So yesterday I was listening to a Ted talk podcast on writing, and basically, the speaker said that no one cared to read anything lengthy anymore, which is true and I agree with him (there is substantial research to back this up). I can't remember the last time I read a full article. It's either I am distracted by something else or the piece is so poorly written I can't bear to read it.
However, I think the speaker addressed a small factor of writers who write for feedback. It is only normal to put out content and expect other people to react to it in some way. Notwithstanding, some people are genuinely indifferent about feedback and I so happen to be one of those people (this is a recent development).
Currently, with my blog, I am not trying to achieve anything per se. It is more of an outlet to organize my thoughts and experiences because they matter to me and the blockchain serves as a permanent record. I can always review old posts, to help me see how much of my thought process has evolved.
So what I am saying, in essence, is that I write for myself. Writing is a selfish thing for me. It is my thing, and we should all have our things--things that cannot be taken away from us.
Writing is therapeutic. This is the only way I can unbosom myself without being too irrational because I have to carefully choose my words and review my thoughts. Plus, I cannot bear to see a shrink, so this would do just fine.
Writing is a hobby and I do well to take it that way. I do not care for accolades; I do not care for feedback. I just want to hear/read my thoughts, and if someone other than myself finds it–my blogs–interesting, that's a plus. It hasn't always been this way though.
For the better part of the last 3-4 years, I have been writing for a living, and that's something I never want to do again, mainly because my scope has been myopic and I have moved further away from what I hoped to achieve with my writing. And to be frank, I do not think that's something I hold sacred anymore.
As I said earlier, writing now is more or less a hobby. I am not trying to achieve anything with it per se. The major plus side to this is that I can share my thoughts more freely without an agenda in mind and I think that's a beautiful thing.
In conclusion, you don't have to change your style or message just to fit a certain narrative. There is hardly room for sincerity or ingenuity in the media these days because everyone seems to be working an angle, just so they can make some money. It's a disgusting reality I have come to terms with but I draw a line now with blogs. I will say what I want and write what I want. Money can be made elsewhere.