Is Blogging Really "Writing?"

All I know is that after reading this I'm hideously curious to see why your sister keeps a secret blog!

The writer vs. blogger thing is another version of the problem that I have with calling cake decorating "art." I do wedding cakes, and a lot of decorators call themselves "cake artists." Considering that my background is in art, I have a hard time making the leap to referring to myself that way, so I don't. I just can't bring myself to refer to myself that way when my frame of reference for art is Van Gogh and Monet. There are some very bad decorators who refer to themselves as cake artists, and it makes me shudder a little when I hear that.

For me, blogging is writing, but I blog and I still say "I'd love to be a writer." I think the problem of mentally making the leap to referring to yourself as a writer because you blog is a matter of degree. Just as I have a hard time thinking of decorating a cake as an art, I can see how writing a blog wouldn't feel like "real" writing if your frame of reference for "writing" is Steinbeck or Carson McCullers. Know what I mean?

I absolutely think it is writing. Bloggers craft a story, they develop a voice, they have a purpose in sharing their thoughts. Audiences big or small relate and feel a depth of emotions while reading....just like when reading a book or magazine.

You know, as a former newspaper reporter, I knew newspaper and magazine columnists who got paid to write who really shouldn't have called themselves "writers!" Of course blogging is writing...what else would it be? Just because it is self-published doesn't diminish its belong in the artistic niche of "writing."

Blog is definitely writing... or it's a good training.!

If your blog writing is thoughtful and intentional, then yes it's writing with a "W". I've asked myself this same question many times before, and finally became comfortable with calling myself a Writer, even though I've never published a book (or written anything that even COULD be published as a book). If you're interested, I explored this idea before here: http://beezuskiddo.com/2011/08/21/thoughts-on-writing-and-how-ive-become-a-writer/

you know, i got some awards from people in the computer - aka my dear blogher friends and i was flattered that they thought my drivel was worthwhile. i was rather embarrassed to accept the awards and pass them on because i didn't know if i could write anything worthy enough to present the awards to my friends. i understand exactly what you are asking... and for what it's worth, the title grabbed me and the content was excellent, you are a writer!

It's definitely a form of writing. Whether it's good or bad writing depends on individual blogs and individual bloggers. Just like in any creative artform, there are some guidelines (fluency, grammar, appropriate vocabulary, poignancy of story, pace, cohesion, etc.), and those who follow them closely are the better ones.

I guess it depends on who is doing the 'judging'? Are you asking if being a blogger automatically qualifies you to be a Professional Writer - a Journalist - an Author - then according to those standards the answer may be no. BUT ... in the end ... who cares about those standards if you have achieved any means of success - which translates into readership. In any case - I LOVE IT!

Something that came to mind as I'm prepping next term's course: Gide, Sartre, Camus, even Proust...all had their works rejected several times, often cut almost in half, before being accepted for publication. Not that we're necessarily in the same class, but then again...they weren't considered in 'that class' back in their time either...

A friend of mine who has several published books calls blogging "finger exercises." I would call it finger and thought exercise. Blogging keeps the creativity flowing and takes a lot of the lonliness out of writing - for me anyways. And I think people should be able to call themselves whatever they want. Who am I to judge?

If you write, you're a writer.

blogging is writing, but it's more like sharing and in turn making the contract that by writing a blog, you pledge to read blogs of others. I'm a Writer & newspaper columnist but not making much of a living out of it - yet. But blogging has definately given me courage to write and generate story ideas.

I'm a capital-w Writer because I make a living at it. But I'm one of the lucky ones. So if you think that being a writer means making a living at it, then most bloggers AREN'T writers.

If you think that being a writer means you write things down? Well, sure, then bloggers are by definition writers.

Most people write because it's in them to write. They'd keep journals or notebooks and write for the church bulletin and compose the Best Christmas Newsletter Ever. But with the Internet we can reach people outside our personal spheres.

Certainly I've seen some atrocious writing on blogs. But I've also seen some very thoughtful, well-written stuff -- and, more to the point, some very thoughtful conversations in the comments. In that sense, anyone who comments is a writer. Or could be.

I think it's different for every blogger, depending on the blog's focus. As for me personally, I am a writer who ALSO blogs.

I had someone mention on my blog post itself that not all posts are created equal, and that perhaps the measure of what is considered 'Writing' ought to be taken by how much thought goes into a post. I thought that was an interesting observation. Not that we ought to be judging the writing of others, but that gives me some scope of how to judge my own writing.

Doesn't it depends on the blog? They're not all the same, people blog for lots of different reasons and they may not be Writing. I'm not saying to be judgmental of other people's blogs, I'm just thinking of my own and there is at least one that I wouldn't consider Writing and I'm okay with that. :)

I am most certainly a Writer. Always have been, always will be, with or without official job titles to go along with the lowercase writing. It's who I am.

I don't consider myself a Writer (with a capital W) at all although I do blog. I'm more of a lower case writer. I do consider blogging both writing and Writing with a capital W . I aspire to be a better writer (with or without the capital W).