Labor of Love

I recently stumbled across a blog I kept a few years back. This was during the brief time in between quitting my WoW blog and starting this one, and it just felt weird not to have a place to let it all out. It only lasted about a month, because then Pat suggested we start a blog together, and here we are. Well, here I am. He's around here somewhere. I think.

Anyway.

In one of my first posts, I was discussing the theme (or lack thereof) of the blog, and I wrote the following:

My purpose is simply to write, whether or not I really have anything to write about.  Topics may come and go, but that’s the constant. I’m here to write. I enjoy it. If someone, somewhere along the line, walks away feeling that I’ve given them something they didn’t have before, then that’s great. But it’s not why I’m here.

If people think my blog is boring, worthless, and a waste of web space, I really don’t care. I write as if I have an audience because it seems more natural than writing to no one, or to myself. But even though I may not be writing to myself, I’m still writing for myself, and that’s unlikely to change. Whether I have a ton of loyal readers, or none at all, it makes little difference. I’m just here for me.

I'd say that this is still a pretty accurate statement. Sometimes it feels strange to keep putting stuff out there, and putting stuff out there, and not know if anyone is reading it or not. But even if I knew for sure that I had no readers whatsoever, I don't think it would really change anything, other than that I'd be able to write about subjects I've been reluctant to get into thus far.

At the same time, I always link to my new blog posts on Facebook and on Twitter, so based on that, I'd obviously like people to read what I'm writing. I'd like to feel like something is coming from my efforts.

Sounds like I'm trying to have it both ways, doesn't it?

I'm trying to think of another situation that might be comparable. "I'd be doing what I'm doing either way, but since I'm doing it, I'd prefer if I wasn't the only one enjoying it." The only thing the comes to mind is people who are lucky enough to do what they love for a living. Particularly professional artists and athletes. Although in those cases it's more like, "I'd be doing what I'm doing either way, but since I'm doing it, I'd prefer to be getting paid for it."