Crashbox

I have a significant time this morning reading blogs and catching up with all those Good People that attempt to speak of Healthy, Interesting Things. I read a comment once (I won't say who it was) that stated the opinion that blogging not only does not help writing style and quality, but that it is actually detrimental to the writer. After some thought on the subject, I strongly disagree. There are at least three ways in which the blogger's writing is benefited. First, the simple fact the he is writing. If you are like me, no matter how much you think you are some great author, and that you will write all the time, it just doesn't happen...unless you are drawn out by something; And like all things, the more you write, the better you will become. The qualification here is that the blogger must be actually attempting to write well for practice to be of any use...Secondly, and closely tied to the first reason, is the encouragement gained by reading other blogs. How many times have you sat there thinking, 'I should post, but ah well', then read someone else's beautiful story and started writing something worthy yourself? Finally, we all claim we want to be published (all us aspiring Hemmingways, Lewis' and Le Guins anyway), but do we have the guts? Blogging teaches to speak opinions, write daringly, take risks, and most importantly: display our work for all to see. So there it is; I thinking blogging can be very good, but like everything else, if the ideal of the true and noble is not present the whole operation falls.