Blogs Falling In an Empty Forest

So reads the headline over a story in the Sunday Styles section of The New York Times.

Even before I begin to read the article, I know where it's headed. (Of course, that's the test of a good headline, but let's not go off a tangent...)

The piece begins with Judy Nichols, 52, creator of a blog called Rantings of a Crazed Soccer Mom. She put up her first post in late 2004 and, surprise, it generated no comments. Her last entry was December of last year. Who knows how many posts she logged in between -- or how many comments. (Actually, it would be pretty simple to find out. Just go to her blog.)

"Like Mrs. Nichols," the article says, "many people start blogs with lofty aspirations -- to build an audience and leave their day job, to land a book deal, or simply to share their genius with the world. Getting started is easy, since all it takes to maintain a blog is a little time and inspiration. So why do blogs have a higher failure rate than restaurants?"

Good question. I've got a couple of thoughts. But, back to the article.

"According to a 2008 survey by Technorati, which runs a search engine for blogs, only 7.4 million out of the 133 million blogs the company tracks had been updated in the past 120 days (my emphasis added). That translates to 95 percent of blogs being essentially abandoned, left to lie fallow on the Web, where they become public remnants of a dream -- or at least an ambition -- unfulfilled."

Well...

I can't say I'm surprised by the statistics. Is blogging any different from any other activity that a person might begin -- dieting, exercising, praying, learning a musical instument or a new language -- but eventually let lapse? Probably not. But still...

Why do blogs have a higher failure rate than restaurants?

My quick take: Without the desire or the discipline to provide care and feeding of a blog, it's bound to collapse from neglect. Without attention to consistent quality or timeliness, why would anyone bother to read something that's poorly organized, poorly written or outdated? The analogy to restaurants is a good one. When you dine out, you're looking for consistently high standards, fresh ingredients and, along with reliable menu items, the occasional chef's surprise.

The blogosphere is nothing more than an amalgamation and reflection of everything we are, everything we say, do and believe -- for better or worse.

Some people blog because they are highly opinionated and want to share their views with others -- that's obvious enough. Others have a special interest -- be it cooking, music, movies, skiing, pets, fashion -- and want a forum for it. Some people create a blog for themselves and their family, to have a place to post vacation pictures and videos. Others do so with the idea of keeping a diary or journal, perhaps to think out loud and, in the writing, discover what they believe.

Me? I started my blog a little over three months ago, simply because it was so easy and because it related to my professional interests -- you can't be a 21st century journalist and not know your way around the World Wide Web, including how to create and maintain a Web log. Creating a personal blog would allow me the freedom to do and say things I can't (or shouldn't) as a contributor to The Oregonian's Opinion blog. Doing so, I hoped, would connect me with friends, family and people I didn't even know. It's never been about feeding my ego or imposing my worldview on anyone else (and certainly not to make money), but rather a form of self-expression; a way to share information, emotions and interests; and even a path to self-discovery.

Like any restaurant owner serving up a meal, I hoped people would find the content nutritious and worth coming back to. I hoped readers and followers would provide feedback and, in the best of worlds, even exchange ideas and comments with each other. I have no illusions about building a large audience. But I do feel the time and effort invested has been worth it. Several friends and fellow journalists have been very complimentary. I've reconnected with my best friend from early childhood. I've planted the seeds of friendship with other bloggers. And putting my thoughts and activities here for anyone to see has challenged me to find the right words and tone to express them clearly, with passion, humor or detachment, as warranted.

I absolutely get the image of blogs falling in an empty forest. I can only hope that if I continue to water and prune, the sapling known as Rough and Rede will grow into a sturdy old tree.