It’s one of the cardinal rules of marketing: know your audience. But, inherently, public web personae are just that… public. Public and blind. Dear reader, I can’t see you. I don’t know who you are. The whole thing is a little unfair to my taste. You get a window into my soul and I get… well, I get the odd comment now and then from one of the same four people.
Still, just when I am ready to conclude that it’s not worth the time it takes to format my personal journal entries for “public” consumption (is it still considered “public” if everyone can but nobody actually does see it?), then, out of the blue, a friend will verbally reference one of my entries. Or, I will receive a comment from someone I’ve never met. I don’t even know how they found this place.
And another thing - As much as I’d like to convince myself that maintaining this blog is valuable to me with or without readership, the truth is, I can enjoy the catharsis and other benefits of journaling/writing without posting here.
So why share my thoughts in an open forum? What do I hope to accomplish with this little exercise? I’m sure there are many reasons: working out my thoughts with unrestricted accountability, challenging readers to go deeper, weighing in on things important to me, staying connected with friends and family… but, for me, the most valuable implication of this little experiment is the opportunity to engage in thoughtful dialogue on meaningful issues; to exchange ideas; to reach for each other’s minds, take the floor and meringue a little while.
I won't pretend that everything I write might inspire you to weigh in. Still, you must find something of interest here from time to time or you wouldn't stop by.
So… hi, my name is James. I write this blog. But, enough about me. Tell me a little about yourself. What are your experiences? What's going on inside your head? [THUMP, THUMP, THUMP] “HELLO? IS THIS THING ON?”
[Click COMMENTS below and just go nuts... "hey, I read your blog," "these are the inane ramblings of an otherwise brilliant mental patient," "meusbonuspars changed my life," "James is crazy hot," ...heck, wherever the wind may take you.]
Still, just when I am ready to conclude that it’s not worth the time it takes to format my personal journal entries for “public” consumption (is it still considered “public” if everyone can but nobody actually does see it?), then, out of the blue, a friend will verbally reference one of my entries. Or, I will receive a comment from someone I’ve never met. I don’t even know how they found this place.
And another thing - As much as I’d like to convince myself that maintaining this blog is valuable to me with or without readership, the truth is, I can enjoy the catharsis and other benefits of journaling/writing without posting here.
So why share my thoughts in an open forum? What do I hope to accomplish with this little exercise? I’m sure there are many reasons: working out my thoughts with unrestricted accountability, challenging readers to go deeper, weighing in on things important to me, staying connected with friends and family… but, for me, the most valuable implication of this little experiment is the opportunity to engage in thoughtful dialogue on meaningful issues; to exchange ideas; to reach for each other’s minds, take the floor and meringue a little while.
I won't pretend that everything I write might inspire you to weigh in. Still, you must find something of interest here from time to time or you wouldn't stop by.
So… hi, my name is James. I write this blog. But, enough about me. Tell me a little about yourself. What are your experiences? What's going on inside your head? [THUMP, THUMP, THUMP] “HELLO? IS THIS THING ON?”
[Click COMMENTS below and just go nuts... "hey, I read your blog," "these are the inane ramblings of an otherwise brilliant mental patient," "meusbonuspars changed my life," "James is crazy hot," ...heck, wherever the wind may take you.]
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THIS JUST IN - Blogger has added a new feature where you can sign on (look left) as a "follower" of this blog. SO, DO IT!
10 comments:
Hi, I'm Shannon, and I read your blog. I enjoy it very much and it provokes a lot of thought for me.
And I want you to know, I had to make a blogger account, just to leave this comment...
Shannon, I'm truly touched that you would take time off from the stud farm to read my humble blog. lol!
And, yes, you do have to have a google or blogger or wordpress or livejournal or typepad or aol or open ID to post a comment here. But shouldn't everyone have at least one of those. Come on. Most of them are free and painless. Besides, anonymity is for the weak.
Well, Jim, I just started reading your blog. Like today. As linked from Twitter. It's good stuffs. I especially liked the blog with the Henry Ford quote - I freakin love that quote now, by the way. Thank you for that.
Sincerely, your Texan cousin (just saying "cousin" wouldn't really narrow it down a whole lot, I thought...)
Erin
P.S. Just saw your twitter - hope Noah's hand is okay. :(
Just found it actually, and like said before, extremely thought provoking. But then again, what else would I expect? :o)
Hello Jim,
I have been reading your blog's all along but have never commented on them!! My favorite one is the one about your youngest son and the thresholds that we cross! It rocked the sock's right off the Jim floor!! My second fave is the new one Thump Thump!! It rock's.
Love Ya Jim! Deluxe.
Look at me- I’m not the first to post a comment =) Hello, my name is Frances.
James, you’re HOT (can I say that knowing your wife and all?)!
Next, your blog inspired me to create my own (insert self promotion without shame: www.crackedclaypot.blogspot.com). I enjoy the challenge of writing to an invisible audience. It keeps me on my toes. Plus, who’s gonna publish me, at least right now? (insert notice that Frances has been accepted to a national conference this year). But I acquiesce, I mean digress… ::clearing throat:: I so much enjoy the challenges and inflicted pain/thought you have presented here. I am a fan, follower and (I’ll leave out the second comma in my series for your benefit only) fellow writer. Write on my man, write on!
My dear fellow traveler, Jim. I enjoyed your post, Thump, Thump, Thump! Thanks for putting your thoughts and creative energy out here for all to read. I especially appreciated your words, "the opportunity to engage in thoughtful dialogue on meaningful issues; to exchange ideas; to reach for each other’s minds, take the floor and meringue a little while." I think there is something inherently vital within us that longs for connection... for validation... for acceptance. One dear fellow said to me, "well, do I have to agree with you in order to be your friend?" My answer is "absolutely not"... however, if what you believe has no possibility of being anything but right, you may find it quite difficult hear someone else's ideas that differ from yours. Please DO keep writing. Mary is reading through your posts right now and the first thing she noticed was your John Mayer (whom we love!) reference... INVINCIBLE! So, from a fellow "most non-invincible" guy, please keep the river flowing! -- your old friend, Abraham :-)
a new friend calls blogging a bit of "playing to the crowd" .. which is like lobbing the ball to my son's right swing ..
to engender response, there has to be something to debate .. to send out something to debate, the crowd may cry "not for public consumption!" .. or worse, could that really be Jim? (ala Graham's Fairy Tale worryings)
do you have something that requires running to the net and digging it out of the dirt .. my days of playing to the crowd are over
nice hair, btw
Your blog inspired me also to start my own as well. I left an entry there that your entry provoked in me and my thoughts. Not sure what my site is or I would inert it as well as Frances did :)
Unfortunately Jim, I did not know you updated your blog (as I have failed to keep up with my own blogging - at least on blogger itself). Thanks to Fran for letting me know - and for letting me know about the "follow" feature.
I share your same chagrin - the want to connect to your reader in some way - and to know that you connected. Mostly I experienced this problem in class - where people were far more concerned with their own writing than the reading of others' words.
It never ceases to amaze me how many (new) books continue to fill bookstores. There is no shortage of writers! As a result, one must assume there is no shortage of readers... but it seems there is.
I used to keep a daily journal. I wrote in it every day, beginning at age 13 up until about age 23. Good old fashioned hand-written journals. Though they were initially intended to be private, I wrote them with a public audience in mind. I even addressed the "reader" in my writing during moments of reflection on the day's events.
Why did I do that? That is exactly what your blog has made me question of myself. What is this tendency to write to an anonymous, ambiguous reader? I don't really have a non-cliche answer, yet.
Interestingly enough, when I wrote in my private journal, in public, people asked me why I was always writing and what I wrote about.
When some found out that they would appear in my pages, it piqued their interest (now somehow they were a subject! And how wonderful to read about one's self - provided it is a flattering depiction). I often wondered who wrote about me? Not that it mattered... but how cool. Kind of a statement about how I made an impression upon someone - good or bad. It is what makes for a meaningful existence, which is why I write to begin with.
It seems to me that the beauty of writing, especially in public forums (despite a notable absence of reader presence) is that we (writers) offer a space for the reader and help readers insert themselves into our writing - regardless of whether or not the reader is specified or addressed.
Clearly, as demonstrated with your comments, you have achieved what it sounds like you've set out to achieve - you've connected. No, it likely isn't with "millions" of readers (though this site offers that opportunity)... but even if it is just with the same ol' "four" - that's still a successful communication. And what an honor to have four. What an honor even just to have one.
Thanks for the opportunity to dabble in this topic!
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