I thought this might be a fun way to close out 2024. After all, nothing hits the spot this time of year quite like a bit of introspection, right?

My blogging adventure has spanned more than a decade, and I’ve blogged in groups, as well as solo. When so many other writing bloggers burn out, what keeps me going? The answer will probably vary in length and detail from one blogger to the next, but here’s the list I came up with. I like blogging because it:

1. Gives me a scheduling rhythm. Blogging motivates me to flesh out ideas that would otherwise stew indefinitely.
2. Encourages me to stretch my writing muscles. When I’m stumped but need to post something, I find myself trying new things: topics, perspectives, styles, genres.
3. Allows me to synthesize and experiment with all my creative juices. The Internet is a trove of free stock photos, but I like the challenge of using my own visual creations. Sometimes that means wracking my brain to remember when I took that tree photo that would be perfect or picking up a pen or paintbrush to craft the perfect header image.
4. Provides a personal writing outlet. I write a lot of short-form marketing and technical content for my job, and it’s nice to take a step back each month and return to my writing roots: essays, poetry, book and movie reviews, and short stories.
5. Offers a platform where I can share my work with family, friends, and strangers—with no obligations to read every post. Yes, I could share my work directly via email, social media, or group messaging, but I don’t want to be that person. Blogging offers an opt-in approach for people to experience my work without it becoming a burden for dedicated family members or friends.
6. Can be my personal search engine and digital portfolio. Scrolling or searching on my blog is a fun way to review my portfolio over the years and see how I’ve changed or grown as a writer and artist.
7. Leads to fun traditions. For example, one of my favorite traditions is writing an annual Christmas book review. I enjoy spending the year searching for new books to recommend come Christmastime.
8. Helps me conquer long-form writing. A lot of blogging content is short and simple, but I find that running my writing blog also motivates me to start and finish longer-form content, such as my short stories, which I can break into reasonable pieces and write bit-by-bit. For instance, my short story “Ómiros” was an idea I drafted years ago but didn’t have the focus or stamina to actually write until I started Worthwhile Words.
9. Motivates me to read outside my box. Running Worthwhile Words’ sister site Flint and Bone’s Comic Reviews has been a longtime motivator for me to branch out. I was never really a comics fan, but writing reviews for Flint and Bone has been a fun way to break out of my zone and actively try new types of books.
10. Serves as an opinion outlet for books, music, shows, and movies. When you read books and watch movies with a reviewer’s cap on, you’ll find you observe more details and think more critically. While this can sometimes be a two-edged sword and hinder your enjoyment, I think it’s a helpful mindset, and I enjoy having a place where I can share my thoughts when a book, show, movie, or other form of media leaves me with ideas I’m eager to discuss or share but that might not interest immediate acquaintances (my tastes are admittedly eclectic).

To my fellow bloggers out there, what are your reasons for blogging or for considering starting a blog in the new year? Drop me a line in the comments…I’d love to hear your take.

Happy writing!