Steven Cohen has written a concise explanation of why he blogs, which perfectly describes what I hope to get out of blogging:
When people ask me why I put so much effort into my weblog, I mention that I want to be well-informed about the technology that has an effect on my profession, and by reading alot of articles/blog posts and subsequently writing about them, it forces me to keep current. It also provides a platform for my thoughts (and prayers) about a profession that I am passionate about. This passion assists in the ongoing improvements of my skills as a writer, publisher, and editor (Bloggers do all three, the latter one being the most difficult tasks to perform and most ignored – including by me). For me, blogging was a starting point in my career, and it has meant more to me (and paid off more – emotionally and financially) than any job that I have ever had. It will also continue to help me professionally for a long time to come.
I have found that in the time I’ve been writing this blog, I have learned more about librarianship and technology and feel more connected to the profession than I ever did before. I have so much passion for seeing things improve in libraries (to see libraries serve their patrons better by seamlessly integrating technology into their work), and my blog has given me an outlet for writing about those things and connecting with other people who feel the same way. It has been a very satisfying venture, and one I hope to continue well into the future.
[…] Why do I blog? When I first started blogging, I thought it would be great practice for “the real thing” (in other words: publishing). I also thought it would help me to keep up with what’s been going on in the worlds of librarianship and technology. My husband had bugged me for a while about starting a blog; I guess since I’m so opinionated, he thought it would be a good medium for me. Maybe he just thought I’d stop bugging him about all of it (sorry, Ad). One month into this blog, I actually wrote about what motivates me to blog (in response to what Steven had written about blogging). […]