Over the past few weeks, prolific blogger and author, Tim Challies, has posted a series of tweets and an article lamenting the changes he is seeing in the blogosphere. In short, writers are simply abandoning blogs, at least blogs that are personally owned. I believe he is right and as I’ve thought about it in regards to my own site, I know why I have not posted as frequently and it is simple, time.
It takes time to write, then edit, and then have someone else edit. Writing often takes research and reading and referencing. Then you have to upload it, add links if you have any, find a picture that works, and make sure when you hit publish it actually publishes correctly. That has been my experience and I’ve had to weigh whether or not I can spend that amount of time and effort on a blog or if it would be best spent writing articles for other outlets where there’s an editor in place and someone who can take the time to upload the post, etc. And evaluating my own blogging habits has also revealed a level of fear.
I think part of the desire to write and edit and rewrite is because people are actually reading my words and I don’t want to publish something with errors or something that could prove to be unhelpful. I want my work to be readable and relate-able. I also fear the Lord—I will give an account for every word typed on this site. Yet, I also believe there’s an unhealthy fear. I don’t want to be thought of as a terrible writer. I want to polish my craft and make sure that the commas are in the right place and the grammar isn’t awful. I hesitate then to publish because I want to look good. That’s a terrible reason not to write. In my heart of hearts I desire to serve you, my reader, and also in the back of my mind I wonder if I’m good enough. Did that sentence need a comma? Am I using passive voice? Yes, those are the things I worry about.
I imagine that temptation to fear pushing publish isn’t isolated to me. I know it’s not. I know others fear but for other reasons. Mine is about grammar but I know others would be about content. People hesitate to write because they want to make sure it appeals to the current issues of the day or that the reader would enjoy reading the content rather than writing about something the author actually enjoys writing about.
So, what you’ve stumbled upon here is a first draft. (Actually, my computer froze and I lost the last two paragraphs. So, this part is new. See, writing takes time!!) Over the next few months, I’m going to write first drafts and post them. No editing. No scheduling when it’s done. I’m going to write when I can during the week, giving myself about 30 minutes and then post it. I will look for a photo but I’m not going to spend more than 5 minutes hunting. I will write about whatever my heart desires: my time with the Lord, the weather, what I’m reading, confession, whatever. This series will be appropriately called First Draft. J
What about you?
Do you read blogs or has your blog reading slowed down? Are you a writer and have you stopped posting on your site? What would you enjoy seeing me write about? If you had a blog, what would you write about?
Blogging like it’s 2003–I like it! 🙂
That’s hilarious, Lisa!! Haha.
Let’s do this, Lisa! 🙂
This makes me so happy! I got a late start in the blogging world, and it saddens me to think that we’re abandoning blogs in favor of pod-casts and big sites.
I am in favor of the liberty of both/and! I write for some larger sites (and LOVE their editors!), but am also committed to posting regularly at my own writing home-sweet-home!
Trillia, this post is so timely for me. I have a feeling you will be encouraging more than just me with this. 🙂 I honestly feel exactly like you. I started a blog last year around this time, because I love to write, others have encouraged me in it, and I felt like I needed to take the plunge. But I have posted less than a dozen times in that time. Mostly I feel overwhelmed with the fear of God part that you mentioned in this post. I know I will give an account, and I am terrified that I will make a mistake and say something in error. My husband has expressed support of my blogging, and has encouraged me that if I do make a mistake, it is just as important to be willing to receive instruction to remedy what I have said. So I do take comfort in that. I just struggle with fear of all types, and that is one of the types. (And yes I have your book on fear and it is wonderful so thank you for that!!) But, truly, I feel ALL OF THESE things that you have said. I have so many drafts in my blog dashboard! I pray that we can all post more and be less bound to perfectionism. Thank you for all of your writing!!!
I love your transparency. I too struggle with fear. I mean toward insecurity in my craft. Everyone’s blog looks, sounds better than mine. So if I haven’t spent enough time on it or read/edited multiple times, I don’t post it. I blog fairly regularly but I have realized life happens and sometimes trumps posting. Here’s to posting without perfection.
I’m convicted by this and praying for wisdom on where to start! Thank you.
Hi, Trillia! I do have a blog, and it’s about 2 or 3 years old now (maybe older?!) but I find that I don’t post in it very often. I’ve been wanting for so long to get it going again on a regular basis…but as you’ve said, the blogging world has changed SO much in these past several years. I have blogged off and on since 2004, and times have indeed changed! I can’t keep up with multiple social media accounts and I don’t have the tech skills to do videos and podcasts, lol. Plus, I have a hard time knowing exactly what to write about, because my life is SO versatile…hence the “many faceted diamond them”, lol! I miss the sense of community of the old blogging days…even with Facebook, it’s not quite the same. So anyway, I’m finding myself a little lost with my own writing. I’ll be following your series to mine for ideas and inspiration! 🙂
Thank you for this! I started a blog 6 years ago and really enjoyed it, I wrote about once every month or so, and then the whirlwind of marriage and children threw me off my schedule, I just didn’t feel like I had time to sit down and write my thoughts. I also didn’t want to write for followers, I really enjoyed seeing how many people visited my blog and from where in the world, there statistic page really built up my pride. I managed to write one blog last year and it is something that I want to continue cautiously with humility, I want my writings to bring glory to God and not myself. I’ve been praying that God would humble me and move me to write again if He desires.
I have just started focusing on my blog. I actually love writing about a variety of topics, and blogging is an extension of meditation for me. I would love to write books someday, but I know I want to develop a habit and love for writing. Blogging has been good for that.
That’s how I feel, man. I find it’s actually hard for me to meditate if I do not do so with a pen in my hand.
Thank you for the honesty, Trillia. I struggle with the fear, too. It’s a constant companion whenever I write anything. I don’t want to be seen as a terrible writer and also do not want to be in error.
I’m excited to see how the series will go. 🙂
I do a blog and I base it on my meditations in scripture. In our current age I feel everyone is talking about a political stance or railing against this or that, so I try to go different.
I say make yours about your time with Christ, what He is showing you, and upcoming projects. It will never get old, and you never know who will be encouraged by it.
A timely article for me! Thanks so much for sharing. You’ve managed to remove my qualms of posting unfinished blogs. I mean, does editing ever finish? I’ll be posting more regularly after this!
Trillia I just came across this gem- thank you!, through Tim Challies who included it among several blogger’s feedback on the topic. I can’t tell you how freeing and encouraging it is to read your own take and initiative. I’m so glad I read it. Writing is something I struggle deeply with, and yet feel a call to do in obedience. The right words, the right punctuation, not to mention clarity and good syntax, are all elements that make me sweat and take forever before hitting publish. Consequently, I feel petrified often.
OK. Your post and take is the gentle kick in the pants I didn’t know I needed, but so thankfully take. Gonna have to rethink my approach to blogging and prayerfully proceed! Thank you 💙
I love this! I have been blogging for 11 years, but stepped back for some of the very reasons you mentioned. But I LOVE your idea to post your #FirstDraft and move on with your life. I think I will join you in this challenge. Thanks for the honesty, idea, and new excitement I’m feeling toward blogging!
Thanks for this, I started writing my blog about 4 yrs. ago. But have not written much for the last year and a half. Ministry took more of my time. But someone said to me, “you write like you talk, a little’ down home’.” I took that as a criticism and then stopped writing. But I have since thought about this statement, and I think that is what I want to be known for! Being ‘down home’ is who I am, so I write with authenticity! So my plan is to begin writing again.
Thank you, Trillia! I love to write, but don’t always commit the time to do it as often as I should. Thanks for the nudge to keep it up. 🙂