Why I Love Blogging

Feel free to check out now if you're looking for something of substance. This post is merely a reflection on my past two months as a blogger, what it has taught me and what it has meant to me. Pretty boring stuff - except to me. Probably.

The impetus for this post is many-fold:

1. A breakfast yesterday with Howard Lindzon, a fellow blogger, to merely shoot-the-sh@* and get-to-know-ya as well as to discuss his new project, Wallstrip
2. The influx of emails from people who have become aware of me because of my blog, which has happened literally since my first week blogging but has picked up speed in recent weeks
3. An analysis of my readership, which spans both technology and finance worlds and truly represents a global audience
4. Hitting the mythical two-month point in my blog life and still having the same enthusiasm and excitement for adding content as I did upon launch, which didn't seem possible at the beginning

My breakfast with Howard, to me, represents the power of blogs in a microcosm. Howard blogs (and has done so for much longer than I have). I blog. We are both interested in the investment world. We have both flamed and extolled similar blog posts through our commentary. He is based in Phoenix. I am based in NYC. Yet somehow we connected, discussed our shared interests and actually met face-to-face. Did we have a lot to talk about? Yes. Was I thrilled to have met him? Yes. Might we do some stuff together in the future? Yes. Would I ever have met Howard 5 years ago? Probably not. And you know what - we actually know some people in common. He knows some people I'd like to know and vice versa. You get the picture.

Let me also toss in the emails I've gotten by those interested in the stuff I write about, the companies I work with, other finance and technology bloggers and very interesting and highly qualified people looking for a job. Did I ask for people to personally write me? No. Do I enjoy receiving people's notes who really have something to share or want to connect about a shared interest? Yes. Do I get much annoying SPAM that screws up my inbox? Some, but not a crushing amount. Is it worth letting people contact me via email? Absolutely. This has lead to some really great connections and future relationships that I am sure will prove mutually valuable over time.

Then there is the issue of a global audience. I have received notes from people from every corner of the globe. I have also been cited in blogs and linked to by bloggers all over the world. It also seems, interestingly, that I have quite a little following in Germany (maybe from my old Deutsche Bank days?). Also, for some reason, in the UK (because of my lousy fake-British accent?).  In any event, I find this following quite thrillling, quite flattering and, also, quite unbelievable. The blogosphere, its scope and its diversity totally rocks.

I also seem to have a bit of a cross-over audience - investment and technology - which I find really cool. While I occasionally get linked to by sites including Abnormal Returns, Trader Mike, Howard Lindzon, TheStreet.com, and The Ponderings of Woodrow, I also get some coverage from Techmeme, TechCrunch and Silicon Valley Watcher. I'm sorry, but if you had asked me two months ago whether I'd be getting cited and referred to by sites such as these I'd have said you're out of your mind. But here we are. Very, very cool.

Finally, the passion of blogging. I don't know what to say except that nothing (well, almost nothing) feels quite as good as ripping out a really great post. It represents true catharsis. I feel satisfied, I feel fresh, I feel reborn. Sounds trite and corny but it's true. There is something about expressing your feelings through writing that just feels so right. Kind of ties things together. Makes me feel like that missing puzzle piece has found its way home.

But probably the greatest thing about blogging are the dual benefits of validation and community (which are inextricably linked). The fact that people actually give a crap about what you (what I?) have to say is simply awesome. Sure, we all have friends and people that like us, want to hang out with us, go see a show and throw down a few, whatever. But people who actually take their own valuable time to read us (me?)? That is truly nutty and feels great. An extension of this is the sense of community I feel after only a few short months of being an active participant in the blogosphere. It is hard to describe, but there seems to be a kindred spirit among bloggers, especially those in a particular domain that really get to know the styles, humor and intellectual underpinnings of their fellow bloggers. I have found this in both investment and technology realms and view it now as a very real and legitimate piece of my life. If I were to stop blogging tomorrow I'd sorely miss it. No, scratch that. There is NO WAY I would possibly consider stopping blogging. I'm not giving up all the great stuff I just wrote about. No chance.

So, long story short, thanks for taking me into your world and into your thoughts. I truly enjoy the buzz and the ongoing conversations we have developed. Let's keep it going. I simply can't stop!

Comments

[Roger]

Yaser, fair question. The fact is I do get some spam and didn't think the time lag was that big a deal for my readers. I think many investment bloggers (and others) have a comment approval process. I publish every comment that is submitted that is not clearly spam, regardless of whether it is critical of me or my views. That is not the point. i just don't want my blog to have spam on it. If the convention does change, and most of the bloggers I respect just let content flow freely and deal with spam later, then I'd reconsider my current practice.

[Yaser Anwar]

One thing I wanted to ask you Mr. Ehrenberg is why do you have the comments pending your approval for each post?

I understand that you wouldn't want spam but I think in the two months you've been blogging you've rarely got any? (Just my hunch)

From my understanding the IA audience is very intelligent, so don't you think you it would help communication between readers if the comments could be posted when they are written?

At my blog I allow readers to say what they like & if I notice any spam or unwanted language I just the content of the post.

IMO it increases the odds of readers engaging in a discussion.

[Jason Wood]

Roger,

I owe you an email per our getting together. In the interim, as usual you hit on one of the best things about blogging; it breaks down the traditional barriers that many of us have in terms of social interaction.

Many of us are "busy guys" and at the same time, can be unfortunately skeptical about letting new people into our circle of influence because we fear they may have ulterior motives. The blogosphere, for me (and I suspect many others yourself included) is a great way to take down that wall of social structure and meet people that you genuinely wanted to meet, only you never knew it!

Best,

Jason

[Yaser Anwar]

I saw your post and thought I’d give a few thoughts.

I started blogging about eight months on yaseranwar.com. My purpose was to journal my prespective & thoughts on a daily basis pertaining to Macro Investing, as it is my passion.

Like yourself, I too was skeptical at first, but as time has passed it has been a great experience. For me reading this & other blogs, as well as writing my own, allows me to 1) Get a fresh perspective 2) Interact with brilliant people 3) Learn from others experiences 4) Develop new relationships 5) Get constructive criticism etc.

But I think you, Mr. Ehrenberg, & any one else who writes a blog will agree with me on this- A blog is one of the best, if not the best, medium through which you can communicate your point of view, share & build your expertise with people from different walks of life.

Look forward to more thought provoking posts on Information Arbitrage.