Some days ago, I started writing a blog post. I edited it like a million of times. I deleted it completely and then I ended up tweeting about that phenomenon. As it seems, many other bloggers face the same problem. It goes like that:
- start a new blog post -> don’t like it -> delete it -> start a new blog post
Cory Doctorow doesn’t seem to agree with that particular tactic. I am quoting him:
Just publish and let comments do the rest.
Personally, I disagree completely. I mean, it’s ok to write a bad blog post if you think that is good, but what happens if you already know that your blog post sucks? Why let your readers down by delivering a below-average article according to your standards? Maybe some of your readers will find it “perfect”. Yeah, ok, but why are you blogging? For your readers or for yourself?
I strongly believe that a blogger is successful when he (or she) is blogging for him (or her). Writing comes normally, not because “I must write a new blog post”. Forcing yourself to do something you don’t really want, will have the exact opposite results from what is expected, a mediocre blog post that most of your readers will probably dislike. And when you write for your readers, that is even worse.
- bad blog post -> readers dislike it -> “I must to write a new article” -> forced blogging -> bad blog post
So, next time you have written an article, think twice before pressing “Publish”.
[Thanks to Nikos Anagnostou for inspiring me to write this article]
[image via flickr, user: cambodia4kidsorg]
