I learned something new about myself.
I am a horrible blogger.
I’ve known this for about a month now but haven’t figured out exactly what I should do with the information. It’s not exactly something the general public wants to know, but as a journalism master’s student, blogs are in my life. I am taught about blogs. I read blogs. And I understand (sort of) the importance of posting my own blogs.
So, I decided to give it a try. I wrote lots of things down, things that I thought worthy of the Internet. I scribbled on scrap paper and typed Word documents. But I couldn’t complete the task – I never posted anything (until it was assigned).
I also listened to the professionals. Not specifically about blogging but about how to become a better writer. I read books on the subject. I did research. I dreamt big dreams.
And tonight I heard a panel of local freelancers speak at the University of Colorado.
Amanda Haag Mascarelli, Brian Metzler, Deborah Fryer and Steve Knopper have all successfully managed freelance careers and affirmed for me what I already know.
No one gets anywhere by writing stories only to shove them in a corner, a trash can, an old file cabinet.
As an old friend and colleague used to tell me, “you always have to do a little PR for yourself.”
For those journalists out there who squirm at the thought of – uggh – public relations, get over it. The life of a journalist, freelance writer, filmmaker, photographer, etc. means that one must “produce” and “sell.”
Stories, apparently, don’t publish themselves.
I don’t believe that blogging is the “get of jail free card” to becoming a successful writer, but in its simplest form, it offers space to write and to publish.
And that is always a good thing.
So, my New Year’s resolution (a little late), is this – write and blog, but don’t forget to … PITCH!
- Lauren
I’m so glad you finally posted and that you chose this topic. The “why can’t I blog?” dilemma is one that comes up a lot. I’m constantly talking about it with my mom, who is a software design blogger (among other things) and some of the Scripps Fellows.
I think that blogging is hard for writers because we tend to be perfectionists. We like to ponder and polish things. Which is exactly why blogging is so perfect! If you can learn to embrace blogging, it can be a great outlet to exercise a different, more impulsive part of your writerly brain.
It’s great for the same reasons silly writing exercises — like free-writing or timed writing or that “six word memoir” exercise we had in Jim Sheeler’s class — are great. It takes some of the pressure off and lets you just play again. (Cheesy as that sounds.)