I love reality TV, even though there is nothing realistic about it. I don’t imagine most people ending up on an island voting off the people perceived as threats. We’re too comfortable in my suburban bliss.
We all love the twists and turns of a good story. There’s nothing like seeing the hero triumph over the odds, or the horror of an unexpected twist. The drama, the relationships and actions that border on the real and surreal keep us coming back for more.
And so it goes with blogging as well.
I haven’t been a good blogger. I don’t write as much, and I don’t read as much. When I do read, don’t take the time to leave thoughtful comments or share it out on Twitter. I just don’t care for that any more.
But I do love watching the drama between bloggers.
The one true way to blog
Somewhere along my ten years as a blogger, I missed that there is one true way to blog. The one true way to blog is known only to bloggers with an ego bigger than their Facebook page. When they see something that they disagree with, they immediately dismiss it, because it does not fit within the one true way to blog. Typically, the one true way to blog dismisses the post in a line-by-line break down of everything that is wrong with the offending blog post
And if you want to learn more about the one true way to blog, you can buy their ebook, or subscribe to their exclusive community of like-minded professionals.
Finding your own way
Everyone blogs differently. Some of us write. Some of us post photos. Others draw comics. Some sit in front of a camera or microphone, recording everything.
And that’s what makes the internet so powerful. Through our words and creations, we can all find ways to express ourselves. For every person drilled in AP style, there’s another who is writing her first post.
Your way will be different than my way. Maybe you will be helpful. Maybe you’ll be funny. Maybe you’ll be both, and post a great video while you’re at it.
The key is to experiment and find what you enjoy. When you enjoy it, you’ll stick with it. And when you stick with it, you’ll see results.
There’s always something new to learn. Something new to try. But if you get bogged down within the one true way to blog, you’ll never get anywhere.
Thanks for saying what needs to be said, Jay! I’ve always considered myself a part-time blogger (considering I’ve taken a year off to ponder new inspiration) but your post made me realize that there’s nothing wrong with that. So I’m not posting every day or building a “real” community- that’s okay! I think as long as you write about what you’re passionate about and enjoy the blogging experience, then there’s no one way to do it.
I worry that as social media marketers, we are pushing people and brands to be “part of the conversation” or “content curators” when in actuality, people don’t want to hear that much thoughtless content.
You made me embarassed to leave without a comment. 🙂
Yes. I agree. People should be themselves and the right readers will follow. It’ll be hard to sustain writing about topics you’re not passionate about.