Blogging and Teenagers

       Blogging  and Teenagers

   Every day blogs are created by people of all ages and from all walks of life, but when it comes to blogging, teenage bloggers are truly on the leading edge of the blogging. Because today's teenagers are the first generation to have grown up using the internet at every stage of their life, many adolescents have an almost inborn sense of how to use web technology to express their innermost thoughts and ideas. Older writers often experience a steep learning curve when they begin to blog, but most young people find that using a computer and blogging software feels more natural a mode of communication than writing in a diary ever could.

One of the reasons why blogs have become the "in" thing in the teen world and are growing daily is the fact that they provide a unique mix of visibility and anonymity. A teenage blogger can invite friends and peers to read their blog with a simple email and get attention or even praise for their ideas or skills.  Of course, with visibility usually comes the possibility of embarrassment, but it is possible to blog anonymously with a nickname and that negates a lot of the possible for humiliation. Many a blogging teen lives in fear that a parent or guardian will discover their blog, but by publishing under an alias a teenager can spill their secrets without fear of being traced.

Outside the blogging world, teen bloggers often have limited chances to be published. Magazines and journals are often reluctant to publish young writers who so not have as much credibility as writers with a lot of experience and credits to their names. This can discourage young people from writing or from seeking chances to publish their work. By blogging, young people can begin to gain a following of readers without first having to win the attention and support of an editor or publisher who may not be very interested in teenaged authors.

Between the fact that blogs provide young people with a chance to show off their impressive technical skills, to gain visibility without compromising privacy, and to build a readership for their writing without having to jump through the traditional hoops of the publishing industry, it is little wonder that there are so many teenagers with blogs. For some teenagers, blogging is a very social act that allows them to meet people with similar interests from all over the world. Many a blogging teenager has discovered that having a blog  is a great way to explore self-expression and, often, to win positive feedback from new friends.