how personal should a blog be?

Yes. As a blogger I can blog about anything. Its entirely up to the readers to choose their posts. If its interesting they're gonna come back, else no. 

And neither would I read an emotional blog. 

The trick is in understanding what you really want. If you need more readers, which normally bloggers do want, you need to check which of your posts are drawing more readers and write more on those lines. You can use the Analytics tool to keep you up with it. Generally when you do that, you don;t write a lot of emotional stuff .

There are personal blogs where people share certain aspects of their lives and there are impersonal business and techie blogs too.  I think the parameters on how personal a blog should be depends on the individual.  I have both a personal and a business blog.  What works for one blog doesnt work for the other.

I think a blog with a bit of emotion is cool - it lends character!

one should always personalise one's post.. like renie rightly said...thats what lends character into one's blog and thus makes ppl keep coming back for more. so if that means it sounds like a page out of one's personal diary so be it.

there is no harm in sharing or pouring out one's emotion.. provided everything is being done in good faith .

Well, I would love an emotionless blog too - I, Robot.

Personal blogs are a great way to learn about people who live very different lives from our own. Some personal blogs have great insights. Having said that, I'm averse to reading blogs that go "I got up in the morning, brushed my teeth,....rearranged my desk". Hell, I'd take a look at my own life instead. A blogger should be as 'personal' as he or she can get away with.

While some people start blogs to write about something they know about like computers, cooking, cars, just plain facts on things etc, there are others that write very personal things about themselves and their feelings.

In someways, these bloggers are not really writing the blogs for others to read...it is really more of a on line diary:

You don't 'see' anyone reading your blog..so you subconsciously assume that you are the only person reading it. When people comment...you get the small thrill that you get when you let out a secret and you feel safe in not knowing who the other person is and vice-versa.

Many readers like reading these personal blogs because it almost feels like you are reading someones personal diary.....

Did you know that personal blogs are very therapeutic? Many people don't have someone to talk to or tell their personal problems..and a blog is their only outlet.

These were some of my thoughts on this...psychologically speaking...there is a lot more to blogging then meets the eye!!

tc,

Nalini

@Nalini - Sure it is. People blog for many reasons. Lot of people have ofcourse personal blogs. Many educative, fun, Extraterestrial, and some depressing too ;-)

I've seen a lot of people write especially for ranting. Even I had one for a brief time. So certainly in a way it eases your mind.

A Personal Blog is rather a contradiction in terms :-)  I would suggest to keep a *physical* personal diary to pour one's heart out.

But, these are my thoughts [more at: What is the reason for someone to create and maintain a Weblog?]

On a separate note, BlogHerald had a similar question: "How Much of Yourself Do You Reveal When Blogging?"

All the best!

http://blog.mindgap.in

Some bloggers do use their blogs as online diaries. Well, each one to his own. Readers have the choice to read or not to read.

Its the writer's choice !! and the writer's freedom to express either his or yours or some one's life :) It should be decent and interesting !!