Way back in the dim and distant past of this blog (about 2007), I discovered folk were reading it.
The result was a panic post entitled “Blogisfear” that partly outlined my worries about balancing my personal thoughts on the media industry with my professional position as a reporter at The Post.
I got some great support from friends and fellow Brummie bloggers and, after a while, settled into a style and a subject matter I was comfortable with.
Eventually, even when I was being quite controversial, I didn’t feel too out of my depth.
I put the anxiety down to new-blogger nerves, but it seems that wasn’t quite correct. It wasn’t the blog that was causing the concern, it was the learning to negotiate a new social situation.
So, with a new life and a new job, it appears the fear has returned slightly.
I didn’t notice at first – especially as The Times have been very supportive about me continuing to blog on my own site – but I’m finding it daunting to post.
Combine this with my usual fear of getting things wrong and I’ve got myself some blog fright.
This may lead to slightly strange/strained posts for a little while.
Bear with me?
Hmmmm, a blog posting about being scared to blog.
Who says you have to blog as you? Perhaps it sounds under-hand or even a little creepy, but you could blog under any pen name, or random name, that you can think of.
The pressure of being “Joanna Geary at The Times” just won’t be there if you pitch up at whatevername.com and type away.
There’s many things wrong with doing that, but if it gets you getting your thoughts and ideas out there for discussion, that would otherwise be locked away by “blog fear”…then, that can only be good?
Welcome back. And you have inspired (shamed) me into doing a post of my own 🙂
You were missed
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Yes, we will.
Bear with you? Of course we will. Personally, I’ve just had a little boost from someone senior here at the 21st century news factory who said about my blog (about which I have recently had doubts) “When you feel as if you’ve got something to say, say it”, so I will…when I do.