Ask HN: How to turn off my desire to be seen?

Re:Ask HN: How to turn off my desire to be seen? by mattbgates on Friday September 22, 2017 @06:37AM (#15310832)

When it comes to blogging, you should always act like you have an audience, even if you don't. Just write and write and speak your mind. Talk to someone as if they are so interested in what you are going to publish.

I started a website called Confessions of the Professions ( http://www.confessionsoftheprofessions.com) a few years ago.. and my only visitors were my mom and my girlfriend. I didn't care.. I remember loading up WordPress Jetpack and my visitor count was around 10 a day... then it increased to 35. I just kept at it.. kept writing blogs, kept soliciting for people to write for me, posting sometimes up to 3 or 4 times a day.

Eventually, I would lose interest... and about the time I did that, people started emailing me asking me if they could contribute.. and I happily agreed. Every time I start to lose interest.. I get dozens of emails with praise and asking if they can contribute an article.

My visitor count ranges anywhere from 500 - 1000 visitors a day. I get universities and well known companies asking if they can contribute. I work with a lot of marketing agencies and consultants who have clients and are looking for a niche website to publish on.

Honestly, it keeps me going even when I'm ready to give it up. It motivates me and revitalizes me back into my own passions and desires for keeping the website going... we all have to go to work... and I am curious about what everyone is doing and the struggles of everyday.

But it all started with no audience and an assumption that people might read it, could read, and would be interested in reading it. If I had to do it all over again knowing what I know now.. I totally would do it again... the website has helped so many.

So just keep going! No matter what! You never know whose reading! :)

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Re:Ask HN: How to turn off my desire to be seen? by saimiam on Friday September 22, 2017 @07:39AM (#15311203)

I appreciate the answer but I want to point out that I'd rather just write because I enjoy writing, not in the hope of finding an audience. My frustration is that I don't find writing intrinsically rewarding.

I think that can come about if I write a deeply felt blogpost whose very existence touches something fundamental in me.

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Re:Ask HN: How to turn off my desire to be seen? by Mz on Friday September 22, 2017 @03:43PM (#15315137)

I do a lot of blogging. For me, it works best to find an intrinsic motivator. (But do always keep in mind that it is posted publicly. Writing for yourself in public is an interesting challenge.)

My most successful blog started as a means to keep track of information for myself. I abandoned it for a time, but it was getting organic traffic. I resumed developing it.

Blog is short for Web Log. Blogs began as personal journals or diaries that were publicly shared. If you want to track certain kinds of information for yourself, like a food journal in support of pursuing healthier eating, that can have intrinsic value without an audience. If it attracts an audience, cool. But it does not require one to be valuable to you.

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