Blogging As Literature?

Question: Can online writing be considered literature?

Yes, I believe so. But in order to answer this question, it is important that we first define what literature is-and this is tricky. Well, it's the stuff in books, right? I am not a genius nor do i think there is one sole definition, so I will list several aspects that can be said about a piece literature:

1. It is regarded highly and shared for that reason.

2. It represents and often comments on society or a certain group as a whole.

3. It is artistic or creative.

4. It presents original style and craft.

5. It brings emotions that often resonate with the reader. 

Now, whose to say that online fails to produce any of these aspects? I say fig neuton fooey, I've read and viewed plenty of online works that manages to contain all of these elements! If we push online writing aside, never recognizing it for it's worth, then we are depriving ourselves of thousands of fascinating and original works. 

Blogs, especially, are a place where the most original words are said. Even if the writer does not speak in a very sophisticated manner and puts commas in unnecessary places, he or she has the ability to draw us to to his or her own world with words, videos, links, and so much more (I have found that some of my best writing comes when I am more relaxed and do not try to sound like a genius). I have laughed, cried, and fell off my chair from reading online content-how much more emotional can I get? 

I would like to share with you a couple of blogs that I can easily compare with a great piece of book literature. 

The first is the author of a blog called "Kacie's Kinship". Kacie shares with us her hectic, but wonderful life which includes taking care of her three crazy, young nieces. This blog may intrigue me more than some well recognized books of the past. Kacie speaks to her audience on a personal level, invited us to share her experiences along with her. She takes us along on her holidays, trips to the grocery store, family fiascos, and to play with her adorable puppy dog. She writes in a friendly and fun tone, with full paragraph structures and includes tons of pictures complete with side notes. At one point, she shares with us her hectic trip to the grocery store with the three boys, attempting to jump out of shopping carts. It's hilarious, definitely causing me laughing-I myself remember doing the same as a child! Although a personal blog, Kasie manages to make her blog in a creative way-it almost has the feel like she is constantly on a mission-which makes everyone want to be part of it! Who doesn't want to be a ninja assassin or turtle?? Without openly saying it, Kacie is commenting on the hectic life that we as large, crazy families often have, especially kinship families that hers.

The blog Bluebird Vintage has a similar quality in Kacie's in that it draws readers into her personal life. It follows the life of a fashionable mother of three adorable kids and husband.  She uses many professional looking photos, which she takes herself, to document her family. The pictures and her wording together make her life seem very neat, put together, and extremely fashionable. She has individual sections to click on at the top of her blog, making it easy for the reader to navigate. In one full section she shares photos of the lunches-bento box style-that she makes for her children. They always look so perfect! Another includes adorable photos of her wedding. There is no question that her work is creative and original (in her blog, photographs, clothing, lunch making, etc.) Although she appears perfect, she makes sure to share with us that her life is not all that put together as it seems. Every single one of her posts make me go, "awwww". This blog has a strong following with hundreds of followers who feel warm and hopeful after viewing her site. This blog shows us the positives of a loving, creative family like her own.

Both of these blogs have most if not all qualities I have listed above. They draw emotions, are widely shared,    are original and creative, and comment on their families and families as a whole. Literature, they are! In my personal blog I aim to share my comedic, insomniatic influenced occurrences and make you laugh. I just recently posted about the night when I put off taking my sleeping pill and ended up flailing about in a cardboard box screeching. I even included a drawing of mine made in paint of me in a box.  Like these past two blogs I hope that my readers feel emotion, see that I am commenting on those crazies like me with sleeping issues, share my blog with others, and see my creativity come through. (Just as any book would.)