Grapevine Consulting

Nothing sums up blogging like Gaping Void

Ok, so I don’t have any quantitative research or expert opinion to validate this statement but I’m declaring… The Personal Blog is Back.

Here’s why I’m thinking this:

Reason One: It seemed like some of the original bloggers were quiet for a bit while we media types were navel gazing about the zeitgeist and saying ” But whhhhyyyyyy do they blog? What’s their motivation? Defiiiine them. Raaaank them”. But it’s safe to come out now. Promise.

Reason Two: Twitter is not the new toy anymore

Reason Three: Less techy types warmed to the idea that writers of “weblog diary thingies” are not a bunch of socially inept saddos. Ask your mum if she knows what a blog is. (Or if she’s writing one)

Reason Four: I personally got a little bored opening my reader and seeing the same old search hungry “Top 10 tips …” being generated by some commercial blogs. I started looking for blogs I could enjoy and learnt more about what makes entertaining media by being entertained

So that’s it really. Of course personal blogs never went away. There’s probably no data to show a dip in posts etc. My gut just says it feels like we’ve been through a period of learning and now it’s like the school holidays and we can read & write for pleasure again.

Here’s some that I’m loving.

Gemma Cartwright: The first blogger I ever read. Now I’m privileged to be friends with her I love her own blog. Not least because leaving bitchy comments when she posts about her home decorating has provided a useful outlet  for frustration at my own living circumstances. Sorry Gem. I will try harder.

Good Hooking: Apparently I’m not alone in a misspent youth embroidering samplers and hand hooking rugs. Crafting is, like, so hot right now.

sizemore: Another favourite web person. When not being the perfect host and feeding me up with dinner after dinner of veggie goodness he’s blogging about meeting Harrison Ford and teaching me how to be cool.

Stuart Waterman:  A quick read helps provide me with witty and amusing popular culture anecdotes for sophisticated dinner parties (see above). Thanks Stuart.

Going Underground: Annie Mole, I really and truly do read your blog even though whenever you say to me “didn’t you see it on my blog?” I always seem a little vacant.

Rubinman: In a faraway Social Media training session… “OMG. I heard that some bloggers actually write blogs for their pets?” Yes. Funny, isn’t it. Oh and infinitely better than your latest press release.

Please tell me some of your favourites.