Blogging used to scare the crap out of me. It really does get better though. I read blogs for several months before ever even thinking about leaving a comment, and it's still hard to blog sometimes if I'm in a funk or feeling particularly uninspired.
I find that the blogs I enjoy most are, in fact, those that include very researched posts. I used to try to change my writing style to be 'more casual' when I first started blogging, but now I've decided to embrace my nerdiness. Blogging does mean a freedom from stylistic constraints, but it doesn't mean that you have to focus only on the personal. The best bloggers write about what matters to them, and they back their ideas up with evidence - just like the best columnists do. So, welcome to the blogging world, I know you'll be a natural.
You are doing a great job...and will continue to do so! I am getting used to blog writing in this particular format...so you are not alone with your feelings of adustment. The more you do it, the easier it will become.
Thanks, everyone! I think I am starting to get the hang of it. I'm hoping the blog will help me find ways to think and write about my personal experiences in a way that makes them relevant to others. :)
(And yes - pigeons totally freak me out. They love to dive bomb my head. Inexplicable.)
September 23, 2008 at 2:08 AM
Pigeons, underwire, karaoke, handling raw meat, sports bars, dressing rooms, first dates…and BLOGGING.
This is not an exhaustive list, unfortunately, but let me just say, that last one has me quaking in my boots these days. Blogging really intimidates me. When we first talked about creating a TWM Blog, I knew right away that I wanted to be a part of it. It would be unique, exciting, and a great way to connect with other women. Then I realized that this meant I'd actually have to write stuff, and people would actually read it. Gulp. That's when the butterflies came.
For a freelance writer to be uncomfortable with words, well, that's pretty much career suicide. But blogging is just not the same. Blog posts aren't planned, researched, and plotted in the way I am used to doing in my regular work. They're not stories I made up, or a collection of facts I gathered -- they're just me, talking about my life. And, let's face it, who would be interested in that?
Sally and Pauline are both experienced bloggers. I am definitely the opposite. I've avoided the blogosphere for years because there are many things I don't understand about it. But I’m learning. At our Blog Launch Party, I talked with several women who, like me, aren't big blog readers, but were intrigued by CHICKS ROCK! too. It made me feel good to know that I’m not the only one here who is new to the blogosphere, and perhaps still a little uncomfortable in it.
So I just want to share a few things I've realized in the last couple weeks, in case there are others out there who feel the same uncertainty I do. I've learned that blogging is not about being right, or being profound -- it's just about sharing. Sharing not just as a means for self-expression, but as a call for connection, for affirmation, for someone to hear you and respond. That's why we hope you'll comment on our posts, even if it's only to say a few words, like "That's interesting," "I can relate to that," "I totally disagree," or "My experience with [fill-in-the-blank] was quite different," because we want to develop a conversation rich with ideas and viewpoints.
Whether or not you chime in, your presence as a reader is important to us. If commenting is a challenge for you, that's okay. In fact, it's good. It means you have something important to say and you want to say it well. My fellow bloggers have assured me that posting and commenting become easier the more you practice, and I'm finding that they're right.
I've challenged myself to be an active part of CHICKS ROCK! and I hope you will do the same!
"Things That Make Me Nervous"
4 Comments -
Blogging used to scare the crap out of me. It really does get better though. I read blogs for several months before ever even thinking about leaving a comment, and it's still hard to blog sometimes if I'm in a funk or feeling particularly uninspired.
I'll keep reading whatever you write!
September 22, 2008 at 11:03 AM
I find that the blogs I enjoy most are, in fact, those that include very researched posts. I used to try to change my writing style to be 'more casual' when I first started blogging, but now I've decided to embrace my nerdiness. Blogging does mean a freedom from stylistic constraints, but it doesn't mean that you have to focus only on the personal. The best bloggers write about what matters to them, and they back their ideas up with evidence - just like the best columnists do. So, welcome to the blogging world, I know you'll be a natural.
And yeah - how scary are pigeons, right?
September 22, 2008 at 5:16 PM
You are doing a great job...and will continue to do so! I am getting used to blog writing in this particular format...so you are not alone with your feelings of adustment. The more you do it, the easier it will become.
September 22, 2008 at 10:07 PM
Thanks, everyone! I think I am starting to get the hang of it. I'm hoping the blog will help me find ways to think and write about my personal experiences in a way that makes them relevant to others. :)
(And yes - pigeons totally freak me out. They love to dive bomb my head. Inexplicable.)
September 23, 2008 at 2:08 AM