I haven't posted a blog for a few days because I'm not sure that blogging is for me.
Blogs seem to be an uncomfortable confusion (or combination, if you prefer) of writing for the general public and writing to a private person.
Most of the blogs I've looked at seem to be by people who are loquacious and enjoy making public day by day the minutest details of their private lives, written with the unchecked flow of coffee-time conversation with a friend.
That's not me!
Nor do I have anything so significant to say every day, or even frequently, to make my blog worth visiting often in expectation of finding something new.
So I'm reconsidering...
About Me
- Aidan Chambers
- Gloucestershire, United Kingdom
- Author. For more information go to my website www.aidanchambers.co.uk
10 comments:
"Reconsidering … "
Does that mean then that, first, you had an initial clear or well-defined reason to start the blog (not just having started it as a shot in the dark) and that, secondly, you haven’t yet entirely given up on your original expectations?
Can ‘we’ as blog commenters make a difference (or were ‘we’ a disappointment rather?)? Can ‘we’ tilt your decision to the one or the other side: either continue blogging or stop … (the problem being we are no ‘we’ of course)? You had expected a more lively interaction between commentators? More like a literary circle of people exchanging views on books and life experiences, drawing you into the circle rather than leave you on your own in the middle …? Centripetal rather than centrifugal …? ...
Anne
The things about a blog is that you can make it whatever you want it to be. A blog doesn't have to involve posting every day, or outpourings of personal things. It can just be a semi-occasional thing, done whenever you have something you'd like to share, or a question you'd like to ask.
Since you mention the idea of 'your blog being worth visiting', let me mention the thing that really makes me hope you will keep blogging. I'd love to see you do posts along the lines of the ones you used to do in your personal column, giving a small update on your doings and telling us all about the books you've been reading. The thing with the personal column was, I had to remember to check your website. With the blog, I've added it to my rss reader, and every time you post it will be delivered to me! So it doesn't matter if you only post twice a year - doing it via a blog means I will definitely not miss it.
Don't do it unless you want to. But don't stop doing it because you thik it has to be a certain way. It's a medium which you control (i.e. you don't need a webmaster to post things for you) and which other people can keep track of easily. Within thouse parameters, it can be whatever you like :D
...This sounds a bit ranty, oops! But hopefully the message is clear. I like your blog!
I've just started rereading This is All, having originally read it when it first came out. Thought I'd check out your website again and was so pleased to come across your blog, what a lovely surprise. Please stick with it - I'll certainly come back again!
I don't think you should feel under any pressure to blog every day or in the same way each time. Special aspects of blog writing include the way that they accumulate and the way that the writers can reflect on and develop topics over time. I don't see that blogs need to be simply a reflection of a busy schedule - surely that's one of the differences between a blog and a work diary :)
In this way, I suppose you could look at the blog as a format that has some similarities with Cordelia's pillow book?
Oh, and I wonder if you have found any blogs that you particularly admire yet?
Simon
Hello Aidan
I think some of these people maybe psychoanalysing this situation a little to much, although I am a person who loves divulging my self into new situation I can compeletley respect and understand this feeling, I am more of a diary person I like expressing my ideas and my thoughts about things but I realise really that I am only doing it to my self ( I think I have just been a bit of a hypocrite I sure hope not)
I do hope you continue writing things in your blog but It would bring me some discompfert to think you where doing it against your wishes.
Alex Hetherington
Dear Aidan,
It´s good to finally see the activity of ´blogging´ being questioned. I never started a blog, but considered starting one often. My doubts also concerned loquaciousness. Why should I add my thoughts and feelings to the endless conversation on the internet? Somehow, the thought of there being so many blogs, makes my own words seem worthless.
That's why I never started one.
But now that I read your blog, I'm starting to change my mind.
Your blog is actually the first one I really like, I guess it's because of your sincerity. And it's obviuous you took the time to think about what you wrote before writing. Most bloggers seem to be busy putting up a certain image of themselves, or they just spill out nonsense. It's nice to see someone taking blogging serious enough to doubt about it. And, I would like to read more!
Best wishes,
Els
I Know that I should not write blogs twice but I am actully really annoyed now.
If Aidan does not like writing blogs then why are we his admirers trying to get him to stay. I mean I have thought why I would want aidan to continuie writing these blogs but there seems to be to much going outside aidan and looking at the blog as something else, maybe its my age of youth but maybe it is something that should be forgotten and left behind I hope this has got my point across although I dont think ive made my point very clear eek
(P.S sorry about poor spelling)
Alex
I know that I have not posted before, and being a terrible writer, I'm not sure if I should even be typing here, but I have recently read This is All, and was very impressed!!! When I read that book, I loved it so much that i am reading it again.
Anyways, I know that blogging is not for everyone, as it is not my cup of tea, but I very much enjoyed your blog when I read it and will be reading it daily. I hope you decide to continue... Blogging is definitely not a daily thing unless you want it to be!
I'm sorry if I wasted your time but I admire your writing skills so much I had to say something! :)
Nicole
3 may 2008
Me and my mother Mrs Kathleen Adams were in the Ryeford Garden Centre around 2.00 today. I think you were behind us in the queue. I am sorry i didn't realise who you were until on my way home. We would have like to have said hello. It was good to see you looking so well. Gail Pates nee Adams Archway school a long time ago.
I just stumbled onto your blog, having encountered your beautiful fiction some years ago. Hope you'll keep writing here, and as frequently and mixed-rhetorically as you wish. I kept a journal from age 9-24 or so and periodically since. A couple years ago, when I was on sabbatical (hopefully for the first time), I began emailing one particular friend so frequently that he requested I start a blog. This February, I did, and although I'm not a public writer except in the occasional essay/article, I also went through the who is this for and what can it/should it be about. Blogging--more than many mediums--has the capacity to be that hybrid space. To further complicate it, I have chosen to make my blog private except for those few I allow to have read it, but have also played around with the idea of having a more "focused, content-driven" public blog. Anyway, Sunday morning rambling here. Hope you'll keep on letting us into your world in any way you like.
Best,
T w/J
Well this makes me smile. It's exactly the way I feel about blogs. I have one that I've just started writing and I just fill it with usless information.
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