Comments on: Blogging and Insecurity: Conquering the Fear of Presenting Your Big Ideas

By: Jo

Jo — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 05:35:52 +0000

very grateful for this article! It’s good to know that I’m not alone about feeling like this sometimes… :) thank you.

By: Virtual Tech Diva

Virtual Tech Diva — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:41:37 +0000

Oh My God! I should have read this article two months ago when I started my blog. At first, I thought I was worried about grammar and sentence structure, but it was fear of expressing my thoughts to the world. But after writing a few articles I gained confidence. Remember, starting something new is a little scary or intimidating, but practice will improve your writing skills.

By: ElegantCelebBlogger

ElegantCelebBlogger — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:45:46 +0000

Thank you for the link to the article on dealing with critics. Personally, I hate conflict, so I could definitely use some pointers on that subject.

By: Rajaie AlKorani

Rajaie AlKorani — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 12:08:49 +0000

I just started my blog a few days ago and I have even more fear than you since I have the idea that nobody cares what I write about since only 14-years old.

By: malik

malik — Thu, 29 May 2008 17:53:53 +0000

Are there REALLY no longer gatekeepers? Or, have they just changed?

Because linking and getting recommendations is still key to making money in the blogosphere. You still have the “cool kid” A-List bloggers who link to each other over and over again and recommend each other for paid blogging assignments. And if you’re not in NYC or Calif? It’s rare to get the kind of attention that most bloggers crave. Dooce is the exception to this rule, but she garnered most of her attention back when she was in LA and blogging was rare.

I think the players may have changed, but the game is still on, unfortunately. Except in very rare cases. It’s still who you know.

By: ulla

ulla — Mon, 26 May 2008 06:58:46 +0000

Chris,
thanks for sharing your thoughts. I find it very encouraging that someone like you admits having felt this kind of insecurity. the important thing seems to me that such a feeling a) is quite normal and b)can be overcome.

By: Mikhail

Mikhail — Sun, 25 May 2008 22:40:09 +0000

A good thing to consider. If you were no longer concerned about the quality of your content it would mean you started focusing more on you than your audience. If you think about it that fear helps keep you honest.

By: The Freelance Writer's Blog

The Freelance Writer's Blog — Sun, 25 May 2008 04:04:20 +0000

This seems to be a popular topic in the blogosphere these days. John over at Poewar.com did a similar post entitled “Fear and the Guest Blogger.”

Chris, I think if you blog from the following sentiment, which you so eloquently expressed, you’ll be fine:

” I think about the fact that these ideas are originally my own, but my greatest hope is that they will go out into the world and help others.”

If your intent is genuine, you can’t go wrong — no matter what your PR rank, feedback or subscriber counts say.

Yuwanda

By: SusanAtLifeskate

SusanAtLifeskate — Sat, 24 May 2008 16:29:55 +0000

I have to admit, I never thought my content would not be well-received by someone, because in the figure skating world, there is always someone who’s new to the sport. I’ve never run out of ideas to convey, and if it becomes repetitive, believe or not, skaters don’t mind having ideas presented in many different ways. For example, I personally don’t tire of reading the many ways of entering into a spin, and I believe (I hope I’m right) that others are just like me. I lucked out where I started a blog on a topic where everyone’s take is equally valid.

By: C Kent

C Kent — Sat, 24 May 2008 13:38:29 +0000

Thanks for the post… it’s a big help to know others feel the same way. I’m always asking my wife “Is this funny or just dumb?” and “How stupid does this sound?” Once I hit publish, then I get nervous and start re-checking my post about a million times. I’m worse about ones with sensitive topics, but then these turn out to be the ones I get the most responses on. This reminds me the reason I started my blog was to express the stuff I’m less likely to talk about with the hope it can be a help to others or bring a smile to their face. Thanks again.

By: blog4net

blog4net — Sat, 24 May 2008 09:41:14 +0000

thats an interesting post. I too feel the same.

But when my fear is more, i convince myself that on a blog some post may not be interesting to all and that a few bad posts wont spoil the overall reputation.

anyway, nice ways to present the ideas on our blogs.

By: jeflin

jeflin — Sat, 24 May 2008 06:15:49 +0000

I have experienced such insecure feelings before and you are right that a strategy has to be formulated to deal with critics.

If you are not strong mentally, a few disapproving remarks may destroy your love and interest for your blog and you become hesitant in writing about what you believe in.

People are entitled to their own opinions, not everybody agrees with you but hey, it is your blog, so if you find trolls, there is always the delete button.

http://jeflin.net

By: Robin

Robin — Sat, 24 May 2008 03:30:50 +0000

Well Chris – whatdaya reckon it’s like writing about living forever and not ever dying? Thanks or your post – there are some good points for me.

By: Virtual Tech Diva

Virtual Tech Diva — Sat, 24 May 2008 02:27:33 +0000

Reading this article tonight is truly a blessing. I’ve been working on my blog contents for weeks. I have tons of useful information to share but I feel intimidated publishing articles next to the experienced writers. I heard a rumor that revising contents can be hurtful for SEO, so I keep finding myself revising my rough draft a number of times until I feel its good enough and I still dont think it is. But this article is an inspiration to me. So I will not give up, and I will let my criticisms only motivate me to write while involving my creative style. Thanks!

By: Cheryl

Cheryl — Fri, 23 May 2008 19:00:12 +0000

Great post, Chris. I was glad to hear you worked behind the scenes on your blog for a year before going “live” with it. I bought my domain a couple of weeks ago and felt silly because I haven’t put anything up on it yet. It’s comforting to hear that others (you, and the other commenters that have posted here) have insecurity sometimes, too. I’m glad you don’t let it get the better of you, and I hope the other commenters don’t either. :)

By: Chris Guillebeau

Chris Guillebeau — Fri, 23 May 2008 16:53:08 +0000

Hey guys, thanks so much for all the comments! I really appreciate that.

FYI my name is Chris, not “hris”… but most of you probably figured that out. “Hris” would certainly be original, so maybe I should look into that… :)

By: SpaceAgeSage

SpaceAgeSage — Fri, 23 May 2008 16:05:15 +0000

I find many blogs overlap with oft-repeated content, but when bloggers offer a bit of themselves — their heart, their journey, their successes and failures — the content changes from an information exchange to an offering of relationship. It is easy to give out information. For us more insecure people, it is hard to reach out for relationship when you have no idea who is at the other end.

By: Leah McChesney

Leah McChesney — Fri, 23 May 2008 15:43:28 +0000

I agree, with the sudden panic, I am sure most people experience this, but putting yourself “out there” just reaffirms in you mind who you really are and who you want to be.

By: vjack

vjack — Fri, 23 May 2008 15:39:23 +0000

One of the fascinating things about archives is that they provide the blogger with a way to track his or her development over time. I look back at posts I wrote a couple years ago and sometimes think, “What the hell was I thinking?” It is nice to see my own growth reflected.

By: Tess

Tess — Fri, 23 May 2008 15:29:16 +0000

This really strikes a chord for me. And it’s worse when people I actually know in the real world read my blog. In fact it took me about nine months of writing before I told any friends and family about my blog.
Because I write a lot about spirituality, and have no qualification whatsoever for doing so other than stumbling along the same path as everyone else, I felt really self-conscious about it and thought my friends would laugh!
In fact I got writer’s block for about a week recently when one of my friends told me she was going to start reading my blog because another friend had been praising it – how can I live up to those expectations?, I thought.