Bad Blogging- Also Known As This Stuff Sucks

I wrote this post this past February and as part of my trip down memory lane decided to repost it for general consumption and thought. It seems to hold up.

I just finished reading Mochassid's latest commentary in which he says

I realized that I wrote some of my most compelling stuff (okay, other than the macaroon thread) in those early days when no one was watching. I have to admit that since then, most of my stuff has been drivel.

It is a common dilemma, something that many bloggers agree with. Mo further elucidates:

I find that this happens with most bloggers. They come out of the blocks with a head of steam and quickly peter out. Many stink from the beginning but others start with interesting takes but stop being interesting shortly after debuting. Ironically, since many bloggers are driven by their desire for hits but peak in hits only after having written everything interesting that they will ever write, most readers are drawn to them only after they descend to mediocrity.

The intrepid Baal Ha-Bayit of Treppenwitz has a solution he refers to as David's Room. Here is a description:

In a nutshell, the most frustrating aspect of a journal’s early life is that you can’t save your ‘good stuff’ for when you have a bigger readership… because, guess what? That readership is never going to show up unless you have the good stuff out there for them to read.

‘David’s Room’ posits that the first few months of a blog/journal’s life can be compared to someone reading their most intimate prose into an intercom… all the while hoping that someone – anyone - will eventually walk into the room on the other end and start listening (and maybe even talk back).

I am not sure that I agree with the gentleman. I think that initially you may find that you share many of your best stories early on, but it seems to me that any blogger worth their salt requires some time to find their sea legs.

That is, it takes time to find your voice and your place. Blogging is a skill, it is not something that most people can just sit down and do effectively. It requires time, patience and devotion to improvement. It is not merely a matter of having good stories to tell, but it requires a certain skill in effectively communicating your thoughts and feelings.

The blogs that capture me offer a combination of these elements.There are some bloggers who I read solely for their skills as wordsmiths. I think that their stories are junk, I can't relate to them or find them to be stupid. That is the truth, but I also know that I can always learn from others and I seek out writing that captures me, that grabs me by the balls and says read me.

To use an old cliche, when push comes to shove it seems to me that the blogs that last are going to be those that have authors that are intimately tied to their blogs. I have a love affair with my blog. She is my confidant and my best friend. Non-judgemental and forgiving she listens to my tales of happiness and destruction without question and without comment.

If you want my unsolicited advice, don't do this unless you are writing for yourself. It is the only way that you can truly be happy At least, at 12:36 am it makes sense to me. Maybe I'll feel differently during daylight hours.

Night all.

15 comments:

cruisin-mom said...

Jack, I just started writing on my blog that I had set up so I could bug other bloggers with my comments (not with the intention of writing)...and I asked myself that question..why write?...for others (as if anyone really wants my views on the world!) or for myself...answer?...has to be for yourself.

Stacey said...

If you don't do it for yourself it doesn't have the same honesty.

Irina Tsukerman said...

I think it's possible to do both. Nowadays, I blog I want to share something with the world. Why? No idea. I have a story to tell, and no one will stop me! ; )

cruisin-mom said...

Jack, thanks for stopping by...and I think that first it has to be for yourself first...but I will add, it sure is fun to have people comment!

Jack Steiner said...

Agreed on all accounts.

treppenwitz said...

If you don't like my stories you could just say so... you didn't have to call me stupid! :-)

Jack Steiner said...

Hey David,

What can I say. Only the best for you, ok maybe the second best the dear Shmata Queen gets the best.

Cleveland, bah!

Jack Steiner said...

Solid advice GI, you are correct.

Daled Amos said...

If Moshiach comes, what will be left to blog about?

Ezzie said...

Oh, that's easy. Why everyone was wrong about what Moshiach would be like :)

I'm kidding!

Blogging has to be for yourself; but often, that includes it being for others. It definitely makes me happy to see that others enjoy something I write about.

Daled Amos said...

What we are talking about here--isn't it a variation on the Peter Principle?

Jack Steiner said...

That is probably a fair assessment.

Batya said...

To be honest, I think my blogging and writing are getting better, quicker, more interesting with time. And I have a few blogs now.

Jack Steiner said...

Batya,

That is a good thing. Very nice.

Jack Steiner said...

Hi folks,

I am not sure why the font is off here. My apologies.

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