As I mentioned in my last post, I’ve been thinking really hard about blogging in general, and my blog in specific. I started blogging to grow as a writer (and other reasons, but that was foremost).* I was told that “blogging will improve your writing through practice” and I’m here to ask, does it really?
Doubtless, everyone has their own experience, so I cannot speak for all – but I think I can safely say, YES and NO. Yes, blogging can improve your writing skills, but NO that does not mean it will.
Why?
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, BECAUSE IT’S MORE ABOUT YOU THAN ABOUT BLOGGING.
*the other reason was because I wanted to be like the Cool
Kids who blogged and now that most of those Cool Kids I followed don’t blog
anymore I’m feeling like, “maybe I should stop.” Just kidding. Sort of.
Let me explain.
HOW BLOGGING AUTOMATICALLY IMPROVES YOUR WRITING SKILLS:
- You get the practice of putting words down on paper (or on the computer). This seems simple enough but IT REALLY ISN’T. Sometimes, if you’re a newer writer, or unfamiliar with writing constantly, it takes a long time for you to put that draft down. Blogging helps to free you of your apprehensions by giving you the chance to PUT WORDS DOWN OFTEN.
- Blogging helps you to think of your audience. Identifying an audience is such a huge part of writing and blogging really reinforces it! As you grow a readership, you’ll automatically start thinking of them, what they like reading, and what you can write to help them. It’s really great.
- You get into the CONSTANT WRITING habit. Everyone agrees that if you want to be a writer, you need to write a lot, constantly, even if not every day. Blogging is a wonderful motivator for this – at least, it used to be for me. Setting a blogging schedule is really encouraged, so most people come up with “I’ll post once a week/twice a week/once every two weeks”. When I started, I did it twice a week and at first it was such a hassle! It felt like I was cramming for an exam all the time, but that was just because I had not been writing that regularly before. In no time I got the hang of it. So blogging is great for creating a writing habit!
ALL OF THESE STILL DEPEND ON YOU, OF COURSE. If you’re serious about blogging, then
these should follow automatically. Of course, if you get lazy or give up
after two months – these benefits will
not be yours. Obviously lol. BUT IF YOU REALLY WANT TO BLOG AND STICK WITH IT,
you’ll start to notice how you get better at putting words down quickly,
thinking about your audience, and writing more constantly.
NOW.
HOW BLOGGING DOESN’T AUTOMATICALLY IMPROVE YOUR WRITING
SKILLS:
- BLOGGING WILL NOT DEVELOP YOUR WRITING VOICE OR STYLE. The thing is, we are mostly concentrating on GOOD CONTENT and BEING ON TIME so we kinda forget the writing style. The sentence structure, the essay layout, the prose. We don’t pay much attention to that. It doesn’t help that most bloggers write very, very casually – the way they’d talk.
- It won’t really improve your grammar. This goes along with the former, but my grammar ABSOLUTELY SUCKS IN BLOGGING. I write run-ons and fragments as if that were what I was taught in school. And throw in a bunch of texting slang like lol brb hahahahahaha tbh XDD aka all the ***** hashtags and adkfjdsahfdshfauhfsdjkahfd. My elementary school English teacher (aka my dad) would be so so horrified. If I still were his student he might delete my blog. Yeaaaaah.
- Due to your binding schedule, you may easily fall into the trap of WRITING ONLY WHAT YOU’RE USED TO/COMFORTABLE WITH. And this means – only those posts you’re fast at, only your dreadful grammar, only things you can whip up in one day. I fell hard into this rut and I’m trying to pull myself out. They say that if you aren’t stretching so much that it hurts you aren’t stretching enough – and I mean it in regards to writing. If you’re comfortable for too long and having it easy where you are in your writing journey, it means YOU NEED TO MOVE ON.
- Blogging may take time that you could use for your other writing practice. For me, blogging has turned into a thing separate from writing. I have writing and I have blogging. And is my blogging real writing, in my opinion? No it isn’t. Because I’m being far too casual at it. But does it get my priority? Oh yes. Blogging takes priority because you all are waiting for my posts.
As you can see, blogging will NOT AUTOMATICALLY MAKE YOU A BETTER WRITER. It
seems to aid you in the basics, and THEN IT STOPS. You get comfortable and you
stop stretching. At least I did.
In the end this is what it really boils down to.
BLOGGING WON’T MAKE
YOU A GREAT WRITER. ONLY YOU CAN DO THAT.
Blogging is a tool, and you must make sure you are using
that tool well. You decide whether you’ll use it to improve your skills or not.
Blogging CAN improve your style, your grammar; it can widen you horizons - but
only if you intentionally decide to do so. All improvement and growth and
learning is intentional and takes work! Writing included. And blogging can
become a crutch – but only if you let it.
So, what I’m trying to say is – blogging can help you, or
hinder you, but that’s up to you to decide. What are you going to let it do? What
are you going to use it for?? I’m going to use it to improve my writing,
starting NOW. With this post.
^^ (Which, btw, I typed in a Word document, not my blogger draft,
because typing it in blogger felt so stifling and restrictive suddenly)
YOU DECIDE WHERE YOU
ARE GOING.
And I’d just like to
point out that if you are blogging just for FUN - and your intention is just to
put words out and you don’t really care about your style because either a) you
are really good already or b) you are improving elsewhere or c) right now it’s
just not a priority – THAT’S 100% OKAY. It's about what your purpose is and I’m
just writing this post for those writers who want to grow their writing through
blogging.
Be honest with me, are
you using your blog to stretch your skills or do you feel you’re just doing the
same old thing? Do you think blogging improves writing? Give me all your
feedback below!!
xx lisa
This is so true! Only we can make ourselves better writers -- our blogs won't do that for us. <3
ReplyDeleteAwww glad you agree Kara !! Thanks for dropping this lovely comment!!
DeleteOof. This is creepily accurate. TECHNICALLY blogging is supposed to improve your writing skills. BUUT, I write like I talk. XD Which is kind of a problem if I’m trying to better my writing.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting post! I’ll have to think about your points some more and see if I need to change anything about my blogging style.....because right now, it’s a little too informal.
GOOD TO HEAR THAT YOU RELATE TO THE STRUGGLE. That's exactly what I was saying!! ANd I totally didn't notice until after I'd been blogging for so and so long XDD It's okay if you like an informal style, but it really depends on your intentions. I'm glad you found this a thought provoking post. All the best to your blogging - informal or not :DD
DeleteThis is interesting - I never thought about blogging as a way to help or hinder my writing. I simply started because I wanted some kind of author platform. Get my name and stories out there. :) Now I love getting to meet fellow writers and readers. It does take away from my writing time, though.
ReplyDeleteGood for you that you never had the problem - having an author platform is talked about as so important so THAT'S DEFINITELY AN UP SIDE OF BLOGGING, no matter what your voice. MEeting others like yourself is amazing ... I guess everything has it's down sides, but for blogging, the pros trump every time, I THINK ANYWAY!! thank you for your comment Julian!!
DeleteTruth right here everyone! I understand this to the core. You are what you make of it, for sure.
ReplyDelete*high five* I'M SO HAPPY YOU FEEL THE SAME <3
DeleteTHANKS YOU FOR WRITING THIS!
ReplyDeleteyou are so welcome, V, thanks for reading <333
DeleteThis is so completely accurate! I believe I started my blog mainly as a journaling outlet & for my book reviews. But it turned into a place where I can share writerly things as well. I am always conscious of my writing & I believe blogging totally helps me keep track. I'd never thought of it before, but I think I am more of a casual writer whilst blogging.
ReplyDeleteLove this post, girl! You made me think! I agree in that it can help and/or hinder---and that it's the author's choice of what it ultimately becomes.
So glad you could relate!! as long as the blog is fulfilling its purpose as intended by the author I support !! but yes, sometimes we can get off track lol thanks so much for commenting!! <3
DeleteI like your perspective on this. I wish blogging would improve my grammar. XD
ReplyDeleteTHANKS!! and dude, YES I WISH IT DID TOO. XD
DeleteI never really thought about blogging to improve my writing. It do think writing on my is more for fun, :)
ReplyDeleteastorydetective.blogspot.com
writing a blog for fun is awesome too!! go you ;))
DeleteLove the questions you bring up in this post! I feel my writing has grown with my blog, as has my self-discipline ;D BUT it's a lot of work. I can't just write blog posts ... I study writing, I see what works for other bloggers (and what doesn't) and I'm always trying to learn more to apply to my own blogging/ writing. Some of my posts have been REALLY hard to write, and some of them ... I didn't put the work into them I knew I should have. But still love blogging :)
ReplyDeleteketurahskorner.blogspot.com
That's awesome Keturah *fist bump* blogging IS hard work I agree 100%. I should learn from you haha doing the job well is so important!! thanks for commenting :DD I love blogging too, even when I don't do as well as I should have lol
DeleteTotally agree! My tone and style on my blog can sometimes be wildly different than the gone I use in many of my books. Also, I feel like blog writing gives me a sort of freedom that I don't have when writing. I can ramble, my grammar doesn't have to be perfect, you can use capital letters and lots! of exclamation points. You can pretty much do whatever you want cuz its your blog and I feel like my personality comes out more when writing on my blog (or at least that's what I'm working on, trying to be less professional and just have fun with it).
ReplyDeletewww.melodypersonetteauthor.blogspot.com
LOVE ALL YOUR POINTS MELODY!! that's what I feel like my blog has been too!! and it certainly has it's pros! we don't always have to be PRO and PERFECT when blogging! doing it for casual, relaxing writing is sooo good as well ;) glad you enjoyed!
Deletebtw, I believe it's the first time you commented so allow me to give you an OFFICIAL WELCOME TO INKWELL and say it's awesome to have you <3