Blogging as Art?

I was looking for an outlet. That's the whole reason I began blogging. I like to write, but a private journal always seemed silly to me; if there isn't at least some chance someone will read what I write I find it difficult to apply much effort to the process. Of course this blog doesn't have a New York Times magnitude readership but when I write here I know that people might read it and that, like taking the road less traveled, makes all the difference.

Still, I don't really labor over the words that get posted here. I don't concern myself with technicalities of sentence structure. I prefer to write as I might speak and in doing so I am prone to have a run-on sentence or some awful alliterations, and I use commas inappropriately from time to time, but hey, it's my blog.

I really think I get from this blog, when I make time for it, the same thing that painters get from creating images on canvass. Even if what I put down here isn't going to change the world, it does change me. It helps me get things out of my system, or sometimes deeper into my system. Some of my more curmudgeonly political posts just make me feel better because sometimes somebody ought to say something; and when I do it makes me feel better. But rarely do I feel I've made a difference in what I do here.

I really like it, though, when I find this blog listed on a blogroll of a blog that I enjoy reading. This is especially nice when it's not a "West Virginia Blogger" list or a roll that I am a member of because of some other demographic criterion. I like it best when I'm just included because someone likes to read what I write. It is as flattering as anything else in my life, particularly when the other blogger is a really good writer. And there are some pretty good writers who have this blog on their blogroll.

Yes, I enjoy tracking referrals to this blog and looking at the blogs that referred readers to this one. Some of the bloggers that have this blog on their blogroll are really terrific writers and I am proud to have them included in my readership. I've never really maintained my blogroll very well but I think I'm going to change that. There are some wonderful things written in the blogosphere and I have been the recipient of many gifts in the reading of them. The least I can do is to pass it on.

In the meantime, here are two bloggers that send me readers from time to time. They are both wonderful writers and share their gift selflessly through their blogging:

http://sneakpeeks.typepad.com/

http://sharonlyn.wordpress.com/