Over the past year of blogging I've had a number of people say "I love reading your blog" until they come across a post that mentions them. Oops. Reading about others is never the same as reading about yourself. For one thing, we usually don't have a vested interest in the stories of other people's fallibilities or idiocyncracies. They are simply funny stories we recognize as universal or particular to someone we know. For another, each of us has an internal picture of who we are, what we look like (to ourselves and to others) what we really said in any given situation, what we actually thought... and my accounts will of course be lopsided. They will be skewed by my experience, by my writing style, by my mood at the time I wrote. The fact that I often portray myself in a highly critical light doesn't count for beans. Not when I'm talking about you.
One person asked that I not write about them again. (And here I am, writing about them... sorry!) I am always torn when this happens, because I unfairly think of it as censorship, as a clamp on my creativity, even though I agree that they have every right to their request. This is not a personal and private enterprise, and I am not necessarily entitled to my version of your story. I don't write to be vindictive or unkind. But I do get carried away with a story and my internal desire to make it more than it probably was. What's a girl to do?
I'm considering dumping the blogging thing in favor of some fiction writing... work I can disclaim with "any coincidences between real life persons and the characters herein is purely coincidental." I'll let you know.
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11 comments:
Oh, I hope not, CJ!
I have enjoyed reading your blog. I've been enriched by learning about you and your experience in the religious life. While I certainly understand why you might choose to end your blog, I would miss it.
Please don't end the blog! You can always use creative license and speak in the hypothetical if you have to. In any case, don't be disheartened and please continue blogging if God's grace allows :)
Do what you need to do (as I know you will) but I hope you keep blogging in some form.
I do hope the blog continues, I love reading things from your perspecitive.
The "Blog" is supposedly the "Op-Ed" page of the Internet. It is normal for people to read and not agree with what they read. This does not mean the writer is necessarily "wrong" or "right" when someone disagrees or agrees with them. I seem to notice blogs are a good forum for human nature and general sharing of experiences in addition to pontificating. Why, hardly a day passes with out a good pontification so keep on doing what you do very well: write with care, creativity and style. If your readers cannot handle it they can find the delete key and that little button that shuts off their minds.
Power to punctuation, grammar and spell check!
I know the pull of writing. But, sister, I've only recently discovered your blog. Please keep it going as you can.
Have you thought about both? Maybe you could use the fiction for those ideas that involve "people" who don't want to see themselves in print. And keep the blog for helping us all grow. I've enjoyed you blog so much that I would miss it a lot! Here's hoping that you find a way to do both.
This may not be spiritual enough for you, bu Jimmy V said "Don't give up, Don't ever give up. As we may have disscussed, Is this for the glorification of God, which on review was a truly unfair question. But I do have the answer. Keep going.
Please do.
I came across your blog this morning and wow please keep going you encourage me i am from australia and just love your blog please feel free cisit mine would love you to
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