Taking a break from blogging makes me wonder what I’ve missed. I was recently in a meeting with my boss for an internship. In it, she asked me what I thought the value of blogging was. I am not an industry professional (yet), but I think there are a few unique things to mention. Blogging tells a story in many ways. The collection of shorts connects with an audience over time and each post is like a new chapter. There is a word count recommendation, but no strict character limit. I would do most things to avoid reading a rant on Facebook, but visiting a blog is an intentional thing. You are reading a part of someone. Of course, you can put a lot of text on other media platforms, but that doesn’t mean all the traffic your post sees is invested in what you have to say. Blogs mean people are reading your words and thinking about the arguments, the conversations, or the stories that mean something to you.
Everyone is connected today and having the time and the ability to hear each-other out take the backburner too often. Leaving blogging for a while was somewhat enlightening. Anyone can post a longwinded message on a website, but writing as a part of a community changes the whole atmosphere. I look forward to the day when I can look back and say, “I did my best to not just hear what someone says, but listen.” Every short story is a bit size piece of the author, whether they’re blogging for a class or not.
