In the book Outliers, author Malcolm Gladwell says that it takes roughly ten thousand hours of practice to achieve mastery in a field. I’d love to blog every single day like some of the other bloggers that I look up to but the truth is I couldn’t possibly. The time just isn’t there amongst other reasons. Well, the follwoing reasons.
1. Creativity isn’t consistent
Adele and I seem to be inspired by pain. When I’m upset or angry I can churn out like 7 blog posts at one go. Unfortunately, 2016 has been a good year. All of a sudden I don’t have anything to say. My social media is empty and I hardly go online.
I’m also inspired by money. I write for several publications. This means I’m spread too thin. Paying articles will always come first. Blogging will always come second to cash.
There is also a little thing called Writers’ Block.
Writer’s block is a condition, primarily associated with writing, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work or experiences a creative slowdown. The condition ranges in difficulty from coming up with original ideas to being unable to produce a work for years.
There is no real cure for Writer’s Block but I have found that I get writer’s block when there is a story burning in the back of my mind and for some reason or another I am unable to write about it. It’s like the muses are there looking at me like, “We gave you a story to write wani and you still ain’t written it. Write that one first before we give you another.”
2. Pressure to perform
I worry a lot about how my readers will react to a certain blog post. Some posts are still saved as drafts because I didn’t feel like they are up to standard. My readers have humbled me too many times. When I think a post is flames that’s when it receives little reaction. The posts whereby I haven’t put any work in are the most popular. Its too strange.
3. Fear of over share
I’m a personal blogger and there is a fine line between enough and too much. However, this line is subjective and I’m sure with a couple readers I have already over shared. When I wrote about my ectopic pregnancy my mother’s phone rang off the hook. People felt like I shouldn’t have publicised what I went through. I write to the depth that I’m comfortable with.
4. Not my story to tell
Some of the experiences that I go through aren’t mine alone to share. There are so many stories that go unwritten in order to protect my friends and family. There are also conversations that I’m not having with my people that I’d love to blog my honest opinions about but I can’t. So we just leave them under-rug swept.
5. Too many readers
When no one was reading my blog I’d write freely without fear and favour. But now I meet people that know me from my blog and they have so many questions. Its literally outgrown me! Now when I write I have to think about too many things. I am forming a reputation through my writing with people that are far from my circle. Its both a gift and a curse
6. Being politically correct
Saw this one article on social media etiquette about the 9 things you shouldn’t share on social media. I violate like 5 of them. But politics, religion, health issues I try to avoid writing about. I would hate to alienate people or yo come across as callus on some issues. I personally dislike religious debates because everybody doesn’t want to be wrong. We can ALL use the same Bible to defend our various beliefs. It’s tricky!
7. Fear of retribution and backlash
I wrote about Beyonce’s Formation video. I still regret it. Got a long queue of unapproved comments to this day because the BeyHive was not amused. People are allowed to do whatever they want on the internet my feelings be damned! And so, when I’m proofreading my posts I try to cover all my bases. I wrote a post defending Qiniso:The Movie and somebody retaliated by writing a post attacking my blog. I wasn’t ready!
I really wish people would stop calling my mum. Like seriously. I’m 27 years old and she doesn’t contribute towards keeping the site online. And she’s my mother, very little shocks her where I’m concerned. Been writing since I was little. She knows how my mind works.
All that aside, I promise to stay true to my promise of new posts on Mondays and Wednesdays. Saturdays will remain ‘In Case You Missed It’ throwback posts for new readers.
PS: For quicker navigation you can like the Facebook page that consists of blog posts only.
