Bear Blog question challenge

18 Jan, 2025

So, here I am today, writing about blogging because Brandon—whose blog I really enjoy reading—tagged me. Thank you for thinking of me! I don't really know who I should tag myself since I don't know that many bloggers (yet), whether on Bear or elsewhere. But maybe Hannes is interested (and uses Webmentions). Otherwise, consider the link just a recommendation. I also thought about Andreas, but he already did the challenge, and someone else whose blog is no longer accessible (and if that stays the case, I might have to remove them from my link list).

The challenge was initiated by Ava. So, here we go.

1. Why did you make the blog in the first place?

Well, I have always enjoyed blogging, even though not consistently and certainly not consistently in the same place.

2. Why did you choose Bearblog?

As mentioned, I’ve always found joy in blogging. But over time, it kind of faded because the sense of community that once existed on blogging platforms seemed to have disappeared. I think many who grew up with the "Old Web" can relate. By then, I had started filling paper journals. When I discovered the Indie Web, my hope of regaining that lost sense of community returned. At first, I tried using Astro — a framework for creating static websites via node.js and npm — but I eventually needed a simpler solution. I’d been eyeing Bear Blog for a while. Since it’s so simple and has (almost) everything I need, aligns with my Indie Web ideals, offers a community, and allows CSS customization — just the right amount, not too overwhelming — it was a perfect fit.

3. Have you blogged on other platforms before?

Oh, absolutely! Let’s see if I can name them all:

• Livejournal
• Dreamwidth
• Blogger
• Tumblr
• Hatena
• Yahoo Japan
• Posterous
• Note.com (Japanese service)
• Ameblo (Japanese service)
• Livedoor (Japanese service)
• Wordpress.com
• Wordpress (self-hosted)
• Medium

After that, I moved on to Astro, followed by Bear.

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

Usually, I write posts somewhere else first. When I’m on the go, I use Notion. At home, I use VS Code, which has the advantage of allowing me to preview my post in a separate window. For longer posts, I write in German first and then usually let Deepl translate them — or sometimes ChatGPT (just to translate, not to change!).

5. When do you feel most inspired to write?

When I have an experience, or thoughts that make me reflective or introspective. So there’s no specific time like "in the shower".

6. Do you publish immediately after writing or let it simmer as a draft?

If I’m at home and continuously working on a post, I’ll publish it immediately after everything looks good to me. If I’m on the go (like in the tram, for instance), I can’t finish a post in one go but add to it bit by bit when I get the chance. Then I handle translation and publishing later when I’m at a "real" computer.

7. Your favorite post on your blog?

I think it’s the post My journals of 2024, because I imagine I’ll enjoy looking back on that kind of post in the future to see all my journals summarized.

8. Any future plans for your blog? Maybe a redesign, changing the tag system, etc.?

Usually, I make small changes whenever I feel like it. However, integrating Webmentions is on my list.

By the way, I’ve already written a blog post about how I landed on Bear: So I am with Bear now, I invite you to read that one if you want to know more details.
That’s it for today!

#blogging #indie web