Hello lovelies. I am sorry that it has been so long since I have posted here. The reason I have been so absent is that I had to attend to both physical and emotional health issues. Now that they have balanced out, I feel like I can dedicate more time here and to my blog.
I just caught up on all of your posts and you are all so lovely and inspirational. It makes me so happy to be a part of this community. I also wanted to extend a warm welcome to Melita and Allison.
I have a question for you lovelies. In your writing (for example memoirs or research papers on a subject that are near and dear to you) and on your blogs, how do you decide how much to share? I am currently having difficulty with my blog in deciding where I want to draw the line on what to share. I want part of my blog to be an honest depiction of what it is like to survive abuse and fight for justice. I just don't know how much about my story I should share. Do any of you lovelies have any suggestions or strategies for how much you share about yourselves?
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hey glad you are feeling better and back in the game. thanks for the warm welcome too :) i don't know if i can answer your question. it's really a personal matter. when i think about this i think about how city girl struggled with her whether she should or shouldn't blog about the diet detox that she is on, how much to write about it on the blog, etc. i think that she is probably the best person to offer advice regarding where to draw the line on too much personal info going out into the blogosphere. i think a lot of people could benefit from reading about your situation but i understand you don't want to divulge too much.
ReplyDeleteA good rule of thumb is to ask yourself, "would I want my picture, name, and the information that I am proposing sharing to be broadcast on the evening news or splashed across a magazine?" If the answer is no, then don't do it! If the answer is maybe, don't do it! Once it is posted, it is saved somewhere in cyber space even if you later decide to delete the post.
ReplyDeleteBeing authentic does not have to include the divulgence of personal information. Being authentic can meaning, simply, only writing or posting about things that are of value to you. For instance, if you are not passionate about sea turtles, then don't write about it. If you offered an opportunity to be paid for hosting an ad for a male enhancement product that you don't necessarily are passionate about, then don't accept the offer. Authenticity can be defined and expressed in many ways and can work within the boundaries that you establish. : )
Very good point, Ellecubed, and excellent advice, Pink Heels.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're feeling better, Elle!
ReplyDeleteI think Pink Heels's advice is great. I think that there are ways to share one's experience without leaving onself exposed in the virtual world, if that makes sense. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's enough to share how you've coped with abuse and found support without having to go into specific details of your personal situation. You can keep the info about yourself general, but share what helped get you through for other readers who might benefit from your experience.
Glad that you are feeling brighter and thanks for the warm welcome.
ReplyDeleteHow much personal information to put on-line seemed a difficult issue for me until I saw an old Oprah the other day. She said that she does not put any-thing in an e-mail unless she was happy with it appearing on the front page of the New York Times. That would be true of blogs and web-sites in my head. Once it is out there it can be read by family, friends, current and future employers. On the flip side when individuals share they tend to get support from like minded individuals and their story can often help others.
Just read back what I have wrote. Not sure that I have been any help at all (!) but these are my thoughts.
hi elle - like melita said, this is something i struggle with a lot myself. i am actually planning to write a post about it in the locker room where i am going to give a little more information than i would otherwise just because it's password protected. that way you can get a sense of how much i leave out versus leave in, and maybe i can get a feedback myself. i was meaning to do it but reading your post reminded me it may help others on SWIM :)
ReplyDeleteI probably share too much... but then again, one of the things my readers like about my blog is my honesty. That being said, there hasn't been anything (i think) that i regret blogging about. I'm careful not to talk about work too much (for obvious reasons), but as far as my personal growth, i find that the more honest i am, the better feedback/advice/etc. I get!
ReplyDeleteThank you all so so much for sharing all of this insight. I am going to use your ideas as guidelines and apply them when deciding what and what not to blog.
ReplyDelete