I’ve been reading about blogging, and it seems that I’m not doing it right.
Those in the know about such things tell us writers, mostly in their blogs, that to blog is to create a personal online community, one which is thirsty for the writer’s words and self revelations; writing that steps toward the daily Diary or Journal, and away from more sedate Opinion or Editorial. The most successful of blogs these days – and it seems to change every day – drone on and on about the personal trials of having a newborn, or looking for a job, or recreating the work place, or reinventing the government, or the economy, or the Church. Again. These exemplars are often writing on the fly, with nary a concern for punctuation, spelling, brevity, or privacy. It’s all about capturing the reader, and capturing as many as possible.
You may have noticed that I’m not much of a rebel when it comes to the niceties of the published essay. I have spent far too many years putting words into sentences to drop punctuation or spelling for the sake of being current. In fact, I hate it when I find a mistake after I hit the Publish Post button. And having a couple of deadlines to meet (in newsprint and online) makes me very unlikely to post here too often.
But for this writer/preacher/therapist to blur the boundary between self and audience, to say more than is prudent, to share information that I’ve been asked to hold as private: that’s a scary thought.
To have good human relationships, in part, means to know that there is a real difference between me and you. And the differences need to have breathing room, space to breathe, and respect from each of us to flourish. If I blather on and on about just myself in this space between us, there isn’t any room for you. If you trust me with personal, sensitive information and I write about it, I’ve broken your trust. Even if someone else wants to read about it for the drama of it all. Even if it seems entertaining.
So, I guess I’ll be at the back of the blogging pack on this one. I won’t write specifically about any of my clients. I won’t share anything of my family without thinking several times and then asking permission. I’m going to stay away from the most personal in order to say more about the shared. I’m going to be a blogger who posts less frequently, does more editing, and points more often beyond my little life to the world beyond.
Call me a slacker. It’s just how I roll. Or write. 🙂