First off, I must say that in my last post I wrote of my desire to be a fighter. This, my friends, is pure fantasy. A few of you even commented on the fact that fighting may not be the best course for me to take, and I wholeheartedly agree (I'm not sure if there's a hyphen between those two words, so just let it go). The training aspect is more important to me. Of course I want to fight in a real situation! That does not, however, mean I'm actually going to do it. I can picture it now: the crowd cheers as I enter the room, swaggering down the long runway to the ring (in this scenario I am not wearing skimpy clothing or a skirt. There's a post in that sentence somewhere, I just know it!) As I enter the ring I peer over at my opponent, a good foot taller than I am, at least ten years younger and bursting with muscular fortitude. I feel a warmth on my inner thigh, and look down to see me peeing on myself in front of a cheering crowd. Seriously, this is not something I will pursue, at least not in the ring.
Popularity. By that I mean blog popularity. I've been taking BBM's Blogging 101 course and it has begun to change the way I view (and write) my blog. I certainly recommend it to anyone who blogs, not just MA writers, even if you've had your blog for a while. It's given my blog direction and inspiration. It has also instilled in me this desire to be popular. I WANT people to read my blog and like what they read. I want to know who visits me, what they do, why they popped on over to my place. At the same time this feeling shames me (that's hyperbole, people). I'm embarrassed to say that I want many readers to follow what I write, hanging on every sentence, coining key phrases. Am I turning into a blog monster?
Writing, to me, was always this cathartic thing, where I poured my heart out onto a piece of paper. I wrote of all the wrong-doings, the heart breaks, the periodic poetic inspirations. When I started blogging all of that began to change. Complete strangers would now be reading about how sweaty I got in class or what I was eating to maintain my body for training. Who would want to read about that? This, needless to say, made me VERY self-conscious of what my subject matter would be with each post. Should I be witty or serious? A little bit of both? I began to view myself as a writer and decided that I was going to make damn sure that what I wrote about was somewhat interesting.
The more that I write in my MA blog the more that I'm finding that it's really, really important to keep to what I know. However, there are these lingering ideas inside of my head that are dying to come out in blog form, and they will. They just need a little more effort to create. Blogging is so much fun and I enjoy the evolution that is taking place with mine.
I suppose that popularity really isn't all that important. I just want to be liked! That sounds pretty desperate and is just a little sarcastic. What IS important is that I'm a respected MA blogger, not just a chick who writes about beating people up, and liking it.
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- somaserious
- Mom, wife, martial artist, and massage therapist, living in northeastern Vermont. I've trained in Koro Ken Karatedo for 11 years and am just beginning to see how it all works.
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9 comments:
I think you're a successful blogger, regardless of your total readership for more than one reason:
1: You enjoy blogging/writing. You're doing it because you want to, and not because you want to make money or anything else.
Ultimately, I view readership like I view belt advancement. I want it. I like it. I work for it, but if I don't get it, I wouldn't quit. You know what I mean?
2: You have a unique point of view and you write from that perspective. I sent a note to another blogger a few weeks back about a writer's voice. Most people aren't prolific enough to develop their voice. Clearly, you have.
3: You write about what you know. You don't attempt to promote yourself as anything you are not. You express your opinions.
And 4: You write, for the most part, about things that are positive. I mentioned somewhere else that one of my pet peeves is when people indulge themselves with constant "pity party" posts. An occasional rant is fun, but it's also easy and never as funny as one thinks. :)
I have enjoyed your blog over the last several months I've been reading it and hope you keep it up as your family moves.
Steve: thanks a million, friend! I do enjoy writing, and that's why I continue. Don't worry, I'll keep writing as long as my fingers work. And even if they didn't!
I second what steve said. You're blog is awesome. You're not alone, I think at first we all wonder if we're likable enough. personally, I'm my worst critic but I'm improving that area. I too like to write and stick to what I know and like. Sometimes I let other things come out that require me to research but I have learned to give myself permission to not be perfect or right all the time--Thanks in part to my BBB online blogging course.
This was a fantastic post, and I'm not even talking about the part where you mention me (thank you, by the way). You are a fantastic writer and it didn't take me to tell you that. And seriously, anyone who has a blog is out there looking for a bit of attention, connection or community, so don't feel bad about wanting more readers. That's a natural part of it. ;-)
Mommy Karateka-
I love your blog! One of the things I love the most is that you were brutally honest about wanting people to read your blog and yet, being embarassed to admit it. I feel exactly the same way but was too embarassed to say it! LOL! And that finding someone who shares what you think is an unusual feeling/view is what keeps people coming back - or at least it's why I come back to your blog. Keep up the great work and you'll continue growing as a writer. (And btw, I love BBM too. She was my inspiration for starting my blog.)
Of course you want to be popular! I want my blog to be popular, even though I have no particular ambition for it in reality. Validation is something we all crave, and what could be more validating than to have complete strangers - people who have no reason to be nice to us and who could just as easily ignore us - like what we do and keep coming back for more?
Writing is cathartic for me, also. Well said!
There are "hack" martial artists and "hack" bloggers. After following you a while you are neither.
I tend to favor those writers that expose themselves in someway. It's hard to lay things all out there and show some weakness.
However, I've learned that to grow as a person and a martial artist you need to deal with you deficiencies.
Anyhow, hope you keep kicking and blogging!
:)
I totally agree with Bob - when you show your the world your real self, it gives others the courage to do the same - and it's always good to feel that people like you- weaknesses and all.
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