Writing ourselves into existence

Many moons ago, in the early days of blogging David Weinberger described it as “writing ourselves into existence”. I was reminded recently of just how transformative blogging has been in my life. How much more aware I am of my thoughts and feelings - and of the world around me.

Once you have a blog you notice more, you start to think “I might write about this on my blog” "What do I want to say?” “What will people’s reaction be?”. Over time you get better at noticing and the better at noticing you get the more noticed you get! You end up in the wonderful collective web of “Oooh that’s interesting” which I now wouldn’t ever want to be without.

Comments

[Howard Errey]

I have also found that my quality of writing has improved with blogging, which then feeds back in to (or combines with) the improvement in our presence and quality of noticing. and so the collective web cycle continues...

[neilperkin]

Nicely put. I certainly believe this to be true, and wouldn't be without it either. I think it develops habits and practices which are productive, positive and life affirming. Its also why I believe that its more important than ever to employ people who blog - a point I articulated here:
http://bit.ly/9qcCND

[Paolo Valdemarin]

This is very true. What is remarkable is that even if I have not been posting on my blog for a very long time, I still think "I might write about this on my blog" at least once a day. Once a blogger...

[Mark Hurvitz]

Many years ago, our father would tell us that you don't truly have a thought until you have been able to write it own. And, then, if you look at writing as an act of self-creation from a historical perspective, it may be only those cultures about which we truly know (that could even be said to exist) are those that have created written documents.

And, as our father would sign his long discursive letters to us…

`//rite On!
,\\ark Hurvitz

[Euan]

Thanks for the comments guys and great post Neil - spot on!

[Angela Abell]

I take the points you have all made - and am ready to give it a go. I can see why my partner is a dedicated dairy keeper recording the little observations I miss and I think blogging will encourage me to think. But I do wish there was a spell checker built in so my dyslexia didn't show. Blogging with a dictionary does inhibit the spontaneity.

[Euan]

You must be on Windows then! :-(