Why write a blog?

I've decided to start a blog. Why now? Aren't there enough blogs out there? Even good ones? So why start crappy one now? Well, I thought about starting a blog for a while now and I've finally decided to do something about it. I thought I'd start by listing a few reasons that after years got me to start this blogging thing.

My reasons to write a blog

1. Improve your writing

The best way to get better at something is experience. English is not my native language and while my passive vocabulary is ok, I am not any good at expressing myself, so being continually forced to write full sentences does help.

2. Think your ideas through

"Writing is nature's way to show us how sloppy our thinking is." is a nice quote that I heard from Leslie Lamport that fits well. To write an article or a post you'll need to think it all through, find and fill gaps in your understanding and restructure it.

From a more meta perspective, as I was thinking about writing a blog, I thought about reasons why I should invest the time to setup a blog and write articles, but they were kind of diffuse, but as I actually set down to write this 'hello world' post, I was forced revisit my thoughts and order and prioritise them.

3. Fact check your ideas

I think a blog is a good way to fact check your thinking. The observable reader might spot errors and flaws in your writing. Everybody knows, that nothing motivates people like pointing out that someone is wrong on the internet. Even nonsensical grammar or typos are spotted and brought to your attention. Kinda like peer review.

4. Find things again

That reason is pretty important to me, I need a place where I can find things again that I tend to forget. Similiar to onenote or evernote, but were you put more effort in and allow public access. With a blog, I know where I need to go to look it up again.

So, there you have it, my reasons to write a blog. If you can think up other good reasons, then feel free to point them out.

Take care,
Martin