Help, I’m not good at this blogging thing!

A few weeks ago I mentioned to my critique partner that I’d started a blog. She asked if I’d ever kept a journal.

No way had I ever written a journal! Until a few years ago, I would never have trusted putting my thoughts and emotions into something as easily accessible as a book or computer! It’s not that my thoughts are dark, not at all. It’s not that I have secrets to keep, except the kind that are opened on Christmas or birthdays. I just like privacy from other people’s opinions and since a journal can fall into the hands of those who will definitely have an opinion, it wasn’t something I’d ever do.

The irony in being so cautious in this area is as I approached forty my heart started leading me down a path of writing and EVERYONE has an opinion about what they read. Hmmm. If God wants us to face our greatest fears, I can put a check mark beside that one.

But as the weeks have passed since I started the blog, I’ve had to look deeper into my reasons for not keeping up with it and I think I’ve found part of the problem.

One: I’m an introvert by nature, but not by personality—which means I look outgoing enough that anyone who’s not familiar with the true differences between introvert and extravert would consider me an extravert.

The clichéd explanation: introverts are shy and extraverts are outgoing. But we all know that writers are to avoid clichés, so let’s look at this a little deeper.

From what I understand, extroverts live to be around people— to share who they are with others. They are energized, encouraged, and motivated in life by contact with people. Introverts get their energy, encouragement, and motivation from time spent alone. But, when at a gathering, the outward behavior can be the same for both introverts or extraverts.

The difference may only be what’s happening on the inside of the person: an extravert is gaining life’s energy; an introvert is spending life’s energy. And, yes, each person is doing a little of both, so the answer lies in which one is predominate for that person.

Being an introvert is my first problem with blogging, but one I think I'm willing to work through—-for reasons that I don’t understand. But, that for-reasons-I-don’t-understand, is how I began my writing journey in the first place, so I’m game again.

To explain what the second problem is that I discovered, let me share with you some of the advice given to new bloggers:

• A newbie author (like myself) must not give writing advice.

• An unknown blogger must not write about their personal life.

• A fiction author must not cover politics or religion.

So, I’m not to write about anything that is: personal, political, or controversial—nor am I to share anything I’ve learned in the field of writing.

Hmmmmm. I think what I was told is: Don’t, don’t, don’t. Now go do it.

Yep, that’s definitely another stumbling block to posting to the blog.

Bottom line ~ it’s time to cross the boundaries of the don’ts and see if I can blog more often than once every two months.

Tomorrow’s Topic: What you can learn about my life as I share writing advice on politics & religion.