Why I Don't Consider Myself a Blogger

Wait, you're not a blogger?  Then, why do you have a "blog"?

Great question!  I'm glad you asked.

But, really, this is something I've been asking myself lately as I see more and more people blogging.  And I wondered, why?  Why do people start blogs?  My first blog, my family blog, was started to share updates about my family.  I started it not long after my youngest son was born, and it was the easiest way to write an update on him and then email a link to family and friends.  I joined Facebook not long after that and would often post links there.  (Still do).  So, that's how I started "blogging".

However, I've never considered myself a blogger.  It's my understanding that true bloggers want to create a following.  And that's all fine and good, but, I have no desire to do that with this blog.  When I started it, my intentions were completely personal.  I started it after my son died as a way to process my grief.  My hope when starting it was that I would be able to articulate what was happening inside me for my family and friends to read.  Because I was so tired of hearing (and answering) the question "How are you?".  But, I found my grief was just as difficult to write about as it was to talk about.  So, the blog became my "safe" place to rant.  A place to write down my thoughts about things--nothing too personal (I save that for my prayer journals), but just things.  School, faith, family, books, music, movies, depression, my disease, and even politics.  A place to make plans and share goals.  I don't have a lot of readers and that's ok.  I'll never go "viral" and that's ok too.  This blog has been and will continue to be for myself and those family members and friends who choose to keep up with a lot of the nonsense I write about here.

In the end, I don't consider myself a blogger, I consider myself a writer, and perhaps, just maybe, a little bit of an oversharer.  :)