I've really learned from my blog that I read very critically and negatively. I tend to judge writers of books early on, and critique their style somewhat incorrectly. If I'm reading a book I think is impressive, I'll get so wrapped up in my own greatness for reading this book, that I will also assume that I am greater than the authors and have the right to judge them. I have also really learned that I was a rather boring and essay-like blog writer. I realized this and did damage control early on. I've also learned a lot about myself as a writer. I actually genuinely enjoy writing, strangely, and have grown SO much since the start of blogging. Before this year, I didn't have a definitive writer's voice and would either go with being either too stiff or too loose. When in doubt, I would go with being stiff. This year during blogging, I've really known the liberating feeling that is spewing out your opinion in a long and slightly obnoxious rant. It's wonderful! It's become fun to write with a blog because I'm not censoring myself. It seems less formal to post on my blog than to hand something in to the teacher, and though this may be an illusion, it helps make homework (which essentially is what blogging is) seem almost bearable and nearly like something more.
So, on the topic of if people are more or less real online, I think it depends. For me, I take online writing as a chance to let loose and not censor myself. But I realize for others that it could make them self- conscious and, having the chance to censor themselves, unlike in person, they might do so. In person, if you were to say "I hate One Direction," to a bunch of Directioners, that would be pretty stupid, but the truth (if you did hate them.) Online, it would be a lot easier to fake not hating them, because you have time to think about what you post. In this way, you would only project lies. On the other hand, online you aren't speaking directly to the Directioners and a blog is really a way to state what you think without shoving it in someone else's face. The Directioners can't get mad at you for hating One Direction if they chose to read your blog about hating them. It feels very individual to blog. It satisfies my narcissism. I think that for me, I'm probably more real on my blog, even if I have the chance to not be.
I don't know if I could consider keeping up this blog. I do enjoy blog posting, but let's face it: like most humans, I am inherently and exceedingly lazy. Who knows, but in my heart I feel that I could never keep up this blog without prompting and being graded. There is also the problem that thus far this has been a school blog. I'm sorry, but there are many people in our school I would prefer NOT to have access to a continuous blog of mine. If I continued posting these people would still be able to read my blog through high school (not that they would want to.)Plus, all my posts have been written with the thought in mind that a teacher would read them. If I did a public blog, I would spend my time on trying to get normal people to like it, not E.L.A. teachers (no offense Ms. Rear, thou art spiffy and I'm not saying you aren't normal; you can be whatever you want to be.) I maybe could one day start such a blog, but I think I would only do so if I came to find that type of blogging more enjoyable than what I would otherwise be doing (sitting around like a useless vegetable) and that seems unlikely at the current time.
I like the idea of students doing blogs. I think that this was a really good experience and am not saying this to suck up. I learned so much this year and now have an immortal portfolio of my writing over 8th grade. This also has given me incentive to make my blog posts good (no telling if I've succeeded.) This blog is online as a representation of me. In college I will come back to this blog and scoff at my blog and complain about what an annoying kid I was. Without this blog, I would be unable to do so because I would never have been organized enough to save my weekly 8th grade reading responses throughout life.
So, overall, I like blogs. Blogs are good. Sometimes I read blogs if they're entertaining, but too often they're just stupid and irritating. However, I realize that this isn't a quality of blogs, but a quality of writing and really people in general.
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