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Blogging and some thoughts


Blogging is just about twenty years old.  Though the word ‘blog’ was coined in 1997, there were just 23 blogs in 1999.  The figure leaped to 50 million by the middle of 2006.  That was a phenomenal growth, no doubt. The most popular ones among the early blogs dealt with politics.  Slowly every subject under the sun made its appearance in blogs.

I would become a Yogi Aditynath if I decide what bloggers should write about and what they should not.  I would be the last person to go around burning blogs or anything at all that does not suit my taste.  However, I would certainly expect at least one thing while visiting any blog: it should give me something, something worthwhile.

Once blogging became popular, just about anyone became a writer.  Even illustrious poets like Shelley could not find publishers initially. Shelley paid for the publication of his first book. Bernard Shaw who won the Nobel Prize for literature published many of his plays himself.  Many books which became best sellers eventually were initially rejected by publishers. 

Getting published was quite a tough job.  Blogging made it easy.  Too easy.  Hence everybody – well, almost – became a writer.  But writing is not everybody’s job.  A writer must give something to the reader to think about.  Writing is about ideas.  It’s not just putting words together.  The reader must gain something.  At least something to poke his imagination. 

A lot of blogs fail to do that.  But a lot more blogs do offer fantastic stuff.  Apart from writing, there are excellent photographs, paintings, informative pieces, and so on.  I love those blogs which make me think, which provoke me, which invigorate my imagination, which soothe my soul or at least tickle the funny bone. But, as I already said, I am no Yogi Adityanath.  I won’t ever decide what others should do with their blog.  If I don’t like a blog, I stop visiting it: that’s it.  I won’t go around shooting moral shit on others.

PS. Written for Indispire Edition 162: #SeriousBlogging




Comments

  1. Great and valuable information. Thank you.
    You are a highly talented blogger!
    Keep up the good work...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your blogs are always forthright and that makes it worth reading

    ReplyDelete
  3. Nice informative article. Regarding yogi aditynath, in spite of his past rhetoric, consdering the state of the state, a bitter medicine in the form of yogi may be the need of the time.

    ReplyDelete
  4. nice, great and valuable opinion! sir thanks for that

    ReplyDelete
  5. I totally and unconditionally agree with all the 4 comments posted above.

    ReplyDelete
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  7. Editor of one literary magazine expressed his frustration to me -- These days, anyone who can read and write and has a computer can become a writer!

    Just to add to your post, quality and authenticity of the content are most important. These days, while exploring any concept people first log on to the internet instead of visiting the nearest library/bookstore. So many times I have come across incorrect information presented on several blogs. It has to be, as there is no editor.

    Most of the blogs are there for time pass or an escape. The priority is on expanding the readership instead of improving the content and quality. It falls on the reader to choose what to read and what to let go.

    Good that someone raised this issue.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Quality and authenticity are at a premium. That's the problem with a lot of writing these days. There seems to be little thinking behind much of the writing. That's why I raised the issue. I'm glad you liked my raising it.

      Interestingly, a lot of bloggers went on to become authors too. Many of those books aren't much to talk about, unfortunately.

      Delete
  8. "If I don’t like a blog, I stop visiting it: that’s it." is the practical way to go about it for blogging has so many plusses.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Agree with you, your points are very much valid.
    But what Yogi Adityanath doing with this post,means perspective is good, synchronization is also good but still it can be expressed without taking his name....Just a thought.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your view is most welcome, Jyotirmoy.

      I am of Bernard Shaw's view that writing must have certain purpose, clear practical purpose. Yogi Adityanath is part of mu purpose. We are living in a country in which we will have no escape from the Yogi and such people.

      In fact, my last few posts were about the yogi and the next one is going to be about Ayodhya. :)

      Delete
  10. Yes, the reader must gain something. Run-of-themill stuff is pretty common nowadays. Will try and write something about this, sort of a last minute exercise, because this remains close to my heart, on gaining something from blogging.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad my post moved you to write something on the topic.

      Delete

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