My name is Aditya, and I'm a blog addict

No! I'm kidding :P I am obsessed, but not addicted, yet! I personally don't believe there is anything such as blog 'addiction', but there sure are people like me who are constantly thinking about blogs, feeds, posts, articles, news, reviews, and of-course, their trusty ol' blog! I am constantly writing up drafts, saving up for a rainy day, and to avoid a flurry of posts altogether only to have nothing to put up for the next one week. Thank goodness for online drafts :P

The simple addiction

Blogging can get obsessive! More particularly, 'Blogger' blogs can get obsessive. Something so personal, with so much customisability. The ability to add or remove little widgets that add something new and cool, then to post about it. Or to write what you think about your neighbour's dog. Knowing that someone out there will read what you've put up, and a countless other reasons make blogging one of the endless ways to happily pass time that I've come across in a long time. It's not a 'waste' of time, since we all gain somewhere down the line. But blogging can sure 'take' a lot of your time!

It is not just you blogging, but reading other blogs regularly. Waiting for the next update. Feeling a little disappointed when it isn't updated when you expected it to be, and so on are all a part of this mock disorder that we probably should analyse a little more seriously than we do at the moment.

Micro Persuasion has a good eight step rule to tackle this obession:

• Post consistently
• Post in the morning
• Post frequently
• Write about what interests you--within reason
• Share and give credit
• Have a point of view
• Listen to everything--and everyone
• Have fun

Seems something most power bloggers are likely to do. They treat their blogs as 'their' domain, and take it seriously. I do most of those 8 things myself, and do face a strange empty feeling whenever I haven't put up something for a long time. 24 hours seem too long to wait for the next post to go up, and yet I know I must keep a steady pace instead of creating irregular posting schedules.

Bloggers Anonymous calls it by a few names which make it sound really bad, but I think it is just being addicted to the 'freedom' of speech, and control over some form of communication. Just like writing in your diary, or reading a book can get you hooked, blogging is no different. This was also the initial reasons people began blogging, apart from it being the 'it' thing to do. People even today think blogging is something that is not their cup of tea, only to start and get hooked. It's like having your own newspaper. Having something to say, and people to listen to is the best feeling in the world, isn't it?

Blogging platforms make it easy for everyone these days, with Blogger's catch line being 'Push button blogging'. All you need to do is make a few clicks, type in a few names (and a weird looking captcha word) and presto! Your bright and shiny new blog is ready for you to start posting. All this ease, all the time ... how could we not? :P

Just can't help it

The compulsion is proportional to the number of readers you have. As they increase, so does the 'want' to constantly put up more and better posts than a previous time. As long as one knows one is being read by people, they will continue to put up posts. Rare is the case when a well read blog is taken down. It's true that good blogs aren't in plenty As compared to the 'total' number of blogs today. I don't have accurate statistics, but I seriously doubt that the percentage goes above 25, or even 20. It's not because of lack of good bloggers, but because of lack of 'serious' bloggers. For many it is a pass time, but for few it is a dear and loved hobby!, and that is the reason why blogging networks exist, to drive traffic to good quality blogs. Once one is part of a network, the blog surely becomes important. Any kind of reaffirmation of good work always makes the work important.

There is no real way of coming out of blogging. As I said before, the freedom can get pretty addictive, and blogging rehab isn't that popular. The solution would be spread the word, get more readers and continue blogging with new vigour and passion. After all, we all can gain from each other's perceptions and knowledge!

What are you waiting for?