Sunday, January 8, 2017

Why I've Got "Blogging Block"


Over break, I was talking writing with two of my brothers, both of whom are prolific tweeters and Facebook posters.  I follow them both, and I’m regularly chagrined by what they’re posting.  From detailed descriptions of their family happenings to vitriolic spouts about politicians new and old.  And then they get comments – some love from the same folks, lots of hate from the same folks.  It’s as if they’re putting out a point of view and waiting for the slings and arrows.  “I’m not sure I want to write in that space,” I shared.  “Doesn’t sound fun."

And so I haven’t written in that space and have had difficulty finding a social media voice – most of my tweets are re-tweets or responses in edchats, and I don’t feel confident enough to send my opinions into people’s feeds lest I get hammered by the mouth breathers (phrase taken from Stranger Things). 

This has not always been the case for me.  I’ve been writing for years – articles, policy, reports, quips – and published some stuff locally and nationally. Typically, my writing has been about the classroom, school house stories or edufield policy.  I write sometimes with an edge, but always from a defined, results-centered, point of view with evidence to back it up.  And it’s generally been well received.   

But my concern is that something in the readership’s expectations has changed.  They seem more ready to fight than to read, speak their minds rather than challenge them.  So much of public writing seems to have become about being right rather than real. 

So that’s where I’m at with this blogging thing.  I want to publish, I want feedback, and I’m hoping there’s an audience out there who wants to read, grow, build ideas rather than dismiss them.  And can help me do the same.