Imperfect

start another blog

In One year of daily blogging, Laura writes:

I will say one spicy thing: I rarely look at the Bear Blog discover page because I feel like every time I look at that ranking list, I see a lot of people who are trying to get comfortable writing more... but are often writing about writing, or about blogging specifically, or about motivation and shit like that. I cannot stress this enough: you did not start blogging to blog about blogging, I guarantee it. (And if you did, you should probably just stop!)

Unless you want to run out of things worth saying, you should try to write about specific, concrete, identifiable things that you are interested in, or things you're doing, or other events in your life.

Yes, many writers started and should resume writing with intentions besides only writing about writing. However, in the vein of broadening creative expression and community immersion, I can't help but take the bait from Rex's More Blogging? Forever?:

I almost want to start another blog.

You can start another blog like Rex almost wants to. Could a new blog of yours push him or other prospective writers to follow through?

Mostly because I have 10 free ones on this platform, but also it could be a way to separate different types of writing or different purposes of writing.

Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should or need to. Spreading yourself too thin is possible with how dynamic and demanding life can be. Though, if you can manage the added responsibility, all the power to you. If you upgraded your Bear Blog, you can use one of the 10 free sites you get. Otherwise, feel free to follow or circumvent my tips in monthly blogging challenges on where to start:

If the Bear Blog platform that my blog uses doesn't satisfy you, check out Manu's List of Blog Platforms, Greg's Best Free Blogging Platforms, or similar lists. If that's too daunting, social media sites like microblogs (Twitter, Bluesky, etc.) or otherwise (Facebook, Reddit, etc.) could fit the bill.

Rex continues:

I've been trying to think of a unique purpose for another blog, like a way to document certain things or make certain writing available.

Use your new portal to experiment with distinct voices, purposes, and/or interests. Better yet, compound the possibilities for community. Populate your web with even more third places for your family, friends, or others to enjoy with you. Teamwork makes the dream work whether via co-creators, draft readers, regulars, or otherwise.

Discuss everything under the sun, your hyper-specific niche, or anything in between. If you get stuck on what to say, start with what compels you. If nothing compels you, put anything down with the knowledge that you can always edit it later. Embrace the emergence of writing over time. Watch how your perseverance subverts and even surpasses your original expectations.

Nikhil's Finish Something; Anything parallels the minimized iterative approach above. May these curated excerpts bless your journey:

Start a mini project on your own instead.

Write a blog post.

Starting with a big goal feels overwhelming; start small instead. Don’t think about writing a meaningful essay; start with writing about your day.

Start small and finish it. Do many small projects and get used to finishing them. Develop the habit of accomplishing things.

Rex continues:

I still feel like this is a great, secure space, because no one will find it unless I give them the link. Security by obscurity. It's like a grain of sand on the beach. Yes, it's available to anyone to touch it, but it's likely no one will.

If security by obscurity keeps you playing, you can find even more of it on similar minimalist platforms like Pagecord or Mataroa. For more on either platform, check out my discovery of Pagecord's secret email whitelist or my comparison of mataroa versus bear.

However, using only those platforms might have prevented me from being inspired to write by Rex in the first place. Instead of enduring trade-offs between security by obscurity and discoverability, why not embrace the best of both worlds? What stops you from mapping that sentiment across all the platforms that you have ever encountered?

I could start putting my journal on here. It's currently on 750words.com (and in various paper journals.) I want my kids to read it someday, especially after I pass, but maybe even before then.

If you're comfortable with moving or backing up your digital or physical journals online, go for it. Preserving your stories across media in different formats and locations increases the chance that your children will get to enjoy them. Whether it's after you pass or before then, they deserve a glimpse into your life and times.

Maybe I should just write every day, like Seth Godin has advocated for many, many years. I mean, I do, I have a 742 day streak on 750words.com, but writing in public, for public consumption is different. Even if no one reads it, it's good for you.

Laura doesn't write every day despite having completed one year of daily blogging. I don't write every day either. Write as often as you can. Write as publicly or as privately as you want. Write for countless readers or none at all. Suit yourself.

Want to reach out? Connect with me however you prefer: