Intent to engage

I'm of the opinion that there's little point to blogging (or any communication, really) unless you sincerely desire to engage an audience. I think that's why so many blogs, up to 97 percent according to a recent Technorati study, are abandoned. Blogging consistently takes a commitment, and I wonder if most people who start don't really realize that when they post their first message. (Granted, I'm a newbie, having only been posting on any blog since February and on this one since August. Hopefully I've passed the burnout threshold.)

I thought these words from U.K. newspaper The Guardian's Emily Bell hit the mark (thanks to Mark for the link):

Embracing a medium does not mean just copying a format, it means understanding the rules of engagement. Gordon Brown has what might be a blog, but which he hasn't updated since June 18. While this is pretty appalling in terms of reaching out to the blogging community, it does have a level of authenticity about it - it is clearly something he was made to do but abandoned when he went on his summer holidays and hasn't been back to since.

No doubt between now and the next election the increase in politicians blogging will be like lemmings falling off a cliff, but a word of advice if I may. Unless you have an inner blogger - don't bother.

I think what all of this goes back to is authenticity. People naturally crave what is genuine; we crave the truth. If someone isn't willing to put all of themselves into something they do, especially something intended for public consumption, why should anyone else pay attention?