Well you know, we all want to change the world

Next year will mark my 10th year of blogging. When I began, it was partly because I had taken a bit of time off of school and I needed something to keep me engaged. This was also just before I began my master’s program in journalism, and if you look back at those early entries, I think my lack of training shows. My blog isn’t a journalistic effort, but my writing is considerably more efficient now.

But now, I write for a living and spend a portion of my work life blogging. So why do I continue to write in this blog?

There have definitely been times that I’ve put my blog on the back burner, in part because I do spend so much of my energy writing elsewhere. I started blogging for fun, and I don’t want this site to become a burden. That’s a grace I offer myself, and the reason why I sometimes let months pass without updating.

So what’s the point? Well, I could argue that it’s to my advantage to keep my name out there. We say that your name is your brand, and there’s truth to that. As a journalist in this increasingly digital world, it’s important that my work be easy to find and that it reflect some knowledge of technology and digital media.

That’s all true enough, and reason enough to keep blogging. But I’m really more interested in this platform because it gives me a space to air out my thoughts and join in conversation with those interested. My journalistic work isn’t about me and my opinions (nor should it be!). My journal doesn’t offer room for interaction (and again, it shouldn’t). This blog doesn’t focus on any specific theme, but it allows me a space in between, a “third place” in my writing. (Yes, I just ripped off Starbucks’ terminology.)

It’s a loosely defined mission, but it’s mine. And in it, I find space to flex my writing muscles, which, after all these years, remains one of my favorite things to do.

The ninth #bloglikecrazy prompt was to write a mission for your blog. The subject line comes from the Beatles’ “Revolution.” If you didn’t already know that, we need to talk.