I went into Podcamp Pittsburgh expecting to learn a lot. I was not disappointed. In a matter of minutes I learned:

* Pittsburgh's social media community truly is the best in the world. I actually already knew that, but I saw "the machine" in action on a grand scale, and it's amazing. There is no other group of people who are as supportive of one another. When you can stick tech experts, beer podcasters, sports bloggers, GLBT podcasters, newspaper reporters, radio rock stars, masters of mayhem, CNN.com cover girls, and a mommy blogger in the same room and have everybody come out laughing hysterically? You know you have a good thing going.

* Creative Commons licenses are the shizznet.

* There are a heck of a lot of people who are interested in learning how to keep their blog going, especially when it comes to finding things to write about.

(Photo source)

It just so happens that I was the one presenting about that last thing. I am by no means a blogging expert, but I guess I have to admit to knowing a little bit about "finding fodder." I base that solely on the fact that I've blogged almost daily for over four years (you can try hunting for the early stuff, but you won't find it unless you break into my house and find the exact cabinet where I've stuffed the printouts from blogs long destroyed). There is video of the presentation coming to the Podcamp Pittsburgh site, but basically I think the trick to keeping a blog going for any extended amount of time comes down to exactly one word: Why?

I've stood on the sidelines as hundreds of blogs within my circle have come and gone. Every once in a while I run through my blogrolls and delete sites that haven't updated in the past three or four months. Every time I do it, I say goodbye to at least five or six sites. The writers cite varying reasons for closing up shop, but I think there tends to be a common thread: the writer was never clear on their "Why?" Why blog? No, really. WHY?

Look, if you're blogging to make money or you are blogging because you want attention, you're going to end up in trouble before you even get started. I'm able to keep going because I know that I'm doing it for Alexis. I want her to have this history of her childhood. It's like having a baby book, only better. Much better.

Any time I start to wonder if a story is appropriate for this space, I ask myself, "Why?" If the story isn't in line with my overall goals, it doesn't get posted.

Any time I question if a photo should be posted here, I ask myself, "Why?" It only takes a second to figure out what to do once I'm focused on my motives.

And when it comes to figuring out what I should put in this space, I almost always fall back on my go-to fodder finding question, "What about today made it different from every other day?" It could be something good, something bad, or something ugly, but it's always followed up by, "Why?" Why did that event stand out? Why did it make me laugh? Why did it bother me?

I'll link to the video once it has been posted. In the meantime, how do those of you who maintain blogs find things to write about? Have any tips you care to share with the class?