A blog (a truncation of the expression weblog)[1] is a discussion or informational site published on the World Wide Web consisting of discrete entries (“posts”) typically displayed in reverse chronological order (the most recent post appears first).
– – Definition from Wikipedia.
I just received an email saying domain registration fees will be charged on my card soon. Which made me realize that in about 3 months time, my 3rd year of blogging will be complete. And it makes me wonder should I renew my membership? Why am I thinking that, is blogging a task? Does it not make me happy? The three years were so bad?
Definitely not! Initially when I started blogging, I was highly inspired by the movie Julie and Julia. I thought I would do something like what Julie did. I even wrote a few posts regarding that idea. But soon I joined the circle of restaurant reviewers and meets. Discussing food and writing about restaurants. I was getting invited to new restaurant openings, I was meeting new people. The restaurants I went to, would give us goodie bags in the end. Treat us like celebrities. I felt special. Caveat to all this treatment was to write a blog. And most of the time I didn’t want to. But I did. Though it wasn’t my best work. If you look at a blog you love, you will notice one thing and that is he/she is writing something that she loves to do.
The term blogger is very loosely used by everyone today. As there is too much confusion between microbloggers and bloggers. The game of likes and followers have led to people to an all time low. Where the last I heard, people were having fights over copied hashtags. Meanwhile PR people are on a different level with people related who write/post about food. This post is not a rant or putting anyone down. It is just my views on the world that blogging has become.
Initially when I started, senior bloggers/journalists did not like the new set of bloggers. That is understandable. That cycle works in every industry. What is sad is that, after three years in the blogging world. Right now if you ask anyone/everyone – they do not like food bloggers at all. So the hatred that was only contained within this industry has spread to most part of the world. Ever wonder why is that?
The thing which started for the love of food, the thrill of writing and the ambition to learn something new with every new post, is all about how many views, how many followers and how many likes you have. Content is thrown out of the window. Knowledge about food or certain topic is basically pointless. Blogging is not about how many views, likes, comments or people are following you. Those stats are for the PR people to profit their pockets. A lure of a certain five star meal is leading us to do things, which are not appropriate. I am not pointing fingers, I did the same things. In fact if you look at my last ten posts you will see a brunch review. When I look back, I was too bored to write about it. I kept wondering that writing a post should be exciting and talking about something new you tried/cooked/experienced. When did it become a task for me, that too an annoying one.
It needed to stop. Because a blog is about you, what opinions you have, what you think about food that made you write at the first place. It is your food journal that you share with the world. Everyone who has a blog, is surely passionate about food. No one would go to such lengths for free food. But then again people surprise me all the time. Back to the point – my point is write what you want to write, not what certain people want you to write. Every meal doesn’t need to be sponsored. Every post doesn’t need to be about how this buffet at a five star is amazing. You can also write about the wonderful food your mom cooks, probably that was the reason you started enjoying food at the first place.
I am not here to give gyaan. My basic point is – probably I am telling this to myself more than to you is that – write something that you will enjoy writing and when you look back at your blog after 10 years, you shouldn’t be like what the hell was I thinking.
Blogging is a fantastic platform, don’t waste it on what the PR team wants you to write. Even if we are abused or demonized. Lets be honest, blogging has lead to us to have some fantastic experiences, wonderful friends and a growth which was essential. It is in some weird way a very fun community to be a part of. Let us not lower our selves for weird virtual-istic approval of followers and likes. Let the essence of blogging remain pure. I always think working with clear and honest intentions will pass the test of time, and progress will follow.
toxicbaker 