Clicking the publish button on a new post always requires me to muster both faith and courage.
I need faith in myself as a writer that I’ve written something worth reading.
I share, and then I question: Will this post resonate with you? Help you in some way? Make a difference?
I need courage because I sometimes share deeply, just past the point of what’s comfortable.
I share, and then I question: Is this too much self-disclosure? Has this new revelation crossed some invisible barrier between what’s appropriate to share and what’s not?
I also question: Why am I blogging? Is there value to this discipline of spending my early morning hours three times a week writing a post? Could I accomplish the same goals by posting twice a week? Once?
Here’s a confession, one that won’t surprise anyone: I love blogging. I enjoy writing posts; I enjoy sharing posts; I enjoy the friendships I am making as a result of writing in this space. I enjoy comments and retweets and seeing people share my work on Facebook.
Here’s another confession: apart from the fun of blogging, I am not clear about why I am doing it.
I first planned this blog when I knew my time writing the other one would end. I wanted my own blog so I could continue writing and stay present online. I thought having my own blog would help me find work.
Except this: once I started the blog, I didn’t need work. By that time, I had already finalized the conversations that would lead me to new, permanent employment.
So, I blog because I want to, because it’s fun, and because I enjoy the friendships and interaction I find here.
I also blog to share what I know, to add value to others, to maintain my own brand.
I write with courage and faith.
Tell me something! Do you blog? What are your reasons for blogging? What do you enjoy about blogging? How does writing a blog help you accomplish your goals?
I am the founder/CEO of the Weaving Influence team, the author of Reach: Creating the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause, and the host of the Book Marketing Action Podcast. I’m a wife and mom of three kids, and I enjoy running, reading, writing, coffee, and dark chocolate.
Funny, my very first blog was personal. I went off and indulged my smartass side and had to be reminded by my wife, who often has a better handle than I do on the big picture, that stuff put on the Internet must be regarded as eternal. It was clever and well-written, which I tend to, but of no real matter. My current and defunct, hacked-into efforts are all about me as a freelance book designer/page comp artist, getting the work, doing the work, and other book design minutae. Designed to convey how much I love making books and helping writers reach print–I’m not quite ready for prime-time at making ebooks–it’s one of my main efforts to market my services. (And, of course, I still manage to have fun with it.)
I have always felt like I HAVE TO write. I write from the heart. I write things that are begging to get out. I write even if nobody will read. So, for many years, that was the case. My writing and poetry filled notebooks and pieces of paper and paper napkins everywhere. So, when blogging came along, I found it fascinating. Nowadays it is a way of keeping my discipline. Always scary right before that publish button… maybe nobody will read it, or like it, or comment on it. So I can understand the part about the courage. I always feel so vulnerable in that instant. I also write as a discipline. For a year and a half or so I have been writing every day (not always publishing, but writing). To me, it’s healing, calming. And it connects me to people like you, builds my brand, gets my ideas out there to share with the world. I LOVE to blog… and I LOVE reading your passionate, heartfelt, smart blog, too! Keep weaving influence, my friend!
Monica, I like your “I write from the heart. I write things that are begging to get out. I write even if nobody will read.”. I am guessing that is where you worry about crossing the line with sharing Becky. I enjoy writing as it is healing. It helps me reflect and exercise a part of my brain that I think my job does not utilize enough. I wish I had more time to read and write, but only when I learn to monetize the habit will I indulge myself more I guess.
Becky,
Good morning. Great story. Courage comes in all shapes and sizes; and sharing something intimate, as you did in this post, takes courage. Thank you.
My business seeks to empower the NYC driving public with knowledge to make good, economically sound decisions when choosing where to park; and fight a parking ticket when they’re right.
I have been blogging regularly for a couple of years. I remember the first three months, waking up to the sounds of silence after every post. Thank G-d for parents who read. I continually asked myself the philosophical riddle,”If a blog post falls in cyberspace, and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?”
Happily, over time my audience grew beyond my family. I love the engagement, and new friends I meet blogging; as you do.
What is it about Steve Roesler’s Blog, “All Things Workplace” that resonates so deeply with you?
Becky,
I started my blog to teach and meet new people. When you said “Will this post resonate with you? Help you in some way? Make a difference?”, it mae me smile. I think that all the time.
Courage is something that was needed for me. You’re really putting yourself out there when you write a blog. I was amazed when I saw how many people from all over the world were reading it. That made it ever scarier.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Connie
Connie,
Welcome! I am glad you found my blog and I look forward to reading yours.
Thanks for taking the time to share a comment and encouragement with me.
As always your writing touches my soul. The truth and honesty in your words and thoughts are ones that I resonate with.
You are a brave woman.
You are a wonderful woman
You are brand, a brand of heart and soul.
Love what you do.
Lolly
Thanks so much for your comment and encouragement, Lolly. I am glad that my words reach you and resonate with you.
Hi Becky,
Keep writing.
Keep sharing.
Keep pushing your comfort zone.
We will keep reading.
Cheers,
David
My answer has two parts. I write because writing is how I make sense of things and how I learn. And I blog because blogging is a wonderful basket where I can collect pieces of my business life.
What a great image, Wally. I love the idea of blogging as a basket. Thanks for sharing, and thanks for taking the time to read (and comment on) my posts.
I am always grateful for our friendship.
I blog for the same reason: “…to share what I know, to add value to others, to maintain my own brand”. I rarely blog without some background research, so I do so also to force me to get to know a topic a little better.
Alan –
The research piece is impressive. The time I commit to blogging is fairly limited so I often write about whatever I am thinking about. Sometimes, it is related to something I am researching/learning/reading for work, but mostly it stems from life lessons and stories.
Thanks for taking the time to comment. I hope you’ll join us here again!
Becky,
I love that you blog. It is who you are. “Weaving Influence” is so personal and so real, I know you touch lives.
I find the whole process fascinating. I think blogging is calling me, but that “courage” thing is holding me back. I love to write, always have. The wheels in my brain are spinning, who knows? Maybe I’ll sit down and go for it. Meantime? I love reading so many wonderful bloggers.
Barb –
Exciting! If you decide to move ahead and start a blog, I know lots of people who will be encouraging you, cheering for you, and helping you all along the way. Be sure to reach out to me when you’re ready! I’d love to be your personal blogging coach. 🙂
I’m the odd one out… I don’t blog. Well, I do, or I will, as a contributor to the Lead Change Community and I blog for one of my social media clients.
Although I like to write, I choose not to blog. Primarily, I choose not to blog because there are many fabulous blogs out there (I would name them but I’m afraid I’d forget someone) that I would rather comment on what my leaderfriends write than write my own. I’m not as disciplined as I should be about commenting – which goes back to your discipline and productivity post earlier.
I’ve shared stories of successes and failures, lessons taught and lessons learned through outlets other than my own blog. And, at least for now, that’s all the fulfillment I need.
I have
Hi, Becky – another fascinating post and deceptively simple question.
Why do I blog?
Okay, I’ll put off doing my own blog a bit longer and tackle this one,even though you have already mentioned many of the reasons why I do this.
My very first blog post was written right after a job ended BADLY and I thought that writing about the process might be therapeutic. Hah! That was my only blog post for another year.
However, I do write for therapy. I find I need some sense of distance to write effectively. Maybe this is why so many of my posts reflect my current perceptions of things that have happened in the past. Blogging for me does not help with a recent wound, but it does wonders for my long-term health.
I also write for creativity. For most of my life, I have specifically excluded creativity from the list of “Things I can do”. Credit a somewhat rigid educational process, combined with my buying into the idea that creativity only counts if you sing, dance, or work some other kind of magic. Now I know creativity comes in many forms, one of which is blogging, and that I can be creative:).
Probably the next most important reason for writing is to express my thoughts, perceptions, feelings, experiences, and even an occasional “Aha”. Reflection is an essential element of the practice of life-long learning. blogging gives me the framework to regularly engage in the practicing of what I preach.
Okay, those are the thoughtful reasons . . . off the top of my head, I blog because I can, because I’m good at it, and because I enjoy i. What more reason does one need:).
Sigh . . . now I have to go mobilize
that creativity reflection I was just bragging about:)
John
Becky, I’m just so glad that you continued to blog after writing for the ‘other’ one. Your writing is so pure, honest, thoughtful and though-provoking. I can’t think of even one post I haven’t enjoyed.
For me, I write to share, sometimes to process my own thoughts, or perhaps to ask questions and gain further insights from others.
For every post I have written, I always feel blessed to receive more than I feel I give. Thoughtful comments, new learning or a special private message from someone who says “this was just what I needed to hear” are all things that routinely happen and remind me that this technology is such a gift!
And…between blogging and tweeting, I wouldn’t have met you, my dear friend! An even greater gift!
I really appreciate knowing that I’m not the only one who feels it takes an act of courage to hit the publish button. Each time I push the button, I experience a momentary gulp.
Having only been blogging for two months, I have been struggle to find a feedback mechanism that tells me how good my post was. Is it the number of retweets it gets? Is it the number of comments it gets? Is it the number of “hits” it gets? There are so many variables that affect each of these that I don’t see how they can be true measure of either the quality of my writing or whether my post was helpful. I am coming to the conclusion that the best judge is my own internal sense – how satisfied do I feel with what I have written. From this point of view, the motivation to blog has to come from an internal desire, not the desire for external recognition, as external feedback is not a reliable mechanism.
So, why do I blog? It’s still the same reasons I outlined when I began my blog: to express my thoughts, to make a contribution, to organize my thoughts, and for the discipline. Although I know why I am blogging, I am still struggling to find my voice, my style, the vehicle that works for me.
I don’t love writing the way many people who have responded to your post do. For me it is a means to an end. Words don’t flow easily for me. When I read the blogs of talented writers, I imagine that writing might come from another motivation. I am reminded of the answer to the question: why does the songbird sing?
It is such a pleasure to read blogs of talented writers like yourself, Becky, who are also experimenting with what they are going to say, how personal they are going to be, etc. It helps me see that becoming a good blogger is an ongoing journey, an evolution over time, rather than a goal to be achieved.
Thanks for the courage and faith you exercise to share yourself with us every time you post. It is encouraging to have conversations with people about things that they would not necessarily verbalize in a face-to-face discussion.
The reason I blog is to give glory to God. I find that unless I am deliberate about my relationship with Him and recording the things that He is doing in my life, I easily forget. I want others to know that He is at work in this world, and that there is life in Him.
Many times there is a churning in my gut, butterflies, wondering what people think of me. I wonder if they think that I am trying to preach at them or be judgmental. My intention is to worship with all of my life, and with all that God has given me.
Becky, I saw a recent TED Video that emphasized the importance of vulnerability in our lives. You remind me of that video.
Thank you for sharing what so many of us feel when we get ready to press the publish button! (It’s nice to know we are in great company!) One of your posts recently encouraged all of us to be more visible like the cardinal vs. the Turkey. The last time I got ready to press publish and felt the butterflies in my stomach, I reminded myself of your message and literally said out loud. “I choose to be visible.” Thank you for the inspiration and the encouragement!