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Let’s Be Honest

Every morning I get up and write blog posts . Then I go do my other writing work. I’ve been writing for a living for very long time. So I feel qualified to write this post. It’s not a rant. It’s a list. It’s a set of things that folks who think they might want to write for a living ought to know before they blindly follow their dream.

The problem with writing is

that, when you start, no one will believe you are a writer.

that all writing jobs takes longer than folks think they will.

that even talent needs ideas.

that getting to a living wage takes time and boring work.

that, when you write well, the finished product looks like it was easy.

that no one cares how hard it was.

that the lifestyle isn’t glamorous.

that the pay can be less glamorous.

that you’re always interrupted in the middle of the perfect thought.

that you’ll probably have to edit your own work.

that, if you get noticed, your mistakes are very public.

that you need to personally invest and be detached.

that you’ll be critiqued by people who don’t know to say things nicely.

that you’ll be critiqued by people who don’t know what they’re talking about.

that you won’t get to follow through on all of your favorite ideas.

that some of your ideas will stink too.

that folks won’t believe their opinion can’t hurt you.

that you won’t be able to explain the thrill of finding a word you spent 3 weeks looking for.

that only other writers will ever really know what it is that you do.

that your significant other may not read anything that you write.

that being a writer can wake you up in the middle of the night.

that it can make you feel stupid.

that no one can help you do it.

that when you have finished, there’s no applause.

that you have finished, you have to do the same thing all over again.

What could possibly be worth that investment?

Writing communicates through across the world, through time, to people I have never met. It captures ideas, inventions, and information. It’s worth it to be even a tiny part of that.

Bet you could add to this list. Why do you write in spite of it?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
It seems I’m always saying “Thank you, Darren.”.

My Secret

My name is Liz and I have a secret. I read your blog almost every day, but you you wouldn’t know that. That’s because I hardly ever leave a comment.

I know the value of a well-placed comment. I’m pretty good at writing down what I think. Yet, when it comes time to writing a response to what you wrote, some days I can’t quite get my fingers to the keyboard. I start to write something . . . then I leave without posting it.

There are more readers like me than ones who are not. I know. I’ve talked to them. I’ve been talking to them about why they don’t comment. It seems that we have the same secret reasons for not leaving our calling card. We want to leave our thoughts, but things get between us and that comment box.

It’s time we came clean and let you know what they are.

10 Reasons Readers Don’t Leave Comments

I don’t suppose this is all of the reasons folks choose not to comment. This is only a list of 10 +1 of them that I’ve heard over and over again.

What you write is so complete, that I don’t know what to say except good job. I feel silly writing that, so I read and move on.

You’ve taught me something I didn’t know, and I need to think about it before I even have a question. Much like number 1, I don’t want to embarrass myself. I’m better off moving on.

I get ready to type a comment, but I notice you only respond to a few friends who mostly share inside jokes. I won’t take the risk of being overlooked in public.

The folks who comment on your posts like to argue and I don’t. I’m not sure I’m brave enough to fight my way into the crowd.

You rarely respond to comments. So, there’s no point in writing one.

Your blog has geeky attitude and I’m not geeky enough to keep up.

I really like your blog and your post, but I’m too tired, busy, or any one of a number things that you can’t control. I’ll comment the next I come back to read.

You end your posts with a giant general question like “What do you think of the Big Bang Theory?” That question is such a big one. I don’t have time to answer it. I feel strange answering with a lesser comment.

You put up a fence by making me login to comment. I have too many passwords already and I don’t know you well enough to add one to my list.

Your content wasn’t fresh and exciting, and I couldn’t find anything YOU inside it. It seemed the same post that I’ve read on 10 other blogs. If I commented, I would have to tell you that.

PLUS ONE: Your post was negative. Negative is scary. Most folks don’t like negative stuff, because they know they could be next to be the recipient. I don’t comment, because I don’t want to be part of it.

Sometimes I don’t comment because I’m self-conscious about new groups and fitting in. I suppose most people feel that way now and then. I’m working on that.

Yet when the content is rich and compelling, I lose all self-consciousness. My fingers can’t wait to share what you’ve started me thinking. My hands literally jump to the keyboard and start typing out the words. Other readers have said that is true for them too.

Compelling content causes comments.

Did I miss the reasons that keep you from commenting?

–ME “Liz” Strauss