I am trying desperately to coin a word before I leave this blessed Earth. So in what may be my 300th attempt these past few years I have created the word BlogBlock.
BlogBlock is writer’s block for bloggers. There are however differences and similarities. Writer’s block is a writer’s inability to write because nothing inspires him or her. However, as blogging can refer to a vast number of things that one can blog about, from commentaries to personal diaries to articles, a BlogBlock occurs when nothing inspires the Blogger to blog in the sense that they feel the subject matter does not deserve a post.
In the past few hours for example I have started a number of posts, and halfway through I say to myself “this sucks!!” No one wants to read this, heck, I don’t even want to write about this!?!
Nothing is post-worthy (aha! another unknown term!)
Post-Worthiness I suppose comes from the bar that we set when we blog. When you enter the blogging world you don’t know what to blog about. Then you start blogging about everything but filler can be a real killer. So you start to ‘specialize’ in a certain subject, become known for it, become expected to write about it. Then you plateau, you set the bar and people will come to expect a certain level from you, a certain quality or lack thereof.
I swear, as of right now, there are at least 8 unfinished posts saved as drafts.
So the only thing at this moment that is inspiring me to blog is the lack of inspiration to blog about anything.
OH BLOGBLOCK…HOW I LOATHE THEE!!!!!
(2 minutes later, after googling, Naseem discovers the word BlogBlock has already been coined but upon reviving from his breakdown decides to publish this post anyway because of its conclusive irony and the fact that 9 drafts would drive him mad at this point)
Hehe, ta7sheesh 🙂 Blogging is hilarious.. Amazing how each blog and everything around it is measured by the blogger/person blogging!
nas,
on a different note, i just read your article ‘Delayed’ in JO Magazine December issue. it positively bled rage. Nicely done.
Roba, your absolutly right! 😀
Fad, thanks for reading it. Glad you liked it. 🙂
Hey nas,
I go through this feeling almost every day, sometimes I start a blog writing about something but then the end product ends up being written about something totally different . This open ended state of mind is driving me crazy. I agree that the blogger should specialize in one single area and try to blog about it only. I think that we have couple of bloggers like that, one is specialized in taking pictures and one talks about the Jordanian politics only. However, to know what one’s specialty is- is a big task in itself, like I don’t know what I’m good at, and have no idea what field I should be blogging about. Case in point : What you are going through is normal and we all experience it all the time, it isn’t scary at all.
Hatem, thank you for the words of inspiration. The problem quite possibly is i’m just good at everything. lol no im kidding but seriously it’s good to know others are suffering, it eases the pain 😀
You created the term?! LOL!
I used to call it “blog entry block” :p *sigh* And it’s SUCH a pain in the bum! I’m currently going through it right now! :'(
Well, I guess it is normal for a blogger to go through this every once in a while .. comes with the territory of writing and publishing. However; if we look at the blogging concept a bit deeper; it is a way for you to vent and speak your mind, get your opinion out and have your voice heard.
The internet broke the barriers that used to construct huge obstacles in our way of freedom of speech and expression. But if we say that a blogger should specialize in something and write about it, aren’t we turning the blogger into a specialist? aren’t we narrowong down the possibilities and options for this person?
I understand blogging as the tool through which I pass my reactions and thoughts to people to interact and discuss, share opinions and points of view. Today I might experience something at a governmental department so I am inspired to write about how much I hate the routine, and tomorrow I might see something in the street that grabs my attention, I take a picture and I write about it, does that make me a distracted blogger? or a blogger who does not have a niche? should each blogger have a niche? hell I think this can be a good post on its own 😉