Micro.blog Question Challenge

A while back, Ava kindly invited me to take part in her wonderful initiative, the Bear blog question challenge. You can read my answers here.

Now that I’m on a new platform, I thought it would be fun and interesting to do a Micro.blog version of the same challenge. Below are Ava’s original questions, but with Bear swapped out for Micro.blog (and the tags part removed, since MB doesn’t use tags).

1. Why did you make the blog in the first place?
2. Why did you choose Micro.blog?
3. Have you blogged on other platforms before?
4. Do you write your posts directly in the editor or in another software?
5. When do you feel most inspired to write?
6. Do you publish immediately after writing or do you let it simmer a bit as a draft?
7. Your favorite post on your blog?
8. Any future plans for your blog?

I’d love to read responses from folks like Jim Mitchell and Darren Hester, but anyone is welcome to join in, of course. The more, the merrier!

If you do write a post, please let me know and I’ll add you to the list below.

Here are my own answers:

Why did you make the blog in the first place?

I’ve blogged on and off in my native Swedish for over 20 years. Lately, I’ve felt a growing urge to make a more honest effort at blogging in English. In my opinion, blogging is the perfect way to write. It’s both creative and inspiring, and with a healthy pressure to deliver something that is at least fairly readable.

Why did you choose Micro.blog?

I really liked the previous platform I used, but after a couple of years with Bear, I found myself making too many compromises and tedious workarounds. Micro.blog gives me more flexibility, especially for sharing photos.

It also fits nicely with my blogging workflow, since I can publish directly from my text editor of choice, iA Writer. And because I’m not active on traditional social media, I appreciate that Micro.blog gives me a light social layer that’s just enough for me.

Have you blogged on other platforms before?

Yes, quite a few! My first blog launched in the early 2000s on Movable Type (which probably sounds ancient now, but back then it was the platform). After that, I tried:

• Drupal
• ExpressionEngine
• Textpattern
• WordPress
• …and more.

More recently, alongside Bear, I’ve explored some of the newer indie platforms like Pika and Scribbles. Both great! There’s something for everyone these days.

Do you write your posts directly in the editor or in another software?

I’m part of the Apple ecosystem and, as I mentioned, I use iA Writer. I love its clean, minimalist design. Still, it’s surprisingly powerful under the hood. I might write a dedicated post about it sometime.

When do you feel most inspired to write?

Usually towards the end of the day. My writing is usually based on fresh experiences: a place I visited, people I met, a song I heard. I make mental notes to myself that later turn into posts when I get time to sit down and write. When I’m working, I write from home. On weekends or when I travel, I often end up in cafés. Like now.

Do you publish immediately after writing or do you let it simmer a bit as a draft?

I usually hit publish right away. For me, it’s about capturing a feeling in the moment. I get it out of my system, and then it’s off into the world and no longer on my mind.

Your favorite post on your blog?

That’s a tough one. Favorites can mean so many things. But I recently published a post called The overthinking blogger, and I like it because of its honesty. It reflects my ongoing ambivalence towards blogging, something I both love and wrestle with.

Any future plans for your blog?

Right now I’m on the limited Micro.one plan, but I might upgrade down the line. If I do, I’ll probably start experimenting with themes. And if I go Premium, I plan to launch a newsletter for my long-form posts.

Let me know if you decide to take on the challenge. I’d love to read your thoughts!

Micro.blog Answers

• Robert Birming
• You?