Monday, August 04, 2014

A Ten Year Soliloquy

Ten years to this day, I started this space. This blog. Back then, it was a great medium to get your thoughts out on the web. A great way to connect with strangers who had an opinion on topics that mattered to you. Great way to stumble upon other people who were on a similar attempt at self-discovery. For me, it was simply a chance to write my work down. My poems, short stories, ruminations on cricket, movies, the whole gamut.

Today this space finishes ten years. 387 posts, nearly 80000 page views and 3000 comments have made their way here during that time. Over the years, this blog has landed me several collateral benefits. I have gotten to know people whom I would normally not have crossed paths with. Today, they are friends who live across the globe, blog sporadically, but are people whom I am in touch with. I am very thankful for them. Some of them have stopped coming to this space but now know me personally. The shape of our interactions has changed. I have taken my writing to the next level by finding outlets to get published in. The constant practice I got on the blog helped me reach that point.

Over time, blogging as I knew it back then has died. With Facebook and Twitter and Tumblr and other platforms taking prominence, combined with reduced attention spans, the personal blog of the kind this space has been, has limited possibilities. If I had started this blog today, it would die an early death.

I don't know how long this will continue to persist. I might keep posting to it, but it may be writing to void since the interactions with readers have reduced quite a bit. It is ok. I am one of the readers and I am not in a hurry to leave. Some day, my children will read this and get a glimpse into how their old man thought and wrote for a decade or more of his life.

Happy birthday dear blog! You have given me good company. Hope you stay around for some more.

5 comments:

Vidya said...

And your words have been a pleasure to read through the years - even from a distance. :)

Here's to 10 more?

Pallavi said...

Here's to many more. It's been a pleasure to read your blog all these years.

Parth said...

@Vidya: thank you for the kind wishes. It has been great having you part of the journey.

@Pallavi: thank you so much for the kinds words.

Ruchika said...

I don't think I've ever commented here but have been a reader of your blog since 2005, when I found my way to your "Best of 2005" Hindi songs list. Your writing has really evolved through the years and your short stories and the really short stories are just spectacular! Keep writing! It's been great reading your blog all these years!

Parth said...

@Ruchika: Your comment made my day. You have been reading for most of its existence and I finally hear from you!! I am very happy to hear that you enjoy my work and hope you keep coming here. Gives me inspiration to continue posting. Thank you again.