Find Your Blogging Voice
Welcome today to our guest Patti from Oh Mrs Tucker!, writing about finding your blogging voice.
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind. ~ Dr. Seuss
As a young girl, I cut my writing teeth on Dr. Seuss and the lessons he taught me about finding my voice still holds true today.
Be who you are. To have a unique voice, especially in blogging, can be terrifying. We fear what others might think of us if we write the things that are truly in our hearts, yet may be outside the norm of what others are posting. Once it’s out on the World Wide Web, there we stand, naked for the entire world to read.
Say it anyway.
Say what you feel. Resist the urge to mirror what others are already talking about, unless you have something to add. Mommy blogging is a fairly new phenomenon and there is lots of judgement in the blogosphere; we all want to be liked by our peers, don’t we. The easy thing to do is to get in line, to be the same, to blend in and not stand out. It’s easy, but it’s not very helpful to anyone, especially you.
Consider this: Would you rather make writing decisions based on your fear of rejection, or would you rather be bold enough to make writing decisions based on your understanding and your perspective of the world around you, even if some might disagree?
I want to read the writing of the latter. That’s where the good stuff, the interesting stuff, the emotion-provoking stuff resides.
Those who mind don’t matter. What’s the worst that can happen if someone takes umbrage to your words? Someone unsubscribes? (been there) Someone leaves a comment chastising your choice? (been there) Someone ~gasp~ disagrees and demands you change you mind/words? (omgosh, so been there)
I hope that happens to you, because the folks that don’t matter will help you hone your voice, face your fears, and help you clarify your beliefs. My opinion is that you will not only survive the opposition, but your voice will grow stronger because of it.
Those who matter don’t mind. These are the folks you want to speak to, those who matter. Your audience will be comprised of people from all walks of life, from every corner of the globe and those that matter will share an openness to a voice that has the courage to be who they are, that has the courage to say what they feel.
Those who matter may not always agree with you, but will respect your truth. Write for them. Find your voice for them. Offer your truth to them.
Find your voice by writing unabashedly and then letting your words sit for a period. Go back and take out the parts that don’t bear your truth. Leave in the rest. Have the fearlessness that your voice matters. Believe that who you are and what you feel will resonate with another.
When you do, you will find your voice.
September 26, 2013 @ 7:42 am
Thanks for the fun today! Hope y’all like it.
September 27, 2013 @ 10:35 am
I loved reading this. I love to write about whatever it is on my mind at that time. whether or not it’s happy or sad, why I am feeling great or why I am ranting about somethings that are really ticking me off!! I just want to be honest. And it’s great to have an audience out there that I don’t know personally and they just know the true me that is my blog. I also thought…what are these women going to think about this? I don’t do any advertising..I don’t have a writing degree, I am certainly not an upper class housewife with a fancy kitchen do show baking videos too. But the reality came when I realized I can just be me right here. I can find my voice. Because I AM special!! And what I have to say will be interesting or comical or heartfelt to someone.
Thank you for posting!! love it 🙂
October 1, 2013 @ 1:42 pm
You ARE special! It’s freeing, isn’t it!
September 27, 2013 @ 11:26 am
Great advice. I just wrote something similar on my own blog. I was too worried about others and lost my interest after almost 3 years blogging. Now I’m back and realize I must be true to myself!!!
October 1, 2013 @ 1:43 pm
We all have something that is interesting to offer. So glad you’re back.
September 27, 2013 @ 4:53 pm
This is excellent advice. I’ve always loved the Dr. Seuss quote but never thought of it in the context of writing for my blog. Sometimes if I am taking part in a blog challenge (trying to get more exposure as a newbie!) I can almost feel myself cringing if I’m writing to the prompt instead of writing from my heart. The words of Sr. Seuss, brought to me by Mrs. Tucker, will be my new mantra!
October 1, 2013 @ 1:44 pm
Dr. Seuss is da boss! From the heart, momma!
September 28, 2013 @ 7:37 am
Love your opinions as usual!!! Thanks for sharing!
October 1, 2013 @ 1:45 pm
Thank you!
September 28, 2013 @ 5:30 pm
I been blogging for about a year. Love your advice. Thanks
October 1, 2013 @ 1:46 pm
Thanks, Ann. I hope this inspires you for many more years of blogging.
September 29, 2013 @ 2:02 pm
LOVE your advise very timely:)
October 1, 2013 @ 1:46 pm
Happy to know you could use it!
September 29, 2013 @ 2:27 pm
I think following this excellent advice is one of the hardest things for new writers to do. When I started writing I was so proud of the fact that I knew good grammar and spelling that I didn’t even think about my authentic voice. That came much later from much writing.
October 1, 2013 @ 1:48 pm
The act of writing (so much writing) teaches us through osmosis, don’t you think? It’s hard to write truth…the hardest thing to write…but, in the long run it is really the only thing to write.
September 30, 2013 @ 9:47 am
This is absolutely so TRUE! I love that quote. We have in Venezuela a saying similar to that and I really believe in that. I’ve been in so many of those situations and what I learned was that I shouldn’t stop saying what I feel and think but if I don’t have anything good to say, I just don’t say anything at all. And that applies to both posts and comments. Ive had really negative and destructive comments. In some way it’s ok everyone has the write to think what they want but is it really necessary to be rude and even disrespectful on a comment for example? I don’t think so. So I just ignored them and I keep writing as I feel despite of that but never with the intention of hurting people. Great post. Thanks so much for sharing this with me at Bewitch Me & Titi! Hope to have you back with more amazing shares! Hope you are having a marvellous week!!!
XOXO
Cami @ TitiCrafty.com
October 1, 2013 @ 1:51 pm
Internet trolls suck, no doubt about it. But, they have their usefulness. They teach us, require us, to stand firm in our truth. I hate when folks think they can hide behind a keyboard and spew, but remember, they are the ones that don’t matter. Lovely comment. Thank you.
September 30, 2013 @ 10:15 am
Great reminders especially on a Monday. It is something easily forgotten.
October 1, 2013 @ 1:52 pm
In the heat of blogging, we sometimes just want content to fill the empty page, so you’re right that this is easily forgotten. Happy to be your reminder!
September 30, 2013 @ 5:19 pm
Thank you for this! Really!!!
October 1, 2013 @ 1:52 pm
You are so welcome!
October 1, 2013 @ 5:50 am
Great post! I sometimes fall into the trap of writing what I think others will want to read and not what I want…I shall do more of the latter!
October 1, 2013 @ 1:54 pm
Thanks! Keeping your audience in mind is important; know who you’re writing for. But to be authentic in the process is also so important.
October 2, 2013 @ 9:15 pm
This is great advice because if you’re not writing in your own voice, ultimately you’re not going to be successful. It’s too hard to be someone you are not!
October 2, 2013 @ 9:48 pm
Yep, yep. Finding that voice can take a bit of time, but always worth the effort.