I wasn’t explicitly asked by anyone to join the Blog Questions Challenge, but I guess I can just join and also tell a bit about my blogging process. So here are the questions and answers:

Why did you start blogging in the first place?

I am not completely sure anymore, but I think what pushed me to start blogging was my discovery of the platform Medium. Some of the first posts were from an Interrail train trip across Europe with a friend in 2015 (almost ten years ago!). But on Medium I also started a so-called publication with articles and news about Android and app development, where many people contributed through the years. Later, I also started an “open-source magazine” about Android and Android apps. In my last school year (2016/2017) I also started blogging about personal topics as it was a tough time back then.

What platform are you using to manage your blog, and why did you choose it?

Since 2020 I have been using my own blogging software, GoBlog. After jumping between Medium, WordPress, Medium and Hugo with additional software pieces to provide custom functionality, I decided to just write my tool that does everything I need from a blogging platform. And when I fancy new features, I just add them.

Have you blogged on other platforms before?

I think, I just answered that. I was using Medium for a long time, but after realizing that I wanted more control over my blog, I decided to move it back to my server and used Hugo for quite some time. But just now, I realize, I am probably using GoBlog for the longest time of my blogging journey so far.

How do you write your posts?

Some posts I write directly in the GoBlog editor, but longer posts I often write in LanguageTool and just copy them to publish. When I’m feeling lazy or don’t find the right words, I sometimes also write posts in German first and let DeepL translate them to English. At least when they are meant for my English and not my German blog. Posts I publish in both languages (like my monthly reviews), I usually write in German first and then publish a translated version in English as well.

When do you feel most inspired to write?

Sometimes I discover something interesting I want to share, sometimes I read something thought-provoking, and sometimes I am just feeling a need to tell something. Then I just write…

Do you publish immediately after writing, or do you let it simmer a bit as a draft?

…and publish almost immediately.

What’s your favorite post on your blog?

I have no idea what’s my favorite posts of all the hundreds of posts, but I like the posts about the three-day bike tour I did last summer or my review of 2024.

Any future plans for your blog?

In the past, I blogged a lot, maybe also too much with too less substance, but I want to get back into the blogging habit, as my blogging statistics also show that I’m blogging less. Sharing interesting things with the world and inspiring people feels great, my blog is my place where I can geek out. Let’s see if 2025 becomes a year of blogging again.

Who’s next?

Every blogging person. I want to read more of your blogging workflows and why you started blogging in the first place. Feel free to message me a link to your post and I will read it.