Documenting our journey

“If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead, either write something worth reading or do something worth writing”

Benny Franks

My friends asked me why I wanted to write a blog and what it means to me. After reflecting a bit, I googled, “Why do people start blogs,” and the following questions came up, so I decided to answer them for myself to define my journey.

Q1: “The best posts and stories make the audience’s benefit amazingly clear. What is the real benefit of your writing?”

A1: One of the benefits for me is to tap into my creative side. I would also love to document our journey as a family in Tokyo. If my writings are as goofy as I am, then some posts will appeal to family and friends. On the other hand, some posts will have little appeal to anyone except myself. I don’t want to say it’s a diary, but a sort of record of my thoughts and our life, kind of like photos. Maybe, my daughter or grandchildren will one day read through my old posts the same as they would view a box of old photos, and it will give them insight into who I am or who I once was.

Q2: How does your story fit into the world? Is your blog helpful to someone?

A2: My writing fits into my world, and I’m sure it will fit into the world of a few expats and possibly some new moms. I don’t know if my writing is helpful to others yet, but I know that I see things through a lens that many others don’t. I probably won’t have a consistent theme, but that’s okay because that is just me, a bit of a ‘box of chocolates,’ and you’ll never know what you’re going to get until you open each new post. Lastly, some posts may resonate with some and, therefore, be helpful or thought-provoking. 

Q3: Do your blog posts walk readers through a learning curve of information and share how issues discussed might impact them?

A3: I’m sure some of my posts will play Devil’s Advocate. I will try to get people to think outside of their usual spontaneous re-action to a world event. I’d be happy if I knew that information I’ve shared might give someone inspiration for things to do or places to go. And of course, I will try to post regularly about places to see or places to go in Tokyo.

Q4: Beyond education, the best stories forge a bond between the story-teller and her audience. Whether through vulnerability, candor or shared experience, stories where the audience walks away with heightened emotional intimacy are the stories that win. How do you foster emotional connection with your readers?

A4: Wow, this question is so deep. I can only hope the tone of my posts are personal and conversational. I try to write as if I’m talking to my audience (a.k.a. friends and family). I’m sure sometimes I’ll connect with my readers, and sometimes I won’t. I see many other bloggers who have developed a considerable following in a relatively short amount of time, and I guess they have fostered an emotional connection with their readers. My dedicated followers (mainly friends and family), by comparison, are very few, perhaps a result of not having any dedicated theme. Or maybe, I don’t connect with people, lol. Either way, I guess I’ll find out sooner or later.

Q5: Is your blog about the past or where you are headed? Does your writing examine the past whilst reflecting the future, in terms of dreams, hopes and the future?

A5: My blog will document our time in Tokyo. I don’t want to be restricted by any particular theme, and I want to write on whatever prompted me to get tapping on the keyboard in the first place.