On Blogging

A friend and I had a conversation recently about the concept of blogging -- or tweeting, if that's your thing, or being on Facebook -- about generally having a public internet presence. This is something I think about a lot -- what it means, why I blog, whether I should keep blogging.

These are surprisingly complicated questions, and I don't have the time/desire to touch on every consideration. But on the most basic level -- why do I blog?

A few reasons. My blog is a place for readers to go when they're looking for info about my books (which I'm not always the best at updating, but I try). It's a place for me to share cool stuff I've found on the interwebs -- because that's fun. It's a place to tell amusing stories, talk about writing, or rant about politics (because sometimes I can't help it). Sometimes it's a place for me to express deeper things -- feelings about life, and especially writing -- in the hopes that my words might resonate with other people, even be a comfort.

My blog also serves another purpose for me as an author: it's a line I draw. My blog is a carefully-maintained wall I put up, to remind myself of the difference between my private self and my public profile. It helps me define my privacy and protect my private soul. In a funny way that I'm having trouble articulating, presenting myself to the world through my blog helps me remember that it's really only my loved ones who know me. And I find that extremely comforting.