I went to a wedding recently and there were several people there who had an online presence. Beforehand, the groom had mentioned their names and I took this as an opportunity to read their ideas and find out about the projects they like to work on.
It was a great exercise! It gave me an opportunity to get an idea of what was mutually interesting, and resulted in much better conversations – and potentially longer-term relationships.
I know that writing (or podcasting or whatever) isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But I suspect that there are many people out there who have thought about it, but have decided not to, and I want to encourage you to do so. (And if we know each other, share what you’re doing with me!)
I understand: it’s something I agonised over quite a bit. I even wrote an article over a 10 years ago discussing the topic! But I also think there are ways to deal with this, like using non de plumes.
For me, the thing that tipped me over the edge was the realisation that I was going to have an online presence whether I wanted one or not. So I might as well consciously cultivate it, embrace my desire/need to self-expression, and see if it might benefit me in one way or another.
For most people, most of the time, blogging feels like shouting into the void, or like sending messages in bottles that are unlikely to ever be read. It feels ineffectual. But sometimes it creates openings – optionality, you might say. If not for my blog, I wouldn’t have met many interesting people. I probably wouldn’t have been at this wedding.
If you know me, and you have an online presence that I might not be aware of, please let me know!! If you’re on the fence, consider this a gentle nudge (or push!).
All else being equal, I much prefer to read, watch, and listen to stuff that has been produced by people I know. You’re much more likely to make me change my mind about something compared to some rando I’ve never met.
It can also create opportunities for friendships, and deepening existing ones.