The last few months have been so very interesting with the breakout of new styles to communicate online. Twitter has moved me to micro-blogging by constructing thoughts in 140 characters or less. Google Reader has moved me to sharing content others create fast and now with commentary. FriendFeed has moved me to find simple ways to aggregate my online presence in all of these places.
There has been an evolution of how I (and others) communicate online as tools have made it easier, faster, and more varied. Of course this has always been the case. At first you had to learn HTML. Then it got faster when programs like Microsoft Frontpage and Macromedia Dreamweaver came out. Then it got even faster when blogs came on full force. The evolution continues with micro-blogging, video-blogging, and audio-blogging.
It’s been great fun experimenting with these new tools and riding this online communication evolutionary wave. I’ve taught some. I’ve helped some. I’ve been ignored by some. I’ve been scoffed by some. It shouldn’t be a shock to me but it sometimes is.
In this process of experimenting and trying out new methods of communication, I’m now rethinking the value and discipline of blogging. The issue is one of time and thought formulation that dictates the tool I use to share something. Chris Brogan brought this up today on his blog too. And of course time and topic preference of readers are determinants of how one processes what I share.
All this to say, I’ve been thinking this week about re-engaging and re-disciplining myself with blogging – really, the practice of thought formulation and publication. This doesn’t mean I won’t stop Twittering or Sharing or Aggregating, but that I want to put a focus back on blogs.
So, what do you think about this? What sort of topics are you interested in? I’ve always thought of this space to be a place to just do whatever, and it’ll probably stay that way. But I am interested in your thoughts. Please share them in the comments.
