It’s Show Time!

A thought wriggled into my mind the other day.  Okay, hold your jokes about how that was a momentous occasion. It occurred to me how blogging is like live theater. I took a class many years ago and remember when my professor gave us a list of why people go to the theater. I think the same reasons apply to blogging.

Theatergoers want to be swept away. The theater can move an audience to tears or make them laugh. Through song and dance they can be entertained, momentarily forgetting their own troubles.

I love reading blogs that convey a message, make me think differently about a topic, or bring a smile to my face.  Some have been so poignant that I have teared-up or cried. Others have been so hilarious that I read them out loud to my family.

Theatergoers want to be seen. Those fancy balcony seats along the side of the theater are not only for the patron to look down, but for the average theater-goer to look up.

In blogging, we have avatars and make comments which provide the same effect. Being seen on someone’s blog is a great way to entice readers to check out your own blog. Many times I have clicked on a comment or avatar and not only did I find a new blog to read, but I subscribed!

Theatergoers realize there is a live aspect of the show and anything can happen.  The old good luck expression, “Break a leg,” seems counter-productive since many actors have tripped and fallen on stage. Others have forgotten lines.

In blogging, where else can you read an author’s work hot off the press?  I have tripped by missing an error after proof-reading my story a bazillion times. Either I found the typo or it was pointed out to me by a reader after it was in the blogosphere. I always pick myself up off the blogging stage, correct it as soon as possible, and then pretend like nothing happened. Oh yes. I am a natural actress.

Theater is a spectacle. So much of the mood of the play is determined by the lighting, the sets and the costumes.

The same can be true when we customize our blog, reflecting who we are and what our focus is going to be.

Photography has become the rage with eye candy sites like Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, and Stumbleupon. The inclusion of a few photos can help express the tone and may seduce someone into reading your story.

Theatergoers attend shows to see live actors. After the performance, some fans will wait at the backstage door in hopes of getting a signed autograph.

We can “talk” to the author of a blog and make a connection by making comments. We often get immediate feedback and can have a conversation. How cool is that? I have made many friends this way and feel elated when I have the opportunity to make contact with an amazing blogger.

There are other similarities:

The cast and crew of a Broadway play hope to win the Tony. This is the ultimate prize of the theater and all hope to be recognized with this prestigious award.

As bloggers we all hold our breath, at least I do, Monday through Friday when the Freshly Pressed winners are listed on the WordPress front page.

Some plays are overnight sensations, while others flop. The ones that show us something new, transform, or entertain us stay open and run for years. The ones that don’t make a connection or bore the audience, shut their doors after they are panned in the reviews.

There are many reasons to blog. Personally, I am blogging to create a following and to practice my writing. My mom taught me long ago not to talk about me, myself, and I. Okay. I admit that my blog revolves around me, but before I press publish, I always ask myself a question – out loud, “Who will give a s#!t about this?” Then I edit one more time and hope that my doors stay open…

Does it feel like opening night every time you press publish?

Why do you blog?

The first and second image by Wikipedia, the rest by Google