I heard on the radio that by 2020, the people on facebook who have died will outnumber those alive. This got me thinking in general about social media and specially about my own blog writing. Over this past weekend, I searched my blogs for an entry I had made to share with a current colleague. I found it. Finally. After searching all 3 blogs. Why 3?
I started the first blog called Fun With Reading and Writing on July 13, 2011. I know because my blog records the precise details of when a post is made. It mostly is about books I read and my notes from learning about reading and writing while attending institutes at Teachers College.
Then on August 14, 2013, when I decided to return to being a classroom teacher instead of a reading teacher, I started another blog called Back in the Classroom. I regularly posted on Saturday about my week. I had anticipated this year being different and hard and I thought writing about it would help. It really was good therapy for me.
That same year I decided to do this thing called the Slice of Life Writing Challenge in March of 2013. Some of you may have heard of it?! So I started my 3rd blog. Why another? Mostly because the Back in the Classroom blog was just for me – I didn’t really want others to read it unless I wanted to share. Since the SOL challenge is about building an online writing community, I wanted a new blog – I called it My Writing Stories That Only I Can Tell . It’s purpose is to post my daily small moments. And that year I did write a small moment every day in March. And the following year I returned to it and wrote again each day in March. Then in 2014 when March ended, I started to post on Tuesdays too (another option of the Two Writing Teachers). Now I consider this my main blog and weekly post to it (like I am doing now HERE!)
So that’s why I have 3 blogs. I know how to access them. I know how to now. But what about 10 or 20 or 30 years from now, when my memory starts to fade even more? I wonder if I should print them out? Or maybe add the links somewhere so others can find them? Or could WordPress stop being a product and go away someday and my stories, too? Is it ok that, just like my facebook page, when I am gone or start being forgetful, my electronic stories will be forgotten too? Will they be there for anyone who would know how to search to find them? Is it fine to just have the stories be there, out there, in the electronic cloud?
Anyone have any tips for keeping your blog writing over the long haul?
Writing Stories by Sally 
Eeek, never really thought about that before. I have another blog that I created just for a MOOC, but the one I use now is the one I use for everything- even though mine serves several different purposes. I wonder if you will get some good advice. I will have to check back, because now you have me wondering!
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I’ve been thinking about this, too. I saw a fellow Slicer’s post during last month’s challenge where she shared that she made a book of each year’s SOL stories. I thought that was a great idea! I’m thinking of doing it. My first year that I sliced, I printed my slices out (along with comments) and pasted them into a notebook. You could do that, too.
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I have had many of the same wonders, myself. I only have one blog…but I have flirted with the idea of a second…and wondered, should I be keeping these posts somewhere? Do they matter? It is interesting to think about the future ‘dig’ folks will be doing, with all these electronic files. Sorry – I have no advice!!
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I agree with Erika. Good Question, Sally. What is the future of a WordPress Blog? I only have one blog and am sometimes frustrated when I can’t find something that I know I wrote about (on Voxer) not on Word Press! ARRRRGGGGHHHHHHH! My anxiety is now increasing!
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Keep breathing. I don’t think wordpress is going anywhere. More likely, it is bought out and then improved and goes on as something bigger and better. I think our writing is safe. I just wonder about sorting it and remembering it. I see you tag. I haven’t done that…maybe I should start. Any tag tips?
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Yes, a very timely question. I guess I’m old-fashioned, but I plan to print what I want to save for my family. But I’m always eager to learn new ways of doing things too!
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I like your idea to print out some to be saved for my family!
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I make a book our of my blogs at the year anniversary every year. I used blog2print. It’s pretty easy. If you blog a lot, it can get expensive, but to me, it’s worth it. Umm, actually I am remembering that I missed doing it this year. Uh-oh. Next year’s book will be bigger. It’s nice to look at and I’ve shared it with my students too.
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Love your idea!! This summer, I plan to take action! Thanks for the blog2print tip, too!
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Thanks for asking this question. I am THE WORST at keeping track of this kind of thing. I really like Michelle’s approach. Perhaps that’s a summer project.
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Agree – definitely a summer project!
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