Still The One

Upon hearing the long-running Lipstick Chronicles is ending with 2011, author and blogger Karen E. Olson yesterday asked if blogs are still relevant alongside Facebook and Twitter:

My friend and blogger at The Rap Sheet J. Kingston Pierce commented:

I realize I'm saying this as another blogger, but no, I don't think blogs are a dying breed. I do, however, think that a lot of people who started blogs did so without realizing the commitment they were making, and many of them have fallen by the wayside. But the more serious bloggers, those who feel they have something to say and are persistent in saying it, will probably continue to deliver their messages in the same form they've been delivering them.

On the whole, Facebook and Twitter don't offer real writing; they're merely networking tools, not intended for long-form remarks or creative prose, which the better blogs can supply.

I commented:

I read about the same number of blogs I always have—maybe not the same ones because a handful of them are defunct—but I think the form remains relevant for the reasons Jeff mentioned.

Also like Jeff, it seems to me a lot of people started blogs because they were trendy, not from a genuine desire or talent for blogging. I'd bet many of the same people have gravitated to Facebook or Twitter for the same reason.

I've had my personal blog for almost eight years. I started it with the simple goal of organizing my thoughts, which would ideally increase my creative output. Of course I use my blog to bring attention to my work, but my work isn't my blog's sole focus. I've never had a schedule or a formally stated purpose. Readers can jump in anytime.

I'm not on Facebook, but I am on Twitter. I use Twitter for in-the-moment thoughts, but my blog is still the place for anything I want to discuss in full.