On Being Called A Blogger

It feels odd when people describe me as a blogger. I had that happen twice in the past week. Once, in the draft version of a press release for an upcoming event. The other in an introduction written for a potential interview.

Of course, it’s not wrong to say I’m a blogger; it’s something I do. Then again, I type emails everyday, but you would hardly call me a typist (especially if you have seen me type), or an emailer.

My Approach To Blogging

Earlier this year I wrote a long piece on finding your voice as a blogger. Back then I said,

“I’m often asked, by new bloggers, or those thinking of starting a blog – “what do I write about.” My answer has always been – “write about what you do.”

In the same vein, when I’m asked – “how do I make my blog more interesting,” I reply – “to be more interesting online, become more interesting offline.””

I revisited the theme last week, outlining the way blogs give us the freedom to share our work and our passions.

Blogging, What I Do And How I Do It

When asked “what do you do?” the best reply I can give is to say I’m musician, photographer and writer. Looking back over the last ten years, I’ve been paid to make music (and design sound), create photographs and write words. I’ve never been paid to blog.

I’ve been asked to write a few guest posts here and there. But, those have been unpaid gigs. I’ve never put ads on this blog (and I never will). I don’t write reviews (or anything else) in exchange for cash or freebies.

Blogging As An Assumed Skill

Not that long ago, creating presentation slides was a costly affair. It involved hiring graphic designers and creating real, physical film slides. And, we had inter-office memos, written by typists who spent all day formatting and reproducing text. Of course, it is now assumed that any worker (or student) can create their own slideshows or emails.

In a similar way, we had a situation where only a select group of professionals, journalists and authors, would regularly express their ideas in print, in the public domain. But, now anyone can create a blog (or at least, a sustained presence in other social media).

Blogging is just a skill, like being able to write emails, or create slideshow presentations. That’s it. The really important question isn’t “do you have a blog,” it is “why do you have (or not have) a blog?” For me blogging flows out of the things I do and the way I’ve chosen to live my life. It’s not a goal, it’s a consequence.

So, although I blog, blogging is really a secondary activity. Blogging isn’t the thing I do. Rather, blogging is part of how I do things. Blogging is one way I share my work and love.