Bloggy Musings: Is Blogging a Creative Outlet?

 
 

I was actually inspired to write this post by Karen’s discussion (and the ensuing comments from other bloggers) @ Kissin Blue Karen about whether or not you’d keep blogging if no one read your blog.

It was interesting because it seems whether or not someone would continue their blog depends on why they blog, what they gain from it, etc. I for one would not keep blogging if no one read my blog, and it was while commenting that I realized the reason for that is because I don’t consider my blog to be a creative outlet. I do, however, consider it to be a social outlet. And thus, a discussion post was born. So let’s discuss!


I’ve always been a creative person. Since I was able to hold a pencil, I was drawing and writing poems and stories. Seriously, I once found a poem I had written when I was maybe 6 years old. I typed up a nearly 50 pages single spaced story when I was about 11. In elementary school we only had maybe one assignment a week in art class, but I’d literally fill up my entire sketchbook every nine-weeks. I have boxes full of artwork from when I was a kid that I just can’t bear to part with, even though they’re obviously terrible. Even though I don’t claim to be good a photographer, I have computers and hard drives full of photos. I have three giant posters in my bedroom at my parents’ house that I collage-ified the hell out of and hung on my wall when I went to college (they fell down like an hour later, but that’s beside the point). I’ve written poems for people as gifts, usually decorated and laminated or framed. I’ve scrapbooked in the past.

My point is, I didn’t start blogging because I needed a creative outlet. I’ve always had plenty of those.

But as I mentioned above, the biggest and most important aspect of my blog to me is that it’s a social outlet. I don’t know if that’s a thing, but I’m making it one if it isn’t. I love blogging because it gives me a way to interact with people, to share my opinions with them, to get their opinions in return, to chat, to tell my stories and hear theirs, to be social. I love waking up in the morning and seeing that I have 5 new comments on my blog, 3 emails with reply notifications for posts I commented on, and a mention on Twitter. I love getting to see what others have said in regards to my thoughts. I love having conversations about things I’m passionate about.

Even though I’m an introvert, I’m an outgoing introvert. I’m a social creature. I love discussing and conversing and debating and chatting. I love meeting and getting to know people, even if I’ll never be besties with everyone who visits my blog. But I don’t get to go out with friends and be around people as often as I would like, so this social aspect of my blog means a lot to me.

The other thing I love most about my blog is that I get to express my thoughts and opinions and likes and dislikes and whatever else I want, I get to do it all in my own way with my own voice, and people actually read it. I’m so full of thoughts and opinions about things that are important to me. So if I’m talking about something like feminism or disability, if my post is able to make even just one person start thinking about things in a new light, it makes me feel like I’m making a difference. I don’t know what you’d call that… an opinion outlet? An awareness outlet?

Anyway, even though there is creativity involved in blogging (designing our sites, coming up with post ideas, writing reviews, etc.), I consider my blog my social outlet, not my creative one. Obviously it can be and most likely is both for many people, but if I just feel like being creative, I prefer other methods. But when it comes to being social, my go-to is blogging 🙂

 
 
 
 

Talk to me!

Is blogging a creative outlet for you?
Is it a social outlet?
Do you have any creative outlets (e.g. writing, drawing, crafting, dancing, etc.)?
Are there any other reasons you blog?

 
 
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Your Thoughts

 

67 thoughts on “Bloggy Musings: Is Blogging a Creative Outlet?

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  1. Olivia Roach

    I have to agree with you – I see blogging as a social outlet. I like the element of discussion and creating a community with those who bother and take the time to read more than anything else. I consider my writing my creative outlet. But that is what prompted me to make my blog! I wanted to have a social outlet where I could share my creative one (eventually, when it got published.) So they are linked, but they are different – at least to me.

    1. Kristen Burns

      Oh that’s a great point! I would like to write a book one day too, and I like knowing that I’ll have a place to talk about it. Plus I just shared my poems recently and I’ve shared Photoshop stuff on here before, so I do use my blog sometimes as a way to share my creative stuff.

  2. Christy LoveOfBooks

    Hmm, yeah, I don’t consider it a creative outlet for myself. Well, maybe in the very beginning that was part of it, but I just thought it was fun, but also a challenge. Now, I can’t quit, even though I barely post anymore. A lot of it has become social for me too. I like connecting with other bloggers and seeing what they’re up to on their blogs. After almost 6 years, It’s just become part of me.

    1. Kristen Burns

      Hmmm, I can’t say I’ve ever thought of it as a challenge, but yeah, I feel like I’ll never be able to quit now that I’ve started lol. I’ve only been doing it for less than two years, and it’s already part of me, so I can definitely see you’d feel like it’s part of you after six!

      1. Christy LoveOfBooks

        I saw it as a challenge because it’s kind of difficult for me to … express my thoughts in that way. I was so used to very technical business-like writing. Sooo I guess it was a sort of creative challenge. It’s funny though, if you look at how different my reviews are from years ago to now. You can tell I actually tried and put more effort into them. lol.

        1. Kristen Burns

          Ah ok, I can see how it’d be a challenge for you then! I’m just kind of a natural writer/talker as in I just love to do those things lol, so once I got comfortable with the whole online talking out into the open instead of one-on-one thing, expressing my thoughts was the easy part. And lol, well, as long as you’re enjoying blogging, that’s all that matters!

  3. Jennilyn

    Hmm, I did not start book blogging to have a creative outlet. Firstly, I am not an artsy person. My first few reviews are word walls with no pictures in them at all. But recently, I have been a little bit paying attention to my blog design and graphics in my post so I can say that being *forced* to be creative is incident to my blogging.

  4. chucklesthescot

    I set up my book blog when I started reading Indie books, to promote Indie authors to blog visitors who may not have heard of the books before and most of what I now read is Indie so that was certainly successful! In recent years it has become a social thing for me, enjoying the chance to chat to people who love books, sharing posts and challenges, and I enjoy this side of it very much. I’m a sucker for discussion posts! I don’t have time to be creative but I keep news scrapbooks and have colouring books for when I find the time…

    1. Kristen Burns

      That was one of my main reasons for starting a blog too! But then it also turned into a social outlet for me, which I wasn’t even expecting but love. I don’t have the energy for much creative stuff anymore, so I feel you there. News scrapbooks and coloring are something though!

  5. Angela

    I think when I first started blogging, it was more of a creative outlet – I wanted to put down my thoughts about books I was reading and hikes we were going on. But I think it has evolved since then (only a year ago!) and now I really enjoy the social aspect of it. I like interacting with other bloggers and it’s really nice when I get visitors to the blog and especially when I get comments.

  6. Lory @ Emerald City Book Review

    Blogging for me is both a creative and a social outlet, and that’s what I enjoy so much about it! The challenge of framing my thoughts in a way that others can understand and connect with is what inspires me, and the thrill of having people actually read and respond to my posts keeps me going. While I would like to someday write a book or something more substantial, I really appreciate the informality and the everyday nature of blogging, which keeps it fun and fresh. One doesn’t have to slave away for months or years before getting any feedback.

    1. Kristen Burns

      That makes sense, it can definitely be both! And I agree that I like the informality of blogging plus the way you can publish your thoughts and reap the rewards and get other people’s thoughts so quickly 🙂

  7. Julie @ Happily Ever Chapter

    Hmmm I’ve never really thought about blogging as a creative outlet…I guess it could be. For me, it’s definitely more about the social outlet aspect of it. When I first had my daughter, we decided I would be a stay at home and it took a long time for me to adjust because I’ve always worked and been a bit of a social person. It was a big change and I struggled, but when I started blogging it really helped me.

    I’m like you. I have always been a bit of a creative person. I paint portraits, scrapbook, craft with the kiddo, and I’m constantly doodling. lol! I’ve just recently started to share book inspired art on my blog, so I guess I sort of combined the two. lol!

  8. Amber Elise @ Du Livre

    I think I consider my blog both creative and social. Like you said, creating graphics, as well as content is pretty much the the extent of my creativity – and it does take work to think of interview questions and/or discussion topics (like this one)! I wish I was a more creative person, but all I can handle is a pencil and some paper. Teehee.

    1. Kristen Burns

      Interview questions are the hardest lol. But discussion topics usually just come to me. But hey, creativity is about more than just drawing or painting, so maybe you’re creative in ways you don’t even realize!

  9. Christina T. (@MySeryniti)

    I’m working on the social aspect. I’m an introvert as well and being social is easy for me one on one but gets harder when thinking about all of the people out there. That’s when I want to curl into a ball and sleep! Seeing lovely people, one blog at a time, like yours, helps keep my inner introvert from freaking out!

    I do love the creativity of blogging but I agree that it is not the creativity that keeps me coming back. I just love hearing what other people think about books and getting recommendations for books I may not have picked up.

    1. Kristen Burns

      Yeah, blogging is a great way for us introverts to be social since it’s also not as draining and allows us to choose when we want to socialize.

      Exactly, there is some creativity involved, but it’s not the reason I stick around!

  10. Bookworm Brandee

    I do consider blogging a social outlet, Kristen. I, too, love the conversations I get to have with other bloggers and the friendships I’ve formed through blogging. But I started blogging as a creative outlet. I blogged for about a year and a half when my older daughter was THE ONLY person following me. I didn’t blog as regularly as I do now but still I persisted in blogging because I liked having this outlet to talk about my passion – books. I do have have creative outlets…I scrapbook, make cards, knit. But books have always been a passion and blogging was a way to share my passion with other like-minded people. Thank goodness people eventually found their way to me because it’s been such an incredible experience. 😀

    1. Kristen Burns

      Oh wow, I don’t think I would continued that long! But it makes sense if it was a creative outlet for you. But yes, the conversations and friendships are the best!

  11. S. J. Pajonas

    I’ve been blogging since 2003/2004 and it’s always been a creative and a social outlet for me. In the beginning, I was a knit blogger and I mostly blogged about life and knitting. It was a great way for me to write without writing fiction (as I was scared of writing fiction in those days). Now it’s part of my business, but I do try to remain creative about it!

    1. Kristen Burns

      There can definitely be a creative aspect to it! But there can also be social, business, etc. And wow, I didn’t know you’ve been blogging for so long!

  12. Laurie @ Bark's Book Nonsense

    I started my blog for purely selfish reasons. Goodreads was deleting people left and right a few years back so I joined Booklikes and migrated all of my reviews over there but then the site owner’s seemed to drop off the planet and the site was getting super buggy so I was worried one day I’d log on and everything would be gone. I set up my blog to archive my reviews but it’s since turned into a nice social outlet for me, much like the booklikes community (which is still alive but many people left). I’ve met tons of lovely people and I’m glad I did it even though keeping up two blogs is a bit of work for lazy me 🙂

  13. kris @ lemon-notes

    I think my blog at this moment in time serves as both a social and creative outlet for me. I was a dancer my whole life up until I had to “be an adult” and go to college. Needless to say, pursuing a bachelor degree takes up a whole bunch of time! So, I obviously could not continue to attend ballet 4+ times a week and participate in shows and competitions. I miss it so much. It was my way to let go of everything in my life that was weighing me down. When I was dancing, I was floating above all of my worries and responsibilities. I also used to be a very prolific writer, but again, college.
    Since losing my creative outlet, I have dabbled in MANY different things trying to find something that makes me feel as worry and carefree as dance did. Blogging is the first thing I’ve stuck with in a LONG time. I’m so thankful for that.
    The reason I started my blog is because I don’t have anyone aside from my mom who is a reader in my life. I needed to shout my feelings at SOMEONE or something. Thus, the blog was born! It makes me feel important, and like the things I say actually matter because actual real life HUMANS are reading them. Even if it was only the same one person coming back every post to leave a comment, I would still be here. I love connecting with such diverse and interesting people. Bah, this comment is a love letter to blogging I guess.
    Of course, blogging will never be the same as when I got to be the snow princess and perform for an audience. Nothing beats the sheer appreciation for the art as a standing ovation, but blogging is the next best thing in my experience! Lovely post, Kristen. 😀

    1. Kristen Burns

      Oh, I can relate. I used to do gymnastics and circus but had to stop both because of my ME/CFS. Gymnastics wasn’t creative, but circus kind of was, and my gym before it shut down was kind of my community/social outlet. And in high school I performed in shows, but I lost that community and passion even earlier when high school ended. So even though I didn’t really lose my creative outlets, I lost my social outlets and things that I could pour my passion into, and like you, book blogging is the only thing that has really stuck and given me a new outlet for those things. So I’m also super thankful that I found it and that the community ended up being so great!

      I agree, the fact that people actually read what I say also makes me feel so good and like the things I say matter and maybe make a difference! I don’t mind at all that your comment is a love letter to blogging lol. I love it too! Thank you!

  14. Greg

    Interesting distinction between blogging being creative vs social (and it doesn’t have to be either/ or, I know) but I hadn’t thought of it like that. I’ve always thought of mine as a creative outlet, but maybe that’s only partly right. After all I love visiting blogs and sharing with book friends so maybe it IS a social outlet for me as well. Sharing and exchanging ideas, loving the same books, chatting.

    Good point too about expressing opinions, I’ve been tempted at times to talk other things besides books but largely haven’t. But I CAN if I want to, like you said. It’s our space after all. And going back o the social aspect- it is nice to be able to be discuss books or genre stuff with a community, since in my case most of my close friends are scattered all over, so even though we still talk it’s not that frequent, you know? The blogging community has sort of filled that niche. And sort of like Christy said- it’s almost become part of me, a daily thing.

    1. Kristen Burns

      Yeah I hadn’t thought about it until I read that other post and the comments. But yeah, it’s all the interaction that I love! Though I can see why it is a creative outlet for some people. And it can definitely be both.

      I mean, I generally tackle serious topics within the confines of books. Like, my disability posts are about disability *in books*. And my feminism post are about things like double standards for male and female characters *in books*. But yeah, I love that I actually have a place where I can do that! And yeah, most of my close friends are scattered now too, so it is nice to have a community since I no longer have a specific community/group in real life either.

  15. Sam @ Sharing Inspired Kreations

    It definitely depends on the blog and the blogger. If a person is only writing book reviews and discussions, I don’t think it would be considered a creative outlet. However, if the blog is not strictly about books, there is tons of opportunity for creativity. Blogs that share recipes, writing, nail art, make up tuturials, photography, etc. are obviously using their blogs as creative outlets.

    Mine is a bit of both, I guess. I do mainly reviews and discussions with bookish topics, but I have also showcased nail art and I have considered using my blog as a creative outlet in other ways as well… I just need more time! My blog’s name is Sharing Inspired Kreations…I would like to share more inspired creations!

    I’m curious, though – you use very nice photos in your posts…did you make those photos? You wouldn’t consider your blog a creative outlet of sorts for those?

    1. Kristen Burns

      I agree, it depends on whether the blogger actual tries to think outside the box or do anything creative. Nail art is definitely creative!

      Almost all the photos I use are stock photos. The only creativity I can claim there is that sometimes I do get pretty creative with what type of image to look for to represent the topic of the post lol.

  16. verushka

    Sometimes, I think of my blog as a safe space to be myself, but in that respect it isn’t really because putting yourself out on the internet isn’t safe so to speak. Is it a creative outlet? Sometimes, I think that in part depends on what I am writing and how I am writing it — I find myself writing in ways I never thought I would, so I guess that’s a creative outlet, because writing is where I feel I am most creative. Couldn’t draw a stick figure if I tried lol

    1. Kristen Burns

      I agree that it feels like this mix of safe space but also public. And that’s true too, how creative it is can vary post to post even and how much you push yourself to write in different ways!

  17. Lily

    as an artist, I don’t find my blog to be a creative outlet. I do photography to scratch that itch. My blog would never satisfy that.
    I find book blogs to be more of a social outlet where you come express your opinions and connect with others on social level as you have mentioned.
    Can a book blog be creative? sure, you can add creativity to almost anything. But it would have to be a specific thing I find in order to qualify it to be creative.

  18. Lexxie @ (un)Conventional Bookviews

    I definitely think my blog is a creative outlet, even if it’s also a social outlet! And because it’s creative, all of our blogs are unique. Both when it comes to colour schemes, layout, and what we share. Even a discussion post is creative, because you have to come up with an idea of what to discuss. Once that is done, however, it becomes social – because discussion posts would be very sad and lonely (or at least the bloggers coming up with them!) if nobody commented on them. And then came back to comment some more when they get notifications about said comment.
    So to me, it’s really a dual thing – both creative and social, and they go together.
    I do think I’d keep my blog for review purposes even if nobody ever visited me, though, as I think it’s a good way for me to remember what I thought about books I read, and why…
    Great topic, Kristen!

    1. Kristen Burns

      Oh, yeah, it definitely can be both! That’s a good point about how it’s creative when you come up with the stuff but then it turns social. I’d definitely be lonely if no one commented on my discussions, haha. Thanks!

  19. Dragonfly @ Our Familiarium

    First before I forget.. you are reading Vicious??? !!!! wow. Now I’m the one that doesn’t know your taste anymore.

    Ok back to this post.

    Second… I love that picture! Perfect for this post 🙂

    Third… But of course you are creative. You are a child of venus 😉 and… talking about being social and pleasing your faithful fans that almost camp here every day… and talking about poems.. I AM WAITING [humph!] when is post 2 coming? maybe that poem you wrote when you were 6? 🙂 And Now I want to see the drawings too! and your collage-ified parents’ house too. 🙂 I like taking pictures too. I also have megas and megas of pics 🙂

    You have at least one day to post all that because I won’t visit tomorrow. Now I AM MAD AT YOU. I have to trash my draft about how “blogging is a social experience for me” which was coming up in May! I’m an introvert… I’m an outgoing introvert… I’m a social creature… a way to interact with people… to chat… to tell my stories… I love seeing that I have new comments on my blog,.. etc etc etc ALL THE SAME!!! LMAO

    Oh well.. even though I have to trash that post now I loved to confirm we are very alike. That’s why I’m always here visiting my beautiful lil blogger sista <3<3 xoxo

    1. Kristen Burns

      It IS the perfect picture, right?! Thank you, Pixabay!

      I think, my dear, that you are the only one of my followers who actually wants to see any of that stuff, haha. None of my drawings are particularly special, so you’re not missing anything there. I really liked those collages though 😛 And taking pictures is so much fun!

      No, don’t scrap the post! (You better not have deleted it already!) Even if it’s about the same thing, it’ll still be different because it’s YOUR perspective! Plus, if you just wait til June instead, everyone will have forgotten about my post by then 😉

      You are totally my blogger sista! <3 Hmm, have I ever asked you what Myer-Briggs type you are? I'm an INFJ. Maybe we're the same if we're both outgoing introverts.

  20. Kei @ The Lovely Pages Reviews

    I don’t think I consider blogging to be a creative outlet but I wouldn’t stop blogging if no one was reading it either. When I started I had zero followers and I was OK with that. I blog for me in a totally non selfish way, just as a live journal I can document the books I read. That being said it did help me develop extra skills and look at codes without thinking wtf and it made me become better at writing and delivering my thoughts but at the end of the day if I don’t write in my blog regardless of who is reading it (if anyone) I feel like smoothing is off. Great topic as always!

    1. Kristen Burns

      I blog for me in the sense that I read and review and talk about what makes me happy and blog the way I want, regardless of whether it’s popular or whatever. But I still wouldn’t blog if no one was reading it. I’d just stick to posting my reviews on GR. Or I’d go back to the book journal I kept before I started blogging. But oh, I to learned almost everything I know about coding thanks to blogging!

  21. Karen

    That’s interesting because my first impulse was to say yes, my blog is my creative outlet but it’s not. It’s my social outlet.

    I get a little creative when it comes to making banners etc but it’s the interaction that I’m still around for.

    I’ve almost quit a few times and my blogging lapses have resulted in a steep decline of followers but it doesn’t bother me because I’m now blogging the way I want and the ones that have stuck around have become good friends (I’ve even met several in real life) and I would miss everyone too much.

    I’m an introvert and this endeavor has pushed me out of my comfort zone and made me interact in ways I never would have. So while I don’t care about how many people are following me exactly – yes, I would need people to visit my blog. Even if it’s just a few. And I prefer active followers to just #’s. If 100 people visit my blog but don’t comment or chat on Twitter/Instagram etc then I wouldn’t blog then either despite having a large folllowing.

    For What It’s Worth

    1. Kristen Burns

      Exactly, there might be some creativity involved, but that’s not why I stick around. And I completely agree, I prefer active followers who interact over high numbers. I see blogs sometimes who have 10,000 followers but no comments and I think about how that just wouldn’t make me happy.

  22. Cee Arr

    I started blogging because I needed somewhere to be me – totally and utterly open, but anonymous (since I use a pen name.) I wanted to share books with THE ENTIRE WORLD – because that’s always been my goal – but I also wanted somewhere to openly speak about my depression and (somehow) order my thoughts.

    I’ve never made it a secret that books and blogging are what’s kept me going through some pretty tough times – but I also like to think that my blog is informative, fun, and helpful, to people reading it. Whether I’d stop if people stopped reading is… well, maybe I would, and maybe I wouldn’t. Who knows?

    But part of what makes blogging awesome is everyone comes into it for different reasons, and brings something different to the table 🙂

    1. Kristen Burns

      Well, hopefully you’ll never have to find out if you’d stop or not for that reason 🙂 And I agree! It’s great that people all have their own different reasons for blogging!

  23. Lola

    Great post! I have thought about this a few times, so it’s interesting to read a post about this topic.

    I always have been a creative person as well and used to draw and write a lot as a kid. I always was telling stories and we sometimes would get these writing assignments in class and I would write stories way longer than necessary. My dream job was always to become a writer, but I found something I now love even more, namely helping other authors succeed through my blog tour and assistant work.

    I actually have commented on another blogs a few times saying that blogging is my creative outlet. I don’t really do much creative stuff anymore, but I don’t miss it as much and I think that’s because of my blogging. But I didn’t start blogging because I needed a creative outlet, but that is what is has become for me in part.

    On the other hand I also think blogging is social in a big part and if no one would read my blog I am not sure if I would keep blogging. I do think I would as my reviews still serve a purpose outside my blog as well ad part of why I blog is for myself as well. But it definitely would be less fun. So i do think my reason for blogging is partly social as well. And now that I am more busy i do notice I miss that social aspect a bit.

    One of the things I love most about blogging is the social aspect, I like hearing from other bloggers and I love visiting other blogs. While I do know a few people in real life that also read, it’s amazing to have a whole community of readers here online. I love connecting with people who share the same love for reading as I do. I am not really social in real life as my social life is mostly online. And that’s fine with me.

    So yes for me blogging is both my creative and social outlet.

    1. Kristen Burns

      I read your mind 😉

      Oh man, I always wrote more than necessary, haha. But yeah, I think it’s normal for our dreams to change as we grow or find new things.

      Actually, see, I don’t do much creative stuff anymore, and I DO miss it because my blog just doesn’t satisfy that creative urge in me. But I do think it can, depending on the person. Without the social, I’d probably just stick to posting my review on Amazon and GR and that’s it.

      Most of my social life is online too, so I completely agree!

  24. Molly @ Molly's Book Nook

    You know, I used to say it was a place to be creative – but I feel like that’s wrong after reading this. I mean, ok, we have to come up with content which *can* be creative, but that’s not really the same. It’s more of coming up with ideas that we think will resonate with other people so we can be SOCIAL with each other. I guess it can go both ways depending on what someone considers their “creativity” to be and what they do on their blog. Sometimes people include some really nice photos that they’ve taken themselves in their posts, which is creative. Some people put a lot of work into custom designs, which is creative. But idk, I guess it’s not an actual OUTLET for me. Great discussion!

    1. Kristen Burns

      Oh that’s a good point about the coming up with ideas thing. But yeah, I think maybe it still sometimes takes creativity, just, like you said, not in a way for me that I’d call it a creative outlet. Thanks!

  25. Becky @ A Fool's Ingenuity

    I actually totally agree with you and I’m surprised because when I saw the post title I was thinking ‘of course it is’ but actually I blog to talk about books. I blog to be social and get my thoughts out there and to essentially talk about things I can’t IRL because a lot of my friends don’t share the same passion for books I have. It’s always really weird when someone else ends up telling you your opinion on something when you didn’t even know that was your opinion. Now, I might still blog even if there was no one there commenting and reading, but I think it would be a lot more sporadic and definitely not as interesting. The interaction with other people is what makes blogging fun and so much more creative because other people help give you ideas, as shown with this post being inspired by someone else’s.

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  27. Annemieke

    I think I consider my blog both a creative and a social outlet. I would probably still blog if no one would read it. But I also like the interaction portion of it a lot. It is why I participate in some meme’s.

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  29. Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

    I definitely see my blog as a social outlet, but it’s a bit of a creative outlet as well. Unlike you, I’m not artistic at all—writing is pretty much all I can do, and I enjoy it! (Most of the time.) But would I do it if no one was reading? Hmm… probably not, to be honest. At least not consistently, and probably not for all that long.

    1. Kristen Burns

      It can definitely be both! And it does take creativity to think of posts and whatnot. It’s just not really my *outlet* per se. But yeah, I wouldn’t be motivated to blog if no one visited!

  30. Evelina

    Good lord, I really don’t remember if I commented on this one, although I don’t think so and “Find” says I didn’t 😀 well, it’s always best to comment twice rather than not at all, right? 😀
    I think you’ve got it quite right with the social part! Especially because IRL socializing is so much more cumbersome than online, right? You need to go out. Your friends need to have time at the same time as you (which is a migraine-inducing thing to even think about!), and more often than not, it involves spending money. While blogging… Is sort of like another job? But it also pays, but not in money? In fun and books and appreciation, perhaps? 😀
    As for me, I am very happy I’ve decided to start blogging a half a year ago. So maybe I’m not a brilliant blogger. But maybe I will be! And I get to talk to so many cool people (yes, that’s you included :D), and I know SO MUCH MORE about books now! Then also.. besides the social part, for me is the… OMIGOD SO SO MANY BOOKS! I just… ALL THE BOOKS! FREE MOST OF THE TIME! Gosh, you know what I mean. Just all the books. All of them. So blogging just sort of… chases me back and bites me in the back side 😀 I just want the books, so I must blog. I also love making them more popular, especially if I feel like I am making a difference – especially if that book makes me very passionate about the cause (like The Radium Girls did). So there’s also something bigger than just FREE BOOKS or socialization there. There’s a sense of fulfillment.

    1. Kristen Burns

      Haha, I do that too when I can’t remember if I commented on something or not.

      Exactly, socializing online is so much easier and more laidback because you don’t have to coordinate everything. And ok, yeah, blogging is like a job, but it’s like a fun job lol.

      Ooh yes! There is a kinda sense of fulfillment that comes from helping authors who write great books, talking about topics that are important, feeling like I’m making a difference. And yes, I totally love all the books! Free ones, books I wouldn’t have heard of if not for other bloggers, etc.!

      1. Evelina

        Omigosh. Your comment replies go to my spam! Evil, evil spam inbox! But now it should be fine, I’ve whitelisted it 🙂 sorry if I haven’t been replying 😀
        And it’s totally a fun job 🙂

        1. Kristen Burns

          Ugh, my comment replies randomly do that every so often :-/ I think it just has to do with the servers where you self host and they’re switched around every so often or something but if you end up on the same one as a spammy site, you get sent to spam during that time. Something like that, I think. Don’t quote me on that lol.

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