In part because of the conversation started over at So Anyway, and the response I posted, Debbie decided to answer this “Five reasons why I blog” meme. I’ve been thinking a lot about this question, since the reasons I blog now are very different than the reasons I blogged a few years ago.

So here’s my answer. Five reasons why I blog:

1. Blogging is very much journaling for me. I’ve never been good about keeping a regular diary or journal, although I do tend to do private journaling in spurts. (In particular, I’ve journaled when something significant was happening in my life, like a breakup or the start of a new relationship…things that I want to work through in my writing.) Regular blogging has given me a way to record my day-to-day life. And like Debbie, I do enjoy looking back at old posts every now and then to see what I was doing, thinking, and feeling at a particular time.

2. Blogging keeps me writing, even when I feel like I don’t have anything “real” to write. I’ve struggled with this idea a lot…wondering if blogging gets in the way of other writing, but I’ve decided to treat blogging as a writing exercise. No, I don’t always post substance, but I do always try to make sure I’m keeping my writing lively, concise, and above all, readable. If nothing else, blogging can help me keep my skills sharp.

3. I blog because I have readers. Those readers range from friends and family to people I’ve met through Rand to people I’ve encountered through my ‘net travels. And whoever they are, whether they are many or few, they motivate me to keep posting. Yes, I blog for myself, mostly, but knowing that people want to read what I’m writing is attractive. After all, I’m a writer, and all writers want readers. 😉

4. I blog to express myself and communicate with others. Sometimes I encounter things I find interesting or noteworthy; sometimes I become enthralled with a movie or a book or a tv show, and I want to share it or have a conversation about it with a wider range of people than my personal contacts. Blogging gives me an opportunity to do that–to say, “Hey, wasn’t that a fantastic episode of Heroes?” or “Who’s seen Children of Men, and wasn’t it fantastic?” I like it when anyone joins in the conversation, but it’s especially exciting when someone outside my normal circle of contacts jumps in.

5. I blog because I enjoy it. I enjoy the act of communicating. I enjoy the relationships I’ve formed because of it. I continue blogging because I know that I would miss it if I stopped.

No tags, but if you do choose to answer this, I’d love it if you left me a comment or trackback!