said...

I started my blog for fun. I have always wanted to keep a journal and I thought this would be a good way to do that and meet some nice people along the way. I am on Blogger.

Kristi M. said...

I started blogging as a personal journal because I wanted to eventually publish it into a book each year. Then it turned into a little promoting for the things that I sold on Ebay then Etsy as I have moved all to that site. It still very much remains a journal. My mom had a stroke 4 days before Christmas 2008, so along with the journal idea it also has become a way for friends/family to stay afloat of her progress. This kept soooo many phone calls at bay and ended up being a life saver. It has also been really fun to keep up with friends this way.

Sarah said...

I blog through blogger. I joined 3 years ago and did nothing with the account! Recently I felt it stirred up in me to look for blogs, I enjoy reading others blogs and figuring out what my fit is in the blog world. It started off being a diary, but the many facets of our life typically aren't one idea centrally so I am giving a taste of everything. I will be adding deals, insights, favorites, encouragement, questions, brainstorming in general. I enjoy it and want the activity of thinking outloud in writing with others! ;)

Annie said...

i blog because you make me.
what the??? 42 comments???
i am so jealous of your popularity!

Live.Love.Eat said...

I blog to document all my recipes. And to share them. And to make friends while doing so!

Krystal said...

I blog through blogger...because it was the first thing I knew about, and it seems pretty "user friendly." I blog to keep in touch with family, and it's like a personal journal for me, and to document my baby's life. I like to read other's blogs and fun neat recipes, tips, food storage ideas, crafts, etc. I'm so amazed at the wealth of information out there, right at my fingertips!! I could spend hours and hours blogging...reading and writing!!