Are blogs worth it?

As anyone can see, I am new to this blogging thing. Not surprisingly, I suppose, I am also new to Twitter and Facebook.

I could see right away how Facebook could be useful in getting or staying in touch with people at a distance. Since I joined, I have seen how it is also fun for contact with people you see every day--or at least every week or so. But blogs and Twitter? I couldn't see the point.

I used to think blogs were only for people who had an overabundant ego and thought the minutiae of their lives to be so interesting that the whole world would like to read it. But as I become more immersed in the blogosphere, I have learned a lot about how useful blogs can be.

I now follow blogs from many sources that I find extremely interesting. For instance Writers Digest has a blog that I follow on Facebook that offers advice on writing, editing, and marketing for authors. While I do not take everything they say as law, I find it useful to read what others are thinking about the craft. And, occasionally I have found answers to questions I had not been able to resolve from other sources.

Publishers' Marketplace is another terrific resource. It helps me stay informed about the world of publishing--its trends, concerns, and prospects for the future. While one must pay a fee to be a full-fledged member of PM, they offer a free newsletter every weekday called "Publishers' Lunch" sent directly to your email inbox.

The blogs of other authors, when chosen carefully, can also be a terrific source of information and inspiration. (One must chose judiciously, though, or the entire day can be consumed by reading others' blogs, and not getting any of one's own writing done.)

So count me as a convert. I am happy to admit that my prior prejudice against blogs was unjustified.

Now if I could only figure out the point of Twitter!