Today, September the 6th, marks the 1 year anniversary of Is There Food.
12 months ago, that first post wasn’t massively significant; it was a simple welcome. The second post, two days later, was regarding a band called Sigur Ros that I’d just heard of Radio One. That seems like an incredibly long time ago.
Why? So much has happened since then. For a start, my son has got older. He’s started crawling, walking, talking. And while in one way it seems like that was only five minutes ago, thinking back on it seems like an age. But this isn’t a post about my son, it’s a post about my blog; my site, Is There Food.
I didn’t create any kind of success criteria for my site. What’s the point? Only a presumptuous fool would think they’ll automatically acquire readers, or recognition. I didn’t have any goals of achieving a certain number of visitors, or of coining in thousands of pounds thanks to Google adverts. At that point, I didn’t even think anyone would read my site.
On October the 12th, 2005 I posted a response to Apple’s “iPod with Video” announcement. To my surprise, amazement, and - if I’m totally honest - joy, I got linked to from C|Net’s article summarising the response. I was, as we say, massively chuffed.
I had, initially, planned on being a journalist. Maybe, in some wild fantasy, I was going to be a novelist. Throughout my more formative years, I wrote almost constantly. I can recall some of the short stories I wrote. I can even recall some of the outlines I came up with, which have never made it to written form. On certain days, I tell myself I’ll start writing fiction again.
It didn’t happen. I’ve got too much of an affinity with computers and technology. I can’t help it. Becoming involved with computers, be it support, or development, was - with that mythical 20-20 hindsight - inevitable. But through computers, I’ve returned to writing. Starting a blog seemed like a silly idea until I installed Wordpress. Writing regularly seemed like something I used to do, not something I do now. That said, the frequency of posts lately is perhaps not best described as regular. But I’m working on that.
Perhaps I did have one goal, or one particular criterion for success. I wanted to log every gig, film, cd, or game I attended, watched, listened to, or played. By that particular measure, I’ve failed. Recently, “real life” - and I loathe calling it that, because all of this is real life, but I have no more succinct way of describing it - has taken over. My family, and my job have placed greater demand on my time, and my writing has taken a back seat.
Clearly, I’m not at the point where this site has become an extension of my being. I don’t walk through life thinking “I’ll blog that”. Maybe, in time, I’ll get there. If “there” is where I want to go. After doing this for a year, and having seen my friends start running their own blogs, I’ve got more of a handle on why people blog, and a reasonable idea of why I do it.
Much has been written about the “long tail” of the internet. Citizen journalism, Web 2.0, freedom of speech: call it what you like. There are just as many, if not more, people that believe bloggers simply increase the signal to noise ratio of the internet rather than offering anything constructive. With so many new sites springing up every day, every minute, why would anyone create a site of their own?
Could it be through a desire to collect their thoughts in one, concise collection of posts? If the content you’re creating is designed - and understood - simply by your own mind then there’s a strong argument for posting privately. But by the same token, is there not a chance that someone out there might Google across your words and relate to them. Understand them. Enjoy them?
Are you blogging to prove a point? To get noticed? Is your sole intention the pursuit of free items, or fortune? Or would you settle for being the next Robert Scoble? It’s easy to belittle the belief. Statistically, will everyone achieve their 15 minutes of fame? Or is a more appropriate measure within blogging circles that everyone will have at least one post dugg (digged?).
I’m incredibly pleased to be a member of BlogCritics. One of the perks is free copies of dvds and cds to review. But it’s a double-edged sword - I’m still lagging behind with my review items. I’m getting there - you’ll see many of the reviews I’m working on posted on this site in the coming days/weeks/and, hopefully, not months. Trying to adjust to writing about specific items, rather than blogging about anything that comes to mind, is more of a challenge than it sounds.
Why do I blog? For the only reason I think anyone should: because they enjoy it. In my mind, fundamentally, if you’re not enjoying the process of writing, reporting, and posting, there’s little point in doing it. If you’re having fun, generating content that you’re proud of, and that - however many - people have an interest in reading, then you’re doing it for the right reasons.
I’ve written a few articles that I’m genuinely proud of. During my time at BlogCritics I’ve managed to achieve two editor’s picks. One of these was for a write up of a John Martyn gig I attended in Bilston. The response I’ve had from that post is one of many reasons that I continue to do this. I managed to capture the spirit of the event, and share that with my friends and family. And beyond that, with anyone that cares to read it!
Over the last 12 months, I’ve encouraged some of my friends to blog. My uncle, Ian, has started a film and tv related site called Mine Was Taller. Mark, and Nicola have recently created their sites: GoGadgetGo - focusing on Mark’s obsession with all things gadgety - and DreamSnatcher - Nicola’s fascinating insight into her dreams. Steve Local over at Gaily Coloured Plastic Bag, despite starting a blog in another form before me, is now regularly posting anything that springs to mind. And I do mean anything. Ashleigh is on a roll over at NakedCleaner - which isn’t anywhere near as raunchy as it sounds - and F1-Blog (and let’s not forget Ashleigh’s wife at Hand Made By Sarah). The Monkey is ramping up the regularity of his posts at Psychotic Monkey, focusing mainly on Xbox and gaming topics. And Gary’s on fine form with his tech focused offerings at Menori.
Is all this noise pollution? Does anyone have time to read all this new blogs? Is there any point - surely they’re all just blathering on about the mundane, uninteresting shite that goes on in their lives? No. I don’t think this is the case. I’m honoured to be able to read what these people write. I’m thrilled that technology, and the internet, have given us the opportunity to do this.
Should you care, as a writer, if anyone is reading? That’s up to you. A huge number of the people that pass through your site, are never going to meet you in person. The only opinion they’re going to form of you is through your writing. Your use of the English language. You may not aspire to achieve thousands of readers, you may be content with 3 but, regardless, you should still have pride in the content that you’re creating. If you don’t care, then you really are leaking obnoxious noise into the ether.
Whether you view it as meaningless noise, essential reading, or something to do to pass the time, blogs have become a huge part of the internet. Chances are there’s someone out there blogging who has very similar interests to you. Or, your polar opposite is out there.
And they’re making strides into popular culture too: the BBC are now blogging over at the BBC Blog Network. Chris Moyles and team, and Annie Mac from Radio One are all writing. Other areas of the BBC are blogging, and have been blogging for some time.
And I’m not going anywhere, any time soon. I can now honestly say I’m pleased with how the site looks, I’m trying to get the hang of not biting off more than I can chew in terms of reviews and writing. I’m going to try to write more regularly. I’m going to clear off the backlog of reviews I’ve stacked up.
Ultimately, I enjoy writing this stuff too much. And while I’m capable of doing it - because there are many of us who aren’t able, for whatever reason, to express themselves online or in person - I’m going to carry on.