Do I really need to have a blog?

Image from University of Tartu

The answer is yes! Welcome to my blog for Essential Social Media Communications, the course I am taking this Fall in the Faculty of Extension.

This is my first experience with blogging. I think I have been hesitant to blog in the past, as I spend a lot of my time writing in my role at the U of A. While I love having the opportunity to write at work, it has never been part of my personal life.

I have a sister-in-law who is an incredible writer. She gave up a very lucrative and promising career working in the environmental industry, to follow her dream of being what she calls, "a creative." It all began with two blogs, one focused on her passion of quilting and the other on her experiences as a new mother. She connected with like-minded people all over the world via her blog and became part of an online community of bloggers who support her and celebrate her accomplishments. Her humble blogs and her ability to connect with people online (both via her blogs and Twitter), have led her down a road that I don't think she even could have imagined in her wildest dreams. She has published two books, countless articles in print and online, taught courses in quilting and the creative process all over North America. She has created a career directly related to her passion of being a creative.

While I don't have any intention to quit my job, my sister-in-law has inspired me to constantly be open to new things and to take risks. While blogging may not seem all that risky to most people, putting my words out in the world is a big deal for me.

Orbit Media states that 80% of bloggers create content that is 1000 words or less on average. When you think about, that is not a lot. Maybe I can find time to blog in my personal life!