Spo-Reflections on blogging for others

I was pleased as punch to see the blogger meme generated many comments and got some takers.** I read the bloggers who did the meme are sensible sorts who blog first and foremost for themselves.  Nevertheless, I thought I would expand on the ‘advice for bloggers’ question, particularly ‘writing for others’.

This is when I/you consciously write with “I am writing this for my audience” in the back of your mind.

Comments are curious critters. Despite the intellect, comments still illicit in me “the whole blogging community loves me” when they are numerous and “the whole blogging community hates me” when they are not.

Knowing you have some readers presses one (me) to write regularly. I am a firm believer if I can’t think of anything, I will not write. However I get 3AM guilty visions of disgruntled Spo-fans shouting over the internet: “More blogs!” “More shirts!” “More Notes from the Office!” (and probably) ‘F*ck the Board of Directors, we want some filth!”

Built into running a blog is the neurotic worry you will run out of ideas.  “Damn. I just used my last idea” was said after my tenth entry, back in 2006.  “Damn, I just used my last idea” was said after I posted #3000.  This doesn’t go away, but I’ve learned to ignore it.
Sometimes I wish I were told what to write, as I have no control of The Mercurial Muses. The Board of Directors Here at Spo-Reflections is all to happy to give me a fixed schedule but when I get ideas from others I rarely use them – although they make me see more clearly my own ideas. This is the paradox of ‘You ain’t the boss of me!’

 

These matters are probably what a ‘proper writer’ experiences: he/she feels great to be his/her own creator, with his/her own schedule and being his/her own boss, while simultaneously anxious when will it all dry up and end.  Happily, blogging is my hobby, not my career. It’s one thing to endure a stressful job but a stressful hobby makes no sense.  If you are not happy with it, then put it down.

Just don’t go away!

 

 

** I was more than a little disappointed about the lack of empathy for aardvarks, but one can’t have everything.