Monday 19 April 2010

5 Reasons Why I Don't Really Like Blogging


I've been taking a blog break. I didn't visit my site at all, in fact I pretended I didn't have a blog (consequently I haven't looked at my blog roll either and haven't written any comments on my favourite blogs... apologies for that!)

I just felt I needed a break from the relentless (if self-imposed) ritual of writing a post every other week.

I have been thinking about blogging though, and why - for me - it's a chore rather than a pleasure. I hope that by reflecting about it, I can overcome my hesitations, and I'm also hoping for some tips - maybe from people who've been doing it for longer than me. The following are my thoughts, they're not complaints or rants, or anything serious - just some reflections.

(1) I am still struggling with the formatting and layout. When I upload photos, it can still happen that my whole body-copy gets messed up and shaken around. That's defintely something I find discouraging... but of course I know this is my own fault and could be overcome by better know-how!

(2) I am very very interested in my chosen "field". I find inter-/cross/-meta-cultural communication and everything related to it fascinating. However, this subject doen't easily find a like-minded community, like say Food, or History, or Photography. I therefore feel I lack community-support. Like I'm just writing about some odd-ball topic which people are happy to share to a certain extent, but don't find very relevant.

(3) I'm not totally comfortable with the shifting balance of personal confession and purveying of information. I know some people are happy writing about their dog, husband, or innermost feelings. And that's perfectly alright. But that sort of public diary-confessional isn't me. I recently read a post which got 30 comments, almost all of which said "Great post, thank you for sharing". That's not what I want to do at all. But it's not possible to go all scientific, and technical because a blog just isn't the right format, and readers aren't sufficiently interested (quite rightly!) to go down that route with you. So for me, there remains an uneasy balance between information and confession.

(4) Whilst a blog is your very own form of expression, and can in theory be written and designed however you want to, I feel that would be an imposition on my readers. It cannot for example, be terribly long. People would quite rightly switch off. Which means you have to talk about a subject which can easily be handled in bite-size pieces. Ideally with a short intro, a bit of banter, and own experience, and then rounded up with a question or statment at the end which makes readers want to comment. But a lot of interesting topics cannot be presented in such a way. Are they therefore unbloggable? I fear that's the case.

(5) My last point, and by far the gravest, is the promoting of posts. I really really (and I mean really) dislike hawking my stuff around and getting on people's nerves. But there's so much pressure - after all the comments are what connects you to your readers, so you need to pull' em in. I have been very fortunate with my comments, and have often felt that the comments were more interesting than what I'd written. But that doesn't make the promoting any easier....

How do you feel about blogging? Do you have similar concerns? Do you feel blogging is fun and worthwhile? I feel I could really do with some advice...

10 comments:

  1. I don't like it either!

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  2. Good post Margit, I can relate to lots of your points. Sometimes blogging is such a chore and I always feel very self conscious self publicising. Recently I have been doing more of that "confessional" style of blog which felt a little weird to me. I got a few comments on my blog and a few more on facebook but more emails from friends and strangers who had read the post and said that it helped them or a loved one who they had forwarded it to.
    That has left more pressure on me! Now when I go back to blogging about food I've cooked, moving house amd just random stuff it's going to be so dull in comparison to my big blog entry!
    Your blog is so unique Margit, and I know that must also make it quite lonely as you say there are not many other blogs of a similar nature. But I think that makes your blog even more important, that it is so unique!
    Please keep it up!

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  3. first I think you have a very interesting and engaging blog even without knowing all the secrets about you, so hope you don't stop

    I agree the interaction is the best part of blogging but in reality most people just don't comment (at least on my blog).
    I know what you mean about the hawking, I am guilty of it myself. My time would be better spent on other things.

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  4. Margit I think life is too short to do anything that you don't get paid for or pleasure from unless its essential.. I love to blog, I love to read blogs .. but not all the time .. Sometimes, like right now, I haven't got time to blog and don't really have a lot to say as I know my veg needs planting, my garden needs attention.. my house needs attention and we are starting to build again in three weeks so there will be only less time and I need to clear out the building that we are renovating.. maybe then I will be in the mood as it can be an escape from it all xxx

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  5. Having spent so much of my life in one kind of therapy or another, I find writing my blog my kind therapy now.
    I admit (to my shame) that sometimes I write things because I want a reaction. I want/need feedback. Sometimes I write because I just need an outlet for my emotion. and feelings
    I kind of need my blog at the moment. But if I didn't I wouldn't do it...

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  6. Great to have you back Margit! The blogging world is an MT place without you. Even when you are still thinking about blogging!

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  7. I share your concerns about writing blogs. but unlike yours, mine get virtually zero comments. so I have less concerns, as I am closer to zero. I think that all forms of self-expression can be beneficial, even if there is a limited format and a limited number of readers in todays web-log world. And you don't need to be JJ Rousseau. Montaigne wrote in a very personal manner many centuries ago. He called them Essais. Nice try or tries. Maybe now they would be called blogs. But sharing personal experiences, finding a form of objective correlative, can only help build bridges, intercultural or otherwise, and use "the word" to better effect than many a philosopher. So blog on down. And keep 'em coming. Enrich the logosphere.

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  8. Perhaps, if your subject matter is what you would consider terribly long, then you could break it down over several blog posts.

    As for promoting, all you have to do is twitter the link to your blog update. That doesn't disturb people who are following you; just gives them a heads up that you have posted new material.

    But, ultimately, if blogging is not bringing you pleasure, then it might not be something you need to do for now.

    You can stay connected with people by chatting on Twitter and, if and when you do write something for your blog, you can alert everyone to it by the method I mentioned above.

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  9. Firstly, I must say I really enjoy your 'Intercultural Musings' and on whatever subject you choose to present for our pleasure: and it is a pleasure reading your blog, as I always feel better for reading it. Edward is correct you enrich the blogosphere.

    That said, I really do empathise with lots of the issues you raise and if you visit my blog you will see this is not an hollow remark. I am a novice and what's more I don't find it easy to push myself to improve. You on the other hand make it look so easy because your writing is perfection. I was stunned to read some of the points you raise in the blog above, because until reading them I would never have guessed you were experiencing this conflict.

    Just like Wildernesschic I have many, many demands on my time - and I don't mean to bleat about this, because we all have demands to meet, but I guess what I have realised is that when I feel really moved by something I will sit and write a blog post, in the only way that I can, viz. from the heart. Or I'll write a comment on someone's elses blog ... because it is something I can't let pass by ... I won't let pass by. My writing isn't a technical masterpiece but I don't mind being corrected if someone chooses to do so: yours is technically sound and inspires me to do much better. So please, please don't stop!

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