Blogging and bloggers

Katney has asked some questions about blogging and I thought I'd answer them. Katney's hoping to get a wide range of responses and has set up a Linky thing on her blog, so if you fancy thinking about and answering these questions on blogging, do let her know.

What inspires you to blog?

Any and every thing. Things that make me happy, things that make me cross, people I've come in touch with, God's love, stupid things, sensible things (rarely), big things, little things. Just about everything - except what's going on in the wider world. Mine is a parochial blog. I don't know much about current affairs - at least not enough to write intelligently - and others do it far better anyway. My blogging is personal, an opportunity to empty my brain of stuff that would otherwise just hang around in there and take up valuable space.

How do you decide how often to post?

It just happens. I blog several times a week, sometimes several times in a day. That usually happens when I'm cleaning and my brain is free to think while my hands work.

Why do you choose the kind of things you do to blog about?

See question 1. I don't choose so much as things present themselves to me as topics. Quite often when I'm out walking or driving I'll compose a blog post in my head, possibly as a result of something I've seen or experienced or for another totally unrelated reason.

How do you view your readers and followers? Have you met any of them? What kind of relationships have you established online? When do online friends become realtime friends?

Although I have said - and do say - that my blogging is primarily for my benefit I love to have readers. That's what all wannabe writers want. And when I get responses it makes me happy because it's stirred someone enough to make an effort.

I've met several bloggers face to face and hope to meet more. I suppose that makes them realtime friends but there are those amongst my regular visitors that I haven't met that I consider as friends anyway. I think sometimes you just know you're in tune with another person and that you'd get on. (And the opposite as well!)

I think the support bloggers get from each other is tremendous. I kept my blog-readers up-to-date about Husband's recent illness and was cheered by the reactions, good wishes, prayers that came our way.

Do you ever get a "block"--writer's block or photographer's block--and how do you get out of it?

No. Maybe I won't write for a day or two simply because I have nothing interesting to say but I soon get over that. Even if I still have nothing of interest to say!

What kind of memes do you participate in? Why do you do memes? or why not?

I do Odd Shots on Mondays (when I can find a photo!) because Katney runs it and because I sometimes find myself thinking, 'That's an odd sight.' It may not be pretty or interesting but odd in my eyes so this is a good chance to use it.

And I've started doing ABC Wednesday again, which I enjoy because I give myself a theme with which to work.

The only problem with memes is finding time to visit others.

What does blog visiting mean to you? How often do you visit favorite blogs and bloggers? How important is that?

I don't visit enough. I am aware that some people visit me far more often than I return the compliment. I blame lack of time, which isn't a good excuse really. I'd like to visit more and build my circle but time ...

I have a blog list in my sidebar but among those I visit my favourites more often than the others. I really should sort it out a bit.

Don't forget to let Katney know if you're going to answer these questions on your blog!