I blog both for the sake of blogging and I also hope that people will read it. I did my first post here just over a year ago; it got one comment, and it was nearly 2 months before I had another. Keep writing and posting if it's important to you to do so, and get out there and comment on other people's posts too, let yourself be seen, and you'll begin getting readers.

When I write for here, I just try to write something that I would have a measure of pride for someone to read. If you keep plugging away, people will find you and make a connection.

My cats like to walk across my keyboard at inopportune moments...I like writing but enjoy when I resonate with others or read other people's posts and connect...cute kitty! Keep blogging!

I blog both for the pleasure of writing and for the feedback from readers. I make people "favorites" and try to read their stuff as much as I can, as well as send "mass messages" about new posts.

Build it and they will come.

ps
I read your cat's blog. He/she really needs to work on the typos:)

I am a blogger now for a year, but new to this forum. I blog because I want to write, and I hope people will read it. Generally I don't have tons of readers. But that's okay. I need to write, so its a bonus if I get readers. B

I blog because my brain needs some kinds of stimulation that changing diapers, scrubbing toilets and pureeing yams doesn't provide. I try to keep the topics light and entertaining and hopefully others find my posts enjoyable to read.

But the other cats read it too.

This post seems to be pretty well read.

Wow, I am amazed at how many other cats read the blogs! Thank you all for your comments. I am beginning to really enjoy this blogging thing. :-)

I blog on OS so people read it (if we're being totally honest here). I've had 2 blogs in the past and couldn't get more than 5 followers. Actually one of my blogs was from my dog's perspective--didn't work out so well, though my mother, aunt and aunt's friend loved it. Here, even if a post gets 20 views, that's more than I was getting! And, the interactive community on OS motivates me much more than when I just sit down to write something on my computer (I have dozens of abandoned, half-written pieces saved).

Karin, thanks for being so honest. That's what I've been wondering about - how many people start a blog, make a few posts, and then abandon it just cause no one is reading. OS does seem like a lot of fun, the community is really fun.

I like OS for a few reasons. It makes me crazy for a few others, but I digress;)

I like that you have to do more than just write. You have to participate. Which means you're reading more, and more reading makes for stronger writing, especially if you push outside your comfort zone.

Because my comfort zone consists mostly of drinking and lounging about in my son's sweatpants, this has proven to be a good thing.

They keep telling us this isn't a community, but I'll be damned if I know a better word to describe a bunch of people who support each other, pay attention to each other, and keep other in check.

I'm sure there's probably been a million studies that our eye is drawn to the familiar; if your avatar is familiar to me, chances are good I'll click on it.

I'm going for all the subconscious readers I can get. Hell, I'll take unconscious ones.

Lija Rasa, you are from Bethesda, Maryland.
Great question. I left when you posted this:`
`
Sometimes I think I seek a Afghani Friend:`
a woman who's hidden under a black burka,
older than sweet 16- in mentality and soul:`
Oh, and no pierced belly button to be seen.
I realize belly button piercing is cool? okay.
I need to be with tear-stained burka cheeks.

I love checking in:`
Good night. conk.
Cool comments:`
Part-timer help?
That's not cool?
-D's for duh/O!
Oho, harpie/O!
O smiles harps!

Hey! That looks like MY cat!
Only younger, fresher, and clearly he/she has its wits intact, as apparent from the look of contempt by being photographed.
Tell 'em Nigel said Hello.

I'm with nana (to keep it simple--no offense everyone else), write what you want and find others you like to read.
:-)

I mostly blog for myself. Sometimes what I say might reach out and touch someone else, and if so, that's great, and I can usually get into a great discussion or a debate with someone who disagrees with me. But, in the long run, blogging is totally for me. What I say often won't make sense to others, and even more people won't care what I think or how I feel. And that's fine with me. What's important to me is that my blogging, whether I receive feedback or not, helps me to figure out what it is I think, feel, and believe, and that helps me deal with people in the real world better.

In essence it's like therapy for me. Sometimes it's awe inspiring, but most times it's complete mindless mental masturbation (which isn't always a bad thing!)

Placebostudman, I haven't thought of blogging as a way of organizing your thoughts. Now that is an idea!

I just started posting here regularly about a month ago motivated by the vague notion that I would learn something. One thing I have found is that it has helped in letting me sort out things that are important to me and ones that are not. So far a few times I have set out to do a post on something that in my thoughts seemed important only to find that it wasn't so important once I started to write it down. So in some ways I have learned as much by what I haven't posted as by what I have.

So far the only interest my cat has had in computers is that the monitor can be a warm place to sit. Now that I have an LCD he has no interest at all.

Ted, thanks for sharing your insights. I am having a similar experience here after a few days. I think I will stick around.