Between you and me, the statement of why I continue blogging should be something of a affirmation to a blogging mid life crisis (500 posts and upwards). However, the COVID-19 pandemic has put everything into perspective. Not only are we questioning our everyday provisions but also our activities, safety and the health of our loved ones like never before. But on the lower rung of those essential concerns, this sentence has been nagging me like a beastly predator, circling its feeble prey with a maddening obsession.

The answer is seemingly easy, because I love it. If you want a longer response then strap yourselves in. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve quite got the hang of blogging. Sure, by definition, I’m putting out an opinion on a semi regular basis. But I’ve always had this perception that blogging is akin to someone who finishes a race, frantically types about their experiences and hits send before the sweat dissipates.

I’m not like that. I take my time. Part of this comes from wanting to preserve the experience. Whenever I see a movie, I’m not satisfied with leaving it on the sidewalk of life and mumbling a few words about it. Instead, I want to get to grips with it. Sometimes that can be a right pain in the proverbial ass. But at other times, it can be rewarding.

Okay. Big pretentious speech time. If you’d rather go wrestle for toilet rolls at your nearest Tesco, then I understand. But for those of you still awake in the back row, here goes nothing. To me, going to watch a film is akin to seeing a large projected dream for two hours. With this in mind, writing about a cinematic experience is similar to writing about a dream. While watching, certain things will hit your subconscious and it’s the writer’s job to untangle those elements and give voice to them. When you put it that way, film writing can sound like a chore.

But the experience has never ceased to fascinate and hook me. Even when you feel like pulling your hair out because you can’t quite come up with the right words for something. Or nothing is coming at all. There’s always an inherent trust that something will come and those momentary revelations are like unlocking an incredibly intricate puzzle.

I also love writing about film because it’s a precise form of writing. You have to pinpoint exactly what is or not working and then pull from the film to support your point. In this way, you’re like a lawyer who is putting together a case for the court room.

There’s also a constant striving in Film Writing. Cinema is still a relatively young medium with its own language. I’m always trying my best to watch and understand it (via discussion about the filmmaking and how it reinforces theme and aesthetic). But there are also the other elements: acting, film scoring and cinematography that always keeps you on your toes insofar as consideration of a film is concerned.

Above all, writing and by extension blogging is where I feel most comfortable. It’s my way of coming out on a stage and delivering a monologue for a certain amount of time. It’s personal, fun and always engaging. For those of you who’ve read, commented and liked my posts, over the years, I thank you. It’s sincerely appreciated. And for those who have fallen asleep, I hope you’ve had pleasant dreams.

In the coming days, I will get into how COVID-19 is effecting my future content. But for now, what keeps you blogging? Let me know in the comments below.