Bloggiversary 2013

blogToday marks the anniversary of my first blog entry back in 2007. It was a short entry on LiveJournal that simply said, “I’m not sure how often I’ll use this LiveJournal platform, but it’s an interesting form of media I might explore. I’m basically just posting this to see what my journal will look like.”

Riveting stuff, right?

At the time, I had my doubts about blogging. It was my impression–even way back in the dark ages of 2007 when you couldn’t play games on your phone while going to the bathroom–that the internet was already clogged with blogs, and I didn’t want to add to the noise unless I had something to say.

And yet I started blogging on a regular basis. Within a month or so, I was blogging 5 days a week as I continue to do now.

I think there is a reason I’ve been able to sustain it (beyond having readers, which is a great motivation): From Day One, I decided not to have a specific topic for the blog. I would blog about whatever excited or intrigued me that day.

As a result, I’ve had a huge sense of freedom with this blog. I’m not restricted to a specific topic, and thus I have a wealth of topics available to me. This keeps blogging fresh and fun for me.

Over time, I developed a mission for this blog. If you’re thinking about blogging, I recommend getting in touch with your mission as well. Mine is twofold:

  1. Generate Conversation: I want my blog entries to generate some form of conversation, whether it’s in the comments, on Facebook, Twitter, or in real life (not necessarily with me, but with someone).
  2. Add Value: I want my blog entries to add value to a reader’s day. Whether I’m sharing humor, insight, or information, my hope is that you walk away having gained something. Although this blog is very personally about me, it’s not a private diary. It’s a public blog. And thus you, reader, are my main focus.

Also, if you have a neat idea for a blog, my recommendation would be to stop talking about how you’re going to start a blog and actually start the blog. It literally takes 2 minutes to set up a free WordPress blog. If you end up posting two entries and you never return, that’s okay. There is absolutely no risk to trying it.

For those of you who have connected to this blog and become a part of the conversation over time, thank you. I’ve loved every minute of it, and I look forward to many years of blogging with you.

5 thoughts on “Bloggiversary 2013”

  1. This is one of the only blogs I read. I find most blogs to be self-promotional or boring (or both), but Jamey, you constantly come across as very genuinely attempting the exact two goals you’ve laid out (and succeeding). The sincerity and success is why I continue to read. Kudos and congrats!

    Reply
  2. Thanks so much, Emma! I’m glad that I’m on the right track, and I appreciate your readership and comments. 🙂

    Reply
  3. Thanks to Viticulture I now follow and am entertained by your thoughts through your blog. I don’t read many, but I do think yours is worth the time – so thanks and keep up the good work!

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