If the writers of yore had their diaries — think Anne Frank and Virginia Woolf, both of whom left behind a personal account of their life and times in their journals — the aspiring writer of today has a blog.

A blog, for anyone who still doesn’t know, can be defined as a weblog; a sort of a journal, a forum or a social interaction website where subscribers share their comments as ‘posts’. The birth of blogs dates back to the early 1990s; since then it has evolved to incorporate a number of features, like the owner — known as the blogger — being able to share a particular article with countless people, who then become part of the community or ‘blogosphere’.

Since anyone who has access to a PC and an internet connection can potentially become a blogger, the internet is, predictably, flooded with blogs of all sorts and variety. As one can imagine, most are no more than the juvenile ramblings of people who have nothing to say and unlimited cyber space to say it. There are, of course, exceptions to the rule. In its ‘25 Best Blogs, 2012’ Time.com puts together a list of blogs that are rich in content and unique in conception.

Some mainstream journalists may label bloggers as trouble-makers, but for more and more people blogs are a place to get the most up-to-date information regarding a new restaurant, fashion tips and even political updates. As more and more people turn towards websites to satisfy their thirst for knowledge, they subscribe to blogging websites. Blogs are mostly unbiased and thus not threatened by any political figure. Blogs help people share opinions, exchange ideas and learn different things.

However, not all bloggers remain unbiased and independent; studies show that many bloggers end up making it huge by becoming a part of some business venture. According to an article by Benjamin Carlson of The Atlantic, “Of the top 50 blogs, 21 are owned by such familiar names as CNN, the New York Times, ABC and AOL.” This clearly illustrates that bloggers have a promising future. The web critic, Nicholas Carr, says “blogging has evolved to become a lot more like traditional mass medium.” Matthew Hindman, the author of The Myth of Digital Democracy, states “the era when political comment on the web was dominated by solo bloggers writing for free is gone.”

However, even solo blogging promotes social awareness and can be used to generate money. Scottish schoolgirl Martha Payne raised almost $200,000 for charity with her blog, NeverSeconds, a critique of food served in school canteens.

But even if your blog does not achieve a lofty aim, it serves as a platform where you can voice your thoughts and opinions; a way to connect to the outside world, to vent, pontificate, ramble or just muse over what matters to you. A blog is your diary and a place where your thoughts get a voice.