No, I really do. I’ve started about four blogs now, with great enthusiasm and grand visions, only for them to slowly fade away due to neglect, busyness or writer’s block.
The latter is the worst. I think my mental block with blogging is that I’m not sure who I’m speaking to, or for what purpose I’m writing. As it’s unlikely that anybody will read this (unless I pick up some kind of following, which is unlikely unless I overcome said mental blocks…. (I think there is a vicious circle in here somewhere)) blogging feels like I’m talking to myself.
The reason I mention this (Why am I justifying myself? who am I talking to???) is that I have recently started a MOOC – Humanizing Online Instruction: The #HumanMOOC in an attempt to understand more about ‘humanizing pedagogy’ (a phrase which I first heard at the ICDE Conference at Sun City back in October (which was great by the way)). Some of the lovely enthusiastic teachery participants on there are very keen on this blogging thing.
I also have another problem with blogging – it doesn’t seem much like a collaborative activity to me. Apparently, there are ‘blog hubs’, although I haven’t seen many. Sure, you can reply to a blog post, but it’s not the same as on a forum, or on Twitter, where you can easily switch between conversations in a social group. And I much prefer the shorter form of electronic written communication – the nature of blogging makes me feel under pressure to write something ‘extended’ or ‘noteworthy’ and the writer’s block kicks in (as opposed to the pressure to write something profound in 140 characters in Twitter, which is a different kind of pressure, and which leads to me taking half an hour to write a single tweet, which I’m still not happy with, and then I remember I’ve got to include a @handle and a damn #hashtag!)
Also, I suspect that the key to blogging is spontaneous writing. If I sat down and planned what I was going to write I would end up with a nice plan but no blog post. And unfortunately, when I start spontaneously writing I lose sense of structure. A bit like when I start speaking publicly.
In conclusion, the jury is still out (that little tiny jury in my head with little versions of myself (that reminds me, I need to watch Inside Out at some point – heard lots of good things about that)) for me on blogging. I think perhaps the key is: spontaneity, which is both Very Difficult To Spell and also Not At All Natural To Me. And also a change in mindset: perhaps I should start all blog posts with a question or a challenge, so I have some kind of purpose. So I feel I’m talking to somebody else outside of myself (or said jurors in my head).
Ok, I’ve given it a go. I’ve blogged something for the first time this year.
p.s. It seems like nested brackets…
Oh, I love the image you are using for the blog banner! And I know the feeling: some blogs I write just for myself, some blogs really do have an audience – my Bestiaria has built up a big audience over many years, slowly but surely:
http://bestlatin.blogspot.com/
But some blogs are just kind of “holding areas” for stuff that comes from Twitter and G+ like the graphics I save here; otherwise, they would just disappear down the social media stream… so this blog is kind of s scrapbook I guess (it’s totally automated; I don’t even post there; IFTTT posts there for me):
http://myinoreader.blogspot.com/
The main reason I use blogs is for fast, easy content development. It’s so much easier than a website, and by making creative use of labels and such, you can create blog sites with thousands of pages that are still pretty navigable! And I do class announcements as a blog too; VERY handy!
http://ouclassannouncements.blogspot.com/
So even if you don’t use it often, it’s good to have a blog lying around just WAITING to be used. Kind of like going to buy a beautiful new notebook… not knowing what you are going to write in that nice new notebook. But having it ready just in case! 🙂
BLOG ON!!! 🙂
Thanks Laura! I took the picture myself – it’s the Boudhanath Stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal 🙂
Thanks for the tips – I’ll attempt to keep writing and see if I get used to it!
I understand, Andy. Although I’m a serial blogger too — even have one named McGee’s Cyber Closet, my own blogging is through a dry spell. I may not quite hate blogging but have been ambivalent about it lately. I’ve been blogging since 2006. This is not the first dry spell, so I’ll just wait it out. The idle blogs aren’t going anywhere, are waiting for me. They don’t eat, need dusting or take up closet space.
While waiting, I’m trying to have more conversations elsewhere. It’s part of the same process.
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