I watched the new version of Fame last night. Yes once more I am inspired by a movie.
Anyway, the premise of Fame is having the courage to follow your dreams. A great part of the film is about the characters coming out of their shells, getting them to express and accept themselves. It is about having the courage to stand up and say “this is me and I’m okay with whether you like that or not”.
It got me thinking about this blog. I have no unfulfilled desire to be a published writer, and this is not a vehicle for me to test a book. It is more a mechanism to force me to write on a regular basis.
But, as far as I’m aware I have few regular readers. This is a deliberate thing on my part, I have been playing with this idea, the constraint of writing to a theme and the novelty of writing for an audience (albeit unseen) when I am used to journalling. That has meant that I haven’t exposed myself to ridicule, or criticism by publicising this fact with my friends. However, it has also shut me off from constructive feedback.
So to return to the Fame analogy, what is the point of the hard work and perseverance, if I don’t have the courage? If I write and no one is reading, is it still a blog?
Thanks for not making me watch it.
Yes, its still a blog even if nobody reads like. Just like its still a journal, especially if nobody else reads it.
I’ve often wondered about the purpose of blogs. Some seem to be only to promote their writer’s own political or ideological ideas. Others as simply a online journal, that really should be kept private. Still others an log of notes and things to remember. And yet others are open letters, sent to the world in the way you would update a distant relative with the goings-on in your life.
Make your blog yours. It can only be all that what you want it to be. And that’s just fine.
The reason you started the blog was for you, and just making it public means that people can find it. So that is the hardest part right there. i don’t think you need to publicise it. I think you need to get your head around this step and make sure that you are comfortable.
People will come…