Bear Blog Question Challenge
First of all, I want to take this opportunity to thank Ava for the mention and the lovely "Bear blog question challenge" initiative. Thank you!
I've wanted to post a reply since I first saw the post, but I've (once again) had some serious blogging-in-English-doubts lately. But I won’t bore you with that. So without further ado, here are my answers:
Why did you make the blog in the first place?
I have blogged on and off in my native language, Swedish, for over 20 years. With this blog, I wanted to make an honest attempt to blog in English (which, as mentioned, is going so-so). I want to keep the blog alive, but I don’t dare hope for too much. Regardless, I will definitely continue blogging in one way or another. In my opinion, blogging is the optimal way to write. It’s creative and inspiring, while at the same time providing a healthy pressure to deliver something that is at least fairly readable.
Why did you choose Bearblog?
Bear Blog is, in my opinion, and based on my needs, the perfect blogging tool. It ”embraces the bear necessities”, has support for Markdown, has its own wonderful community, and offers great opportunities to customize the blog according to your own wishes - which made the creation of the Bearming Theme possible. Another important aspect was the price. I don’t like having subscriptions. With Bear there is the option to sign up for a lifetime subscription, which is a crucial factor for me when it comes to choosing a platform. That’s why I chose Bear for blogging.
Have you blogged on other platforms before?
Yes, quite a lot. When I launched my first blog in the early 2000s, it was with Movable Type (unknown to most, I guess, but back then it was the thing). After that, I’ve ticked off all sorts of platforms:
- Drupal
- Expression Engine
- Textpattern
- WordPress
- and more...
Lately I have also tested several of the nice indie alternatives that exist, such as Micro.blog, Pika and Scribbles. All great! There really is something for everyone today. Blogging is back, stronger than ever.
Do you write your posts directly in the editor or in another software?
I’m in the Apple ecosystem and use Everlog. The optimal editor in my opinion. A nice mix of a private journal and a text editor with Markdown support. And it comes with a beautiful set of inspiring and motivational widgets, like 'Stats', 'Streak' and 'On this day'. I also appreciate how well it follows Apple’s design language. It really feels like a native app. Just like Bear, Everlog also offers the option to purchase a lifetime license.
When do you feel most inspired to write?
I feel most inspired to write towards the end of the day. My texts are usually based on fresh experiences: a place I visited, people I met, a song I heard. Often I make a mental note to self about something I have experienced. This then becomes a blog post when I have time to write. When I work, I usually write from home. When I’m off, like now when I’m in Chiang Mai in Thailand, I usually write in a cafe or, like now, by the pool:
Do you publish immediately after writing or do you let it simmer a bit as a draft?
Once I start writing, I go ahead and publish immediately. I want to convey a feeling in the moment. I write it off and then it’s history and forgotten. If you read through all my texts, I’m sure some posts are more or less a repetition of something I’ve previously published. I’ve tried to create a more organized blogging style, but it simply doesn’t fit my personality (and now that I mention it, I’m inspired to write a separate post about that).
Your favorite post on your blog?
Considering what I just mentioned, that I don’t remember what I wrote, it becomes a bit difficult. But a fairly recent text that I like is Finding Your Way. It’s an honest and accurate description of me as a person, and it also serves as a good reminder when that all too familiar doubt comes knocking on my door.
Any future plans for your blog? Maybe a redesign, changing the tag system, etc.?
I've been toying with the idea of creating yet another theme for Bear. I haven’t started anything yet, but it goes by the working title BearMin.
PS. I have added a link to Ava's original Bear blog question challenge under the "Blog Voices" category on the Blog Inspiration page.