Keeping a Sea Glass Blog

I have recently been considering the whole issue of writing a blog about sea glass.

I have been a blogger for better than ten years, and have developed several blogs with followings of hundreds-- if not thousands-- of readers. I have also have a couple of "specialty" blogs-- one about collecting stamps, and one about the Enneagram-- so writing about a "specialized topic" is not new to me.

But why keep a blog about sea glass?

As a life-long writer, I am always considering the purpose of my words.

In part, this blog exists simply because I enjoy writing, and I enjoy beach combing... and it's fun to keep track of what happens on the beach, so I can go back and look at "highlights and lowlights," at a later date. So that's a reason I keep the blog-- for me. Of course, I also enjoy taking pictures of sea glass, and posting them online...

For others?

I have to ask myself the question "Why write this as a public blog, and not just as a private journal?" The answer I come up with is much the same as the answer I came up with, for my stamp collecting blog: To share with other collectors... which, ultimately, is a way of saying "To connect with other beach combers and sea glass collectors, and to be part of a community of people with similar interests."

Of course, with that established, the next question becomes "So what should I write about? What will other people find sufficiently interesting to come read this blog?" Again, I consider the same process as I considered with my stamp collecting blog: I ask myself what I would find interesting, as a reader, when I look around the web to see "what others are doing?"

• I enjoy "tall fish tales;" that is, stories about people's amazing/interesting finds.
• I enjoy reading about "really rare" stuff I may never get to see, myself, in person.
• I enjoy reading about "the finest and the best" that's out there.
• I enjoy (or at least find it useful) to be able to read "community news:" Are there any shows? Has someone won an award? Any new discoveries? New dealers/businesses? New books I should buy?
• Specific to sea glass-- which is so often used in an artistic manner-- I enjoy reading about (and seeing) people's creativity.
• Last but not least... since I am in the "business" of periodically selling sea glass, the blog-- at least in a small way-- serves as a way to make announcements about new items I have for sale.

At this point, you might be wondering why I am writing these words.

As a writer, I find that I must periodically take stock of what I am doing, and assess whether the words I am putting out there serve a purpose-- or are helpful/useful-- or are merely self-indulgent drivel. No matter what your field might be-- a human, a writer, a business person-- it's important to sometimes ask yourself why you are doing something. I've always found that taking these thoughts-- which typically bounce around inside my head-- and actually putting them down "on paper," tends to clarify what I am thinking, so I can find a sense of direction.

So, since this blog is somewhat over three years old, I was just pausing to take stock.