This thought struck me when I was reading some blogs where the authors have already acheived a certain level of popularity and/or net-social-status.
I am referring to Kenny Sia and Wendy Cheng (aka Xia Xue). Also, I am also the blog reader of Paul Tan (for motoring news, mainly Malaysian based), as well as Sepet and Gubra director Yasmin Ahmad.
Now back to the question. Writer or blogger? I think I fall into neither category. To be a writer, I have to be able to write things with substance that fall within the given scope. To be a blogger, I have to be able to update my entries regularly so that the readers will keep coming back for more. I fail to do so in both.
People like to write, they like to express themselves. In the old days, our thoughts are written down in a book people call 'Diary'. We keep the thoughts to ourselves and would read our diaries over and over again when we grow up. Our darkest secrets or skeletons in the closet can be found in diaries. We were thought not to be outspoken and conform to the standards of the society. I.e. keeping mum on things, even though we are the one sufferring.
When I look at popular blogs of today, they are rebellious and they maximise their freedom of speech rights. And the readers love it. They like to see people being able to voice out things that they themselves dare not speak about. They like to see that their personal views are shared by famous bloggers. Some even try to fit themselves in the mould of the bloggers. All in all, bloggers now are providing the normal people like us a new bunch of role models. Very much like the sports players, actors, singers etc. Like the stars, bloggers have their own set of fans, and thus turning themselves into celebrity.
I am pretty sure no blogger started blogging because they wanted to become a celebrity. They just wanted to share their view and thoughts with people who are bothered to read their entry. The readers of the blog will most likely be their friends. But once the group of readers expand into a bigger base, then they will have to be cautious. Some may argue that bloggers should not be responsible for their readers' action that might have been triggerred by reading their entries, but on moral grounds, bloggers have to be extra cautious of what they say. You can never underestimate the influence a blogger has on his/her reader.
As I never plan before I write, and my style is so free-flowing that any thoughts that come to me will be typewritten immediately, I do not think I am a writer nor a blogger. I am just someone who wants to say things out to the air and hope someone feeds back.
Enough of my boring stuffs, for now. Till next time. =p
