Saturday, February 6, 2010

Why did you start your blog?


I started English Muse a little over a year ago to help deal with the sadness and hopelessness I felt watching so many of my friends lose their jobs at the Los Angeles Times. After so many years working at the paper, I felt like a refugee there, searching for a community where I belonged. I had no idea then that my friends here would be the ones who would help me the most after my own layoff from the LAT in October.

So I'm wondering, if you'll please tell me, why did you start your blog?



(Photo from Yay!Everyday)

124 comments:

David McGreivey said...

I started blogging when my artist's rep dumped me soon after I was diagnosed with skin cancer and diverticulitis, both of which required surgery, talk about a bad year. I am perfectly fine now.
Blogging helped me to connect with the world again and it has also risen my profile. I actually get illustration work from my blog and eventually want to open an Etsy shop.
I follow your blog for many reasons, initially I followed to learn, you are obviously successful at it, but then I just got addicted to your style and voice.
I related to the fact that you got screwed over yet handled it with style and grace.
While I have not exactly risen like a phoenix from the flames financially, blogging has introduced me to some pretty nice people and at times, through illustration work seen on the blog, has paid the rent.
Losing one's job and now your dog really stinks (for lack of a better word), but if it helps, know that you have been an inspiration and a mentor for me.
It's all good.

ruthpclark said...

I began my blog as part of a writing independent study with one of my English professors. Even though the class ended almost a year ago, I can't seem to stop blogging!

Liz said...

I went though a couple difficult break-ups in my late 20s and needed an outlet to talk about music while I enjoyed being single. (I tend to date music-minded men). I was shocked to learn that there aren't very many female music bloggers out there! My blog is more anecdote & design-oriented now, but it's a wonderful creative release. I'm a proponent of blogging - and always encourage folks to start one (though it can be a lot of hard work sometimes). But folks should write more, think about WHY certain ideas, opinions, and objects resonate in our lives.

I love your blog and it's interesting to here the "Why" behind it. Keep it up!!!

sasha said...

i started because i wanted to document our lives. for some reason i can be consistent with blogging, but i have a hard time keeping a journal.
it's been a great experience.

i.love.blogging.

R. J. said...

I'm retired and just trying to stay out of trouble. I have far too much time on my hands and I have become a blogger junkie. I'll have to go to rehab soon. It has become a compulsion from which I've tried to walk away, but I keep coming back. I am fascinated with the fabulous, creative blogs of others so I read more than I contribute. Love your blog. It's beautiful and insightful.

Rachel said...

I was running an online fashion magazine but it was a niche publication and I really, really wanted to write about topics outside the magazines readership.

Unknown said...

Like R.J., I am fascinated by the talent and creativity that I find while cruising blogs...some many blogs...so little time. And I have always kept a journal, and this sounded like so much more fun...as I love to add photos.
Several of my dear friends are journalists, recently laid off from our local paper. I hate what has happened to publications this last few years.
Smiles to you!

Amanda said...

I've been blogging for a long time and originally started because I just wanted to keep a place online like a journal.
Now, it's more about sharing my love of photography and interacting with people who love the same thing.

WrightStuff said...

I started mine as a vehicle to force me into writing something every day - to practice more. I had no idea it would unleash a sudden outburst of such creativity. I've made friends and joined new tribes. I haven't looked back - I've even got work from it too (I'm now a freelance communications consultant/writer). I have to confess to being a teensy bit addicted to blogging now!!

Unknown said...

I started blogging since I have a love about cosmetics and beauty products, a sort of secret passion and I could not find anybody who shared the same hobby. Therefore I started commenting and writing about this kind of things and found lots of differented peoples who shared this love.
XX

Laura said...

I started my blog to advertise items in the online shoppe I was opening. That was my intention anyway, but it soon turned to an obsession and I was blogging about everything BUT the items in my shoppe. It turned out to be a blessing because last year after I had a heart attack, blogging is what kept me sane as I recovered and could not do much else. A year later my shoppe is not doing well and is due to close March 1, however my blog will keep going strong in the midst of it all.

Drew said...

I started my blog after graduating college two years ago. I graduated right when stuff started going down hill and every other word out of the media's mouth was "recession" "disaster" "housing bust". Needless to say, I've had a hard time finding employment and needed a place to document and work through all the confusion and frustration I dealt with. It hasn't gotten much better but I've found a wonderful community who is amazingly supportive.

It's nice to know people who are where you are in life... Blogging allows that.

Tonia said...

That's a tricky question! I'd been following the blogs of a couple of friends for a while and the feeling that I really wanted one of my own kept growing until I couldn't ignore it anymore. Now I can't stop! Love it, and all the weird and wonderful stuff it brings to my day.

Kitty said...

I loved hearing why you started your beautiful blog.

I started my blog when my husband and I were living in Mississippi. I'm from Southern California and my husband is from Seattle. The day after we got married, he found out he was accepted to a PhD in creative writing/poetry program in Southern Mississippi. Moving there was so hard and different for me. I needed an outlet. My blog helped me connect with the world and feel accepted when Mississippi wouldn't accept me. Eventually after 3 years Mississippi did accept me and I miss living there a lot. Keeping a blog changed me. I only focus on the good in my life on my blog and it helps me stay positive. I wouldn't change a thing. My biggest wish for my blog, is for it to be a means to help people feel happy and for me to make new friends.
love and hugs,
Fritzi Marie

La chica said...

I'm a spanish journalist and like you, I started my blog for a similar reason.

Anna said...

I'm a mass-blogger. I run 5 at the moment, to organise my thoughts.

The first was about the inspiration to my new jewelry designs (which was put on hold while I travel)

The second was for my travels

Third: for my writings (poetry, short stories and stuff)

Forth: one with comments about art history and theory, reviews of exhibitions (My major is art history)

Fifth: A new photography project I've started.

I love your blog, I read it everyday :)

vickid said...

I started my blog to promote my design business. We all know 2009 was rough. The blog is a was for me to market my business. It also helped me stay focused during tough times.
www.victoriadreste.blogspot.com

Meaghan said...

I started blogging as a creative output, after being inspired by so many lovely bloggers I realized I too had something I wished to share and hope others enjoy seeing my views on life and culture. Little did I know how much fun it would be and how much time I can spend on it. It has also allowed me to "meet" wonderful people who give me inspiration daily.

Jane said...

I wanted to write, simple as that.

I have a stressful job which can be very dry (as a lawyer), and I find that unlike newspapers, and magazines the blogs I enjoy reading contain positive inspiration and lots and lots of creativity and the commenters (unlike formal publications even sadly including the Huff Post) are not bitchy insecure anonymous people.

I try to keep my blog positive, and thoughtful, as it reminds me of the good things in life.

To me blogging is to this century what pamphleteering was to 18th century London - just 1000s and 1000s of little self publishers.

It is great for society and if the mass media doesn't start tapping into what is out there and become more relevant, it will be dead before it knows it.

xoxo

moi je joue said...

wow!
everyone has such amazing stories.
i feel like it's not worthy to post this but..
i started blogging just a few days ago to share random, happy, lovely things with anyone.
moi je joue is just a lil' blog baby right now.
maybe i'll grow into an awesome blog like english muse one day?

The Kitten and the Bear said...

I started reading blogs religiously about a year ago. I didn't have one and it made me feel lonely.

I wanted to be a part of it all.

Brigitte said...

I made myself a blog to be more creatively organized. Knowing that people were interested in my work gave me the motivation to make more.I also wanted to see other bloggers' creative processes for great insight and helpful tips.
And plus, I love the blogging community. Such pretty and inspiring things they show!

xoxoxo
looking-glass-fables.blogspot.com

kim said...

I was hoping to get some followers to learn about my jewelry making process. I thought the more people knew about the jewelry making process the more they would want to be my customers.
Also, I enjoy writing and it is also a great way to keep connected with fellow artisans. And sometimes, I am lucky enough to find out about new places to sell my work.

vanessa joie said...

Beacause I wanted to write. And I thought it would be a fun way to keep in touch with friends living far away.

It's sort of developed from there. Life has been pretty crazy/messy the last year or so and my blog is my own little home away from home. I can share it or keep it private. I can make it look as pretty or as silly as I like. I can fill it with beautiful words and dreamy images, along with my wishes, dreams and inspirations. And it's been a much sweeter home by a great community of new found friends.

kelly ann said...

i've kept an online journal off and on since i was probably 14? haha, seriously ages ago! i always kept it pretty private because i wrote about a lot of very personal situations and in fact i still have a livejournal that i use! but i realized that i needed another journal for things i loved and things that inspired me and things i wanted to share with the world. and my blog was born. :)

Unknown said...

this blog post inspired an entire post on my site!! you have my response to your question here:
www.froufroufashionista.blogspot.com

thanks for the inspiration...though i did ramble quite a bit in this post.
xoxo alison

Christine said...

It's great to see everyone's answers. I started mine for a couple of reasons. I started feeling creatively starved and lonely in NYC and wanted a way to share my thoughts with others and bring more creative inspiration into my life. I also wanted to get in the habit of writing on a daily basis so that I could focus more on my writing projects.

xo
Christine@TheFiveSenses.org

Kate Kelleher said...

I started reading blogs just over a year ago. After being creative all my life and having a job as a buyer who travelled a lot, I then left it all to have kids. While motherhood means everything to me, and I choose not to work, I found it hard as an artist having no creative outlet. One day I just pushed the 'create a blog' button I don't know why, I think I was just curious. I have only been blogging since Oct last year, but to me it is a lifeline to beautiful creative people all over the world. I love it.

ashlina {the decorista} said...

i dreamed of creating something BIG!
i dreamed of writing a book...
so i started blogging as a commitment to my dream.
i continue to blog because of all the other bloggers out there! supportive, like-minded people spreading their thoughts and creativity with me and the rest of the world.
i love to share the things that i love, especially for the home...my favorite place in the world.
i am always inspired by motivated, talented and creative people and there is nothing better than staring at that inspiration every single day.
IT ENCOURAGES ME TO FOLLOW MY DREAMS.
i love blogging!

great post...
i had never really thought about it before.
xo
ashlina
secretsofdomesticbliss.blogspot.com

Lauren said...

I started my blog because I want to remember little details about my life. I think it will be great to have and look back on when I am older. I don't want to forget everything fun and wonderful I'v experienced.

Blogging is a great way to celebrate the little things in your life that make it magical.

Brian Miller said...

i blog to capture stories for my boys to read one day....to know and understand me.

M said...

After a long break from web work and blogging... I decided to start looking at blogs again. Yours was the first one I stumbled upon and fell in love... through your blog I was able to find tons of gorgeous design/art/fashion blogs. I decided I had to start my own (since I was always collecting images of things I loved) so a month ago... I did! Thanks for getting me back into the world of blogging! Cheers.

Shell said...

I wanted a place where I could talk about things I loved: movies, acting, creativity, spirituality. To my surprise, I found other people who
love these things too. I love blogging. I will be celebrating my two year anniversary at the end of February.

Chaucee said...

I started writing mine because I went away to college and it was a way to keep my family updated and to hear from them. So far things are going great!

LenoreNeverM♡re said...

I borrowed the line from Yoko Ono, "why not!"

But seriously, I have forwarded so many links & inspirations to many friends for as long as I've started emailing~
this blog is such a wonderful forum to share them plus morE!!!

Fab weekend darling Tina...glad I've found you & always inspiring blog~sincerely*

xo

jenna @sweet fine day said...

I started my blog to document the start up of our bakery business (another product of a layoff). Now that the biz is a bit established, I write about our struggles juggling family life with biz life and living in NYC. The blog is also completely cathartic and I find I need it and gain so much from the comments I get from our readers. In the past few months, it's also made me accountable as I try and transition slowly out of my career as a freelance graphic designer into...hmmm...still trying to figure that one out.

Laura Trevey said...

Wonderful question! I initially started my blog to promote my business as a watercolor artist. I quickly became amazed by so many other talents as well, and decided to start Bright, Bold, and Beautiful which is the platform for all things that inspire me! It's addicting really... and now my Number 1 passion!

Caroline said...

Ahhh love this!! I started blogging a year ago when I felt a bit out of sync creatively. I had just switched majors, from Nursing to Literature, just got married and moved to a new area so my life was full of new transitions. I wanted a place where I could inspire, be inspired, and really just get to know myself and others. I had always loved day trips, good food, French everything... being that my husband is French, and started exploring my photography, and thus my blog Coeur de La was created. It really has been an amazing experience, and the people I've had the chance of getting to know through blogging has been wonderful. I simply just LOVE BLOGGING, and READING BLOGS... what a great thing!! xo

Nissa said...

I started my blog because I moved to a place that was radically different from where I lived before, and I wanted a place to document this big change in my life.

Anonymous said...

I started because I was curious to see if I could keep blogging and not give up after a week. So far that's going quite well.

Unknown said...

A bit similar to you, very little work in my field at the onset of the recession and my urge to share my ideas about a graceful life, art and design! It began as an creative outlet and is now so much more then this: It has become my diary, sound board, connection to new blog friends and my shared inspiration...

bunny, The Paris House Designs said...

At first, only so I could find an easy way to update my website for my clients to see my design portfolio without having to rely on my web designer everyday. It was mainly a business decision for local newspapers etc. to access info. on my company for write ups. Secondly, it is a way to share things with my family and friends both near and far. Third, I Iove to create and blogging can be very creative. I never even knew people could comment on your blog, the first time I got a comment I couldn't figure out how they knew/found me. I thought there was a hidden camera in my office LOL!..It was strange at first because I am ridiculously private person who has a very close group of friends. Now I have met some of the most amazing and inspiring women, I can't imagine not having them in my life.
Blogging is Amazing!!

mchelle said...

It's scary to be alone when you're down and out. I've had a rough 2 years, battling depression and weight issues while dealing with a loss. Starting this blog was to be therapeutic and a step to be honest with myself and pick up the pieces. And it's working :)

erin said...

I started my blog because I had moved overseas and was photographing my brains out to cope with culture shock/homesickness. Because I was tired of uploading my photos to Facebook, I started a blog. My blog helped me through some crazy times by giving me something to focus on creatively (thank you, blog!). Now I just blah blah blah and show photos because I'm addicted. And I absolutely love the other blogs and people I'm discovering along the way. Viva la blogging!

Kristen said...

I work in sports radio, which is extremely male dominated. While I love it, there's a total other side of me thats loves baking, knitting, art, and a bevy of other things that I didn't have an outlet for. I admired many inspirational blogs (including this one) from a far for months, and decided to start my own. I feel like a more complete person, and am more comfortable with my girly side now. I'm also developing new hobbies and skills such as photography and sewing. Can't wait to see where it takes me.....

Anonymous said...

Because I had to reconcile my love for eating with my love to write.

Brandi said...

I started my blog as a way of flirting with a coworker actually. Nothing ever happened and he eventually disappeared, but I kept blogging and I fell in love with writing and my new friends. I love that blogging allows me to express who I am beyond the philosophy classroom.

Chrissy Lau said...

Oh I like this question! I started my blog to act as a visual diary and to keep track of my drawings because I had so many. I moved from England to live in Australia for the rest of my life and living in Sydney it can be quite hard to meet fellow artists so blogging has been a really great tool to communicate with local and worldwide artists. The support you get from fellow bloggers is amazing and very motivating. I also started blogging so I could show my friends & family back home what I have been upto. Blogging has been a really great thing for me- I have just been signed to an illustration agency and will be taking part in a group exhibition this week. It's really nice to read why other people blog and it sounds as if blogging has been an amazing thing for you too!
Chrissy

Concrete Jungle said...

There's a few blogs in those comments...now days will be spent researching the writers!
It all sounds like such exciting creative solutions, basically just good for the soul!

Kathleen said...

I started blogging to tell people about my etsy shop - then I found out that I could make people laugh! I also found out that people like to see how I paint. So now I talk about all the stuff I love - art, my critters, and how crazy life can be in the 'sticks' =p

Anonymous said...

I began blogging as a sort of online diary of my daily life. Not that I update it so often as there is often nothing much to put in it! Since then I have another blog which is more of a 'help' blog witht the idea of helping others to use programs that I use. Its more technical in nature to my more personal blog. I love blogging, its my main reason for using the internet.

optimistguru said...

I started blogging to let people know I lived and I am alive.

Anonymous said...

I started my blog as a form of a journal and as away to get all the thoughts and ideas running around in my head out of my head so I could focus.

Mindshift Media said...

I started my blog to inform, inspire, and educate others in the multimedia and design field. I can honestly say that I truly enjoy blogging, and I never thought I would become a blogger...but, who would have guessed, I really enjoy updating my blog as much as possible. It's fun to inspire my clients, colleagues and friends on news, technology advancements and entertainment news in the multimedia field. I think as time goes on, blogging will become part of every successful businesses marketing campaign! Most companies don't understand the importance of a blog quiet yet, but they soon will. I am excited to continue blogging and hopefully inspiring some people along the way!

Traveller said...

Hi :) This was a great blog post idea; it's so interesting reading everybody's reasons! I started a blog because I moved from Australia to London and wanted to document my travels and experiences for my friends at home.
Now the blog has turned into a part of my life that I don't want to stop when I move home!

abigail's treasure said...

I love reading everyone's stories, how blogging is a response, or an outlet and how it lets us connect with the world.

I had always read other people's blogs. I started abigail's treasure in 2010 as outlet for my creative work and love of discovering other people's treasure online :)

So far i love blogging and how it allows me to be creative when my job currently isn't.

Thanks for sharing!

Emily:) said...

Wow, everone has such interesting reasons behind their blogs! I always liked the idea of a blog, and have always enjoyed writing, and when my friend started one up on blogger I thought I'd give it a try. My random thoughts might not be too interesting to the people out there, but it's good to write what you're thinking, and knowing somewhere out there someone might feel the same way, or at least laugh at a random joke I may have slipped into one of my posts! Keep up with the good posts!

Nina said...

I started blogging at first to create a travel memoir, since it is the only accessible way for me to do rather than, say, publishing a travel book. In time, I have been inspired by all the blogs I've read, blogs that reflect the author and make it as an extension of themselves, just like how gardens speak of the gardener. I began to create other blogs that show my other passions apart from traveling and discover that other bloggers have the same interests as you makes it more fulfilling.
A blog is just another world you can create for yourself, full of all the things you love in your life, all the things around you and all that you can be or want to be.

Polly Rowan said...

I started my blog just under a year ago because my favourite fashion blog closed down. I started mine to share my love of high st fashion. Instead it became more of a photography/ interior design based blog, along with random musings of mine! I have recently switched to another blog where I will hopefully stay for some time! :) x

Unknown said...

I started my Blog because I had so many things to tell people about the most beautiful, fragile, graceful creatures in the world - hats. Millinery is often referred to as "dying art" - I strongly disagree. There is so much beauty to the process of creating hats: from sketches to blocking, from the choice of materials to final result. I believe that with the help of my Blog I can create an insight into the world of being a Modiste (a milliner) and inspire people to wear hats again. :-)

Steve Gravano said...

I'm a photographer and I needed a creative outlet. I spend my days photographing political people and government events. It became stale. I wanted to return to what I first loved about photography. A blog gave me the outlet and drive to create images I have a connection with.

Chrissie said...

I started my blog because I wanted to share my photographs and little stories and art.

I had taken some photos of my sister. A fashion shoot kinda thing, and they were my favourite photos I've ever taken. So that was my first post, and it's morphed from there. I feel I need to work harder at improving my writing however.


The blog that I'm commenting from is my second blog. I started it to promote the fair trade organisation that I'm volunteering for.

Bubbly Thing said...

I started posting online because i wanted to share moments of life, personnal photography & create something far away from my job .
I wanted a piece of heaven something like that.
Secondly i choose to write it in english (i'm french) cause i heart this language & i miss practicing it. It's hard to explain but i feel english minded and it's easier for me to communicate in english.
Usually people say how beautiful french is, for me english is definetely the most vivid language.
Having a blog made me discover great people too , i didn't expected that !

Caroline @ The Feminist Housewife said...

I started my blog after my 4th move: my fourth time of leaving a life that I had cultivated and friendships that had blossomed.

I have moved three times since then, and know that more moves are inevitable in the future. But my blog and blog friends follow me wherever I go.

I have the community that I longed for as a child!

Gwen Driscoll said...

I started my blog after reading blogs for about a year. I felt like I was having a one way conversation and not contributing to the overall blog community without having something to contribute from (blog) as well.

I've only been doing it a short time but WOW, there are so many more benefits for my business. It's great way to record work, sources, projects, etc.

And, the biggest bonus is all the friends I've gathered in my short blogging life.

Love your blog. Read it daily.

walrus studio said...

I started my blog after my evil boss kept sending me overseas for months at a time, often by myself. It was a good way to connect with other people with similar interests!

lovesfool said...

I started my blog because even though I'm not a writer it feels good to write every once in a while. I also love to find beautiful things and share them with people.

Jules @ Lovely Las Vegas said...

Like many my blog was created as a therapeutic and creative outlet...

Megan Elyse said...

I created my blog as I was preparing to leave highschool and enter college. I come from a pretty artsy town, so it was a great place to express myself and just rant without bugging people on facebook. It's turned into much more of an outlet than I anticipated.

Giselle said...

I started blogging because i saw a great opportunity to show my work (i design lingerie). At the same time i feel so inspired by other bloggers...that i thought it would be a good idea to give back to others what they give to me and improve day by day my creating skills.
To have a blog is also a way to meet friends with your same interests that maybe we don't find in our real life.

Greetings from Argentina.

The domestic novice said...

My blog was started for my grandpa so that he can keep up with the things, big and small, that I get up to. I find that blogging motivates me to stop and consider things from a different angle, when I would ordinarily walk blindly by.

Angie De La O Photography said...

I started mine to help my new business so that the client might get to now me - it's also a way for me to write about things that are on my mind- sort of like a creative outlet- I love photography and I want people to see that and understand where i'm coming from. It was a form to some some self worth and feel like i'm actually doing something worthwhile in my life and not just knocking the dust around.

Xandra Y Zamora : Calligraphy + Design said...

In order to move into the realm of now, I started a blog to show my calligraphy, hand lettering and design work. As you, too, are painfully aware, print media is being phased out, and with it advertising; still, I need to find new clients to keep my business (and my family) alive ... and I am optimistic that 2010 will be a good year!

MPS said...

I started blogging when I move to London with only one hand baggage with RyANir (of course)...It was a chenge of country, work, mind...and it helps me to go on and find peace...

http://www.minitsteer.blogspot.com/

HanPlans said...

I think I started because I wanted somewhere to rant lol. I wanted somewhere to put my writing out there in the world and it seemed like a good idea.

I think I started on LiveJournal.

Anonymous said...

I started my blog to deal with a crossroads. I found myself wondering what I was doing with my life, what I was passionate about, and who I was becoming. My blog helps me sort through the mess of crazy in my head and be myself...and I honestly do think that it is helping me become the person I want to be.
I based the name off of a fantastically inspirational poem by Friedrich Holderlin.

http://takingthewater.blogspot.com

Tricia said...

My blog started when I decided to put my home of 32 years on the market. My house has been my canvas during those years and I used the blog to document my work room by room. This served as a way to release the house and yet keep the memories. I'm coming to the end of my pictures now and hope to wrap it up with a contract on the house. I will continue to blog as I begin the rehab of my new quarters. Like what I'm hearing from the other comments, it's addictive.

J. Christina Huh said...

I had to start one for a sort of lame journalism class. After a long long hiatus, it turned into a personal blog about my semester abroad in Egypt... and now, it's a personal blog with a wider focus: struggles of trying to get my store off the ground, pretty things I've seen, funny things I've read, etc. :)

Anonymous said...

"I blog, therefore I am."

I blog as self-expression, art, as a social interaction.

hawthorne girl said...

i started my blogs as an outlet for me away from my work and with a focus on things i don't do at work. i had no idea it would connect me to so many like minded people that i have things in common with. i had no idea there were people out there that really enjoy similar things that i enjoy and i love finding these new people all of the time. it has been very rewarding for me.

Carolyn said...

I started blogging yesterday!
I think it's funny that I happened upon your blog through Purlbee tonight and that this question was at the top of your page. I'm tempted to tell you to come over and see me at my blog for my reason!
I don't know yet if I'll keep at it, but I do know that it's helpful to have an outlet for the many things I've learned from our thirteen year old son's accidental death. I think this a step in my healing process.
Thanks for asking!

Joanna said...

I started my blog because I needed a sort of creative outlet, a way for me to write about the things that inspire me. I've found that the blogosphere is teeming with incredibly talented, creative, and resourceful people, each with her (about 99% of bloggers I come across are women) own personal endeavors or ways they see the world. Each seeks to express her individuality, to make her own mark. Because really, isn't that we all aspire to? To make or do something or live according to what most makes us proud and happy to be alive? I find the online community to be so supportive, as well; more often than not, it is the bloggers you meet online that truly understand and share your passions in life, no matter how obscure, in a way that your real-life friends and family sometimes can or may never comprehend. For example, I can already tell that you and I have some things in common: we're both female virgos who live in Los Angeles and work in publishing (and both love John Keats). But I digress! Sorry for the long-winded comment; it's an interesting question that necessitates a thoughtful answer!

Fantastic blog, by the way.

Erin and Matt said...

I started my blog to keep my extended family informed of what my husband and I are up to. I also wanted a way to get more creative - and I love that fact that it's kind of a journal, so now I don't feel as bad that I don't write in the little one I keep by our bed every night. I can make my blog into a book and our children and grandchildren can enjoy our thoughts that way. I love that it gives me a chance to express. Whether I have a bad, or boring, day I can always post and that makes me feel better. Even if no one reads it, I know that I'm creating and that's what matters.

jennifer said...

As a way to force myself to be positive for a little time each day.I don't allow myself to blog about any of the ugly bits.

Michelle Kendrick Hartney said...

To gather up what inspires me!

C'est La Vie said...

I started because I wanted some kind of creative outlet and to build up my self esteem and have an online journal! loving it!

Antonio Barros said...

I started my blog just because I wanted to show my polaroids...

thesingular.blogspot.com
ftourist.blogspot.com

tina tarnoff said...

I have no idea, really, except that I wanted my voice to be heard in some way, to share what I love, what I find funny, to try to be more open about who I am... I still have to work on that, though. I find that it's much more easy to talk about bath tubs than about my emotions :). This is what I wrote in my first post:

"I have no idea if anybody will ever read my blog, if anybody will ever be a witness to me disentangling all sorts of things and meanings, if anybody will ever acknowledge my presence here...but that's all right, I will make an attempt. I feel a bit like a certain Reginald Fessenden, from Brant Rock, Massachusetts, who in 1906 made the first radio voice broadcast...he played his violin, sang a song, read a bible verse or two (worry not, I will not attempt to convert you to my irreligion or make you read my poetry or listen to me play harmonica)...and the rest is history. I will babble with unflagging resolve and stray along the wrong roads and make numerous mistakes, but eventually I hope I will find my voice that will speak a truth or two to you and to me..."

Ha! That was so long ago, it fades from memory...

CocoRosie said...

I just started my blog. currently a work in progress. hoping to launch officially on 2/14/10.

I too was laid off last spring from my position as an Executive Design Director for a NYC based ad agency. It was truly a loss on many levels but also a chance for a fresh start. i spent the last few months exploring a new venture, floral design while also maintaining various print and digital design projects. It has all been incredibly challenging, rife with emotional highs and low, especially navigating these uncharted waters.

my blog is an outlet. a way to express myself.
i needed to reconnect with the outside world and with those who share common interests and hopefully reach anyone who needs a momentary escape.

i hope i am up to the task. Tina, you have set the bar so high, at English Muse. I am grateful for people like you and the many other highly talented creative forces at work. I look forward to being a part of this community and continuing to grow from this experience, even if i have just a morsel to offer within this vast landscape.

peace.

Ticky and Mimi said...

I started my blog to help me find my voice and overcome my shyness. I want to share things that inspire me and connect with others.

Jodie English Milad said...

I just recently joined the blogging game, looking for a way to feature my artwork, but I have learned quickly that I don't only post about my art, since my art comes from my life and things that inspire me...

shoppingsmycardio said...

what a good question :) i started blogging because i missed writing - as an attorney, i wasn't getting much in the way of a creative outlet. my husband actually encouraged me to start - i was pretty hesitant. but three and a half years later (!), i'm still at it! and, as it turned out, i've gone through some things that have left me staying at home instead of working, and now i'm pretty sure i'd go crazy if i didn't have the blog to come back to every morning. so, it all worked out in the end!

Q said...

Fabulous stories everyone!

I started blogging because I love to write, and my husband claims I always seem to be getting involved in hijinks. Being in medicine is challenging, but it doesn't leave much space to be creative. Blogging allows me to focus on the goofy easy-going side of my life for a few minutes a day. It eases the occasionally heavy burden of my job.

reckless daughter said...

I started my blog as another creative outlet for myself.

I think it was spurred on by the fact that I had been an avid follower of a handful of blogs and felt I had something to contribute. It's about connecting with other people around the world and exchanging information and thoughts. But it's such a great little community.

Megan said...

I started my blog a countdown to Barack Obama's election.

pretty shiny things said...

i'm a advertising writer... so while i love to write, i don't always love to write about my assignments (glue, business solutions, fashion sales)

so i started my blog as a creative outlet where i can gather all things i find inspirational. sometimes i'll feel like writing a lot, but most times... i just post images of inspiration, design ideas, great ad campaigns, etc.

not sure how many readers i have, but i feel a great sense of relief + self expression with every post!

Pavement and Prada said...

I've recently started blogging (2 weeks ago) to document my crazy transition of moving from Birmingham, Alabama to New York City. I'm 23 and have always dreamed of living in New York. Born and raised in the south I have a feeling this crazy experience will definitely be noteworthy. It's also a great way for friends to hear tid-bits of my life in the big city!! I move next Friday!!

jamaica byles said...

I started my blog to archive all the incredible images I found that inspire me....from books, other blogs, magazines, cruising flickr.I love going back through the images I've accumulated.It's my little online space.

Keli said...

I started my blogging after I moved 1400 miles from home and was faced with some difficult realities of my own. I refused to give in to the struggles, so my blog helped me focus on the beauties of life. I am so glad I got into it. It is such a great community where you can be whatever you want to be. Thanks for all your great posts!

Shawna @ My Nails Did said...

I started blogging as a way to keep in touch with my friends who live far away. We all blog, it's any easy way to share bits and pieces of our lives and likes.

Unknown said...

Reflection must be in the air. Just read a long, thoughtful post by another lovely blogger who owns a lingerie store in LA, thinking back about what inspired her to put her thoughts into a blog. I started the food blog because I always cook so I knew I'd never have the excuse of nothing to write; the Magpie/fashion blog was because I'm always inspired by lovely bits and wanted some kind of repository to put those thoughts and finds into. Ultimately, both blogs were started because I was lost and drowning in a steady, but soul-deadening job. I blogged to dig a tunnel of air in this mental cave-in. The job was lost to a dying economy, and even though it's a struggle as a freelance graphic designer and writer, I've never felt more free, even if it gives me moments of terror. I think perhaps it's from the height, as I never believed I could fly so high.

Sandy said...

I've only been blogging for a month and the reason I started was because I wanted to keep an online journal of my hobbies (cooking, photography, sewing, etc.). I like to share my projects with others and get feedback on how to improve as well. And now I even have my friend post book reviews so that myself and others could benefit from it as well as Follow Fridays of other blogs I just love and inspire to keep on going!

Audry said...

I started blogging as a way to motivate myself to be creative. My new years resolution was to have one post a week.
So far I've found that I make more of an effort to write better and to take better pictures. It has been challenging, but after only blogging for a month and a half, I find that I am able to put more substance into my entries.

ann.мarie said...

It was my dads idea. I think he thinks I'm entertaining! Never meant to be promotional or gain fans.

Blogging has been fun, a challenge, ultimately a part of how my mind works now. 7 years and going!

www.asgoodasitgets.org

T said...

J and I started Bluxe after we went from hum drum living to loving our lives and we wanted to share the wealth.

Because we believe that the thoughts you think in your pretty little head determine where you'll end up in your pretty little heels.

Cheers!

xoxo
T

www.bluxeblog.com

The Jones said...

As a new blogger, I have found like alot of other bloggers, we do it for the outlet that it gives to all of us...when your completely drained, it helps revive my mind and soul! :) You have a lovely blog, and hope you dont mind visitors! :)

Beryl said...

After a big move to Nepal from Australia, I started my blog to feel connected and in tune to the happenings around the world, particularly in fashion since the one thing they don't have in Kathmandu is good shopping! So it was a way for me to virtually 'shop' as I added things to my blog and really helped me settle into life in a new country without feeling too homesick!

Polka Dot Bride said...

I started my blog because there were so many beautiful Australian wedding things I just wanted to write about, I wanted to see it out there, I wanted to have a voice. I love everything about weddings and it gave me a place to put that!

Helena said...

Blogging just seemed to be the next natural step to take for me.

I don't know if you've ever seen my blog (it's fairly new), but I make TOP 5s, which are mini photo-albums consisting of my TOP 5 photos in various categories.

I started making TOP 5s and posting them on Facebook back in 2006. My friends seemed to get such kicks out of them that I figured I should open up the project to a wider audience. I am so glad I did - I am meeting new people, sharing ideas, and having so much fun with it.

FiftyCentLove said...

I was inspired by Pioneer Woman's blog. She taught me that it is ok to be yourself in your blog. Her pictures are amazing and I learned so much on her photography site. I want to be able to share my photography and stories that go along with the pictures. You can do that on a blog. It feels almost like a time capsule of my life that I can electronically capture and save for the future.

Christina said...

i was bored. i had just quit my job as a social worker investigating child abuse and i was emotionally drained, restless, and bored. on a very superficial level, i needed to talk about pretty things and get in touch with my artistic nature again. i need a deep breath, to re energize. i had plans to go back to social work and i haven't. funny how that works.

Anonymous said...

I started with xanga in high school!! It was mostly a way to talk to friends about school and stuff going on in youth group. Informing people of meetings and upcoming events...talking about music.

Then I found my interest in photography, art, and design. So I loved changing the way my xanga, then later my myspace, looked using html.

Then I discovered the blog world outside of my little niche... it's been a glorious time of discovery ever since.

Tina said...

I am at heart a very creative person in everything I do. However, homeschooling my three monkeys combined with all of my other necessary tasks kept me from feeling like I could indulge myself in making anything. I felt guilty. I decided to start my blog as a gift to myself and I made a commitment to make something once a week. It's only been 6 weeks now, but I am having fun. My blog is my accountability partner.

Megan said...

I started blogging to share things I make, pictures I take, and to show off Etsy shops I love <3 I worked as the photography editor at my college paper and found it unfulfilling so when I stepped down I looked for something to fill my "journalistic hole" Starting a blog has been really fun for me and I enjoy reading and commenting on other peoples blogs as much as I enjoy writing my own!

<3
Megan

kristina - no penny for them said...

i started blogging because i wanted some kind of visual scrapbook for my photographs and thoughts. only never thought people would actually read it. i was a bit shell-shocked when i got my first comment. from a random stranger, too.

turns out it has helped me immensely to be more creative again and to be more open to whatever may happen next.

p.s.: found you via daydream lily.

Chantelle {fat mum slim} said...

I started blogging because I always feel the need to do eleventy billion things at once... and being sleep deprived and breastfeeding every couple of hours wasn't enough!

I do it now because it's my little outlet for my creativity. It's a space that I'm so so proud of and love being part of. xx

In Honor Of Design said...

wow. great post. I enjoyed reading your reasons and others here who have posted!

I started recently as a way to vent my creative energy I had pent up. I was an art studio major and after having my baby boy, I started doing Graphic Design from home.

What I wasn't expecting was the daily inspiration, encouragement, and quality people I would meet along the way!

Cheers to the unexpected!
Anna

amy @ easy said...

to share, talk, inspire, & be inspired. i'm new to it and already addicted to the fun of it. xo

le bonheur said...

I started my blog to help me recover from the breakup of my 9 year relationship. It helped me tremendously and I love my humble little blog! Through it I've been able to connect with other people going through breakups and together we've all helped each other get better. Its amazing how a blog can make such a difference in your life.

Alkyoni said...

My first blog, Electronic Nightsky, was at first started in 2007 because I wanted to post there a story I was writting in Greek. It lay forgotten for a while and then a year or so later I remembered it. In the mean-time my English had improved so I thought, hey, why not keep an online journal of sorts? And that's how it started.

Bruce Coltin said...

Layoff. When I lost my job, I lost my excuse not to write.

Jen said...

Where in live in central California so many people I know complain that its a hell hole and there is nothing to do in this po-dunk town (of 350,000 people!) I started my blog to prove to my complaining neighbors that if they just get creative and open their eyes, there is a whole world out there just outside their door. I have included other things that make me happy along the way as well.

jewelrymakingkits said...

I started my blog by having a cup of coffee under a tree. There, I find myself fascinated by the things I see around me then I started my hand writing.

Jewelry Making Kits

jewelry making said...

I am glad I am your CSS in your HTML...:)

I love the pin. Simple yet superb!