English Final.

7. What have you learned from your struggles with writer's block? Why do you tend to get stuck? How do you tend to get unstuck? Notice any patters?


Through having a blog with a required post due every week I've come to realize that writer's block has hit me more times than I've expected. The main reason I believe that I tend to get stuck is because I have no inspiration. To be honest my life isn't that exciting and I don't really have a main subject that I would like to focus on. The main subject for my blog as I've mentioned previously (http://alvinleeblogs.blogspot.com/2009/09/change-of-course.html) is me and if nothing really interesting happens to me, then I don't have much of an interesting subject to write about.

When I'm usually stuck I tend to look at other blogs to see if I can get inspired.  Through the help of Google Reader I can swiftly browse through numerous blogs in a short amount of time and sometimes I come across a post that inspires me. Other times if I'm really feeling unmotivated I just blog about how I'm feeling like this previous post. I've also noticed that once I start actually typing out my blog post, it gets easier for me, like I just need a starting point and from there I can expand and broaden my ideas to whatever I'm thinking about. My 'Inspiration. Teachers?' post started off as just a short post about how I felt inspired by some of my teachers that I've had/have and it turned into a monstrous 1200+ word post. It just felt like after I wrote out some ideas, others would come in and question those ideas and I would just write and write. I'm sure there is a lot of redundancy in there however, it's a prime example of how if I just have a good starting point I can keep writing and writing. 

A pattern I've noticed is that I tend to put off posts until the day that they're due, leaving me a short amount of time to sift through my thoughts and get an idea of what I want to write about. Procrastination is definitely a big problem amongst teens, and that includes me. However on some occasions I have wrote down drafts a few days before the deadline, just a basic outline on what I plan to blog about and I think it helps a great deal. Your thoughts tend to be more organized and for me, I already have a starting point on what to write about.

8. How do you like having a blog? How has blogging changed the way you write, the way you think, or the way you think about writing?

Unlike a lot of people that I know, I've actually had blogs before this, but they were never anything more than just a way to vent my thoughts out. I've never actually really had an audience until now. I believe that there are multiple benefits to having a blog besides that fact that it's a good way to just write out your thoughts, like a diary. One aspect I really enjoy is reading others' blogs. I feel like I get a little insight into their lives and thoughts outside of when I talk to them in person. The blogs that really interest me are the ones talking about their opinions on different subjects. This sort of thing doesn't really get brought up in face-to-face conversations and so getting a chance to read about others' thoughts makes me appreciate blogging more.

Blogging for me, especially this one in particular because it's for an English class has changed my opinion about writing in general. To get a good grade in writing no longer means having to type out and print essays on Microsoft Word. Through blogging, students can integrate so much more things into their writing, such as pictures or videos to back-up their thoughts/opinions and formal language isn't a real requirement (although some does help). It definitely changes the way I think about writing. Before I used to think writing was just based on analyzing books or writing about a given prompt, instead blogging has allowed me to write about any subject I want and that's really helped me get a feel of my writing style. This new found freedom for writing has allowed me to actually enjoy blogging and I do posts outside of this school blog, as seen on my tumblr.  Blogging has given me a whole new perspective on writing and much more respect for the subject.

10. Where do you get your ideas for blog post topics? What inspires you to write? 
My main inspiration for me blog topics are the people around me, my environment. My 'Teachers' post was based on the teachers that I have currently and one that I had 2 years ago. The people that I see on a daily basis can influence me to write an entire blog post about them, or something relating to them. Anything big or small can influence me to write. This post was written because of a simple question my friend asked me during a normal online chat. Nothing big has to happen to motivate me to write, it just depends on if I can relate to it or if I want to voice my opinion on the subject matter or not.

Another reason that motivates me to write, are the people I follow. Although I may not comment on their posts, I generally do read most of them whether they are pointless posts, or in-depth ones. The simple fact that I know my friends are doing the same thing as me can be a good motivation for me to write. It feels like a support group in a way, like I'm not just doing this thing alone. This also applies to the people who follow and comment on my posts. Getting feedback on my thoughts gives me more of a reason to write. Google Analytics was another motivational thing, knowing how many people view my blog and which posts they enjoy more allows me to gain confidence in blogging about my thoughts.

On another blogging site called Tumblr, I follow a wider range of people who blog on their free time and I go through their posts daily. On occasion, most of them tend to write a really meaningful or moving blog that's personal to them and when I can relate to what they're talking about, I feel motivated and inspired to give my own opinion too. This post for example was one inspired by the people I follow on that site and was originally meant for my personal blog, but I never got around to posting it. Tumblr offers an easier way to access others' blogs that are outside of your general social network and so there's a better chance of getting fresh new thoughts and opinions on a wide variety of subjects. Whether it is big or small, the main thing that inspires me to write is other people's personal blog posts.