Lately, I’ve been afraid of doing things badly. Right when my reminder popped up about my creative date at 3:00, I was actually staring at a sign-in page on Tumblr, wondering if I’m blogging properly for my business. I am very confused about blogging. Which seems like an ironic topic to blog about. But I think what I find so confusing isn’t really my confusion, but a lack of confidence about publishing things that people read, knowing it’s me who’s posting.
I have a blog that is kind-of personal, kind-of business. (We’ll call it the other blog.) I believe that blogging is a great way to promote your business – promotional writing with little flecks of personality sprinkled in. Only I get very confused when I sit down to write. Who’s voice do I use? My business’s voice? Because that tries to be very authoritative, but actually comes through a little desperate: “Please buy something from me!” Do I use my own voice? When I start to do that I get very nervous about what I’m saying and who is reading it. Will my customers be offended about potty training stories? Shouldn’t I water it down a little bit, not share sooooo much with strangers? And then I end up writing something that reminds me of that rice cereal you start babies out eating when they’re just learning to eat. It’s clear and tasteless with predictable lumps, and no one really wants to consume it.
That’s why I started this blog. It’s a place where I can just spew whatever is on my mind. Some days it might be brilliant, others it might be just painfully bizarre, but it’s, at least, a place where I can totally be myself. I am still not sure what to do about my business blog. Maybe it’s ok to be all businessy one day and all potty trainy the next. Maybe. Maybe not.
XO
Stranger
Stranger Every Day 