Each day when I’m blogging, I aim to write something I think is interesting, redeeming, and/or positive (and hopefully well-written). It really matters to me that this “trail of bread crumbs” is something I can be proud of or at least comfortable leaving on the Internet. Also, I care about making a positive difference for others if I can. To that end, I always aim to be in an inspired place when I post. The ideal situation is: I get an idea that makes me stop and say, “Wow, that sounds like a good idea for a blog post!” These generally make for the sweetest writing experiences.
That doesn’t always happen. In fact, I’d say most days I have to dig for an idea. Typically, as the end of the day draws near, I’m at the point where I need to just come up with something. It’s make or break time! At this point, sometimes I have to force myself to sit here at computer and put something together. Often, if I’m struggling, I will get up and do something else for a bit. Then I return with a clearer mind. This helps.
The effort of blogging has something to do with the fact that I am publishing for a public audience. As I have written before, when it comes to composing, ideas tend to flow seemingly with little effort. At least, they depend less on my mood. When I compose music, however, I’m typically not on deadline to publish that day. The fact that I’m sharing my blog posts publicly–something new every day!– changes the feel of the process. There’s an effort involved in sharing with the world, overcoming worry or insecurity about what others may think, and just doing it anyway.
Happily, it continues to work. And so I blog on…!