Perfectionism with a hint of imposter syndrome.
I’m a college student right now with not a lot of extra time on my hands, but occasionally I have an idea for a blog post. When that idea comes, I search for other blogs on the topic and think, “wow, what a great blog post… I don’t think I’d be adding much in my own words.” Then I don’t write anything.
Anybody struggle with this? If so, how do you overcome it?
Ask HN: What's stopping you from blogging?
41–50 of 67 posts
Re: Ask HN: What's stopping you from blogging?
#42I enjoy writing much like I do public speaking; while I'm doing it I enjoy it immensely, but I despise reading my own writing or hearing my own a voice on a recording. As a result, going back and proof reading drafts is my main blocker.
That and, you know, actually having to deliver real work.
That said, I still force myself to do it once or twice a month in the hopes I'll get used to it.
Re: Ask HN: What's stopping you from blogging?
#43I used to blog long ago and dropped it because the overhead got to be too distracting. I've become interested in again but haven't really been sure what's the right platform to do it with (static or otherwise, self-hosted or not, federated or both or not, and so forth and so on) and haven't been sure what things I'd write about.
With this last point, it's not that I don't have anything to write, it's picking what to write about. Boundaries and persona were always clear lines in the sand for me when I did it before, and at the moment I'm not sure where I want to draw them. It's a bit like deciding to write an ongoing book: on what topic? What part of my mind would I be putting to page?
Basically indecision paralysis.
Re: Ask HN: What's stopping you from blogging?
#44I occasionally update my web log, however updates are rare because writing ends up taking a lot of time. You have to identify an interesting topic, research it to fill the gaps needed to describe it, create a writeup with associated figures/pictures, edit it, and then commit to publishing it. Yes, it's entirely possible to create lower effort content, but it's substantially less satisfying to me.
Re: Ask HN: What's stopping you from blogging?
#451. Too many options to blog. Wordpress and Blogger are solid but no native LaTeX support. Code formatting sucks. Medium is a closed garden.
2. Do not want to maintain a website. That is too much work for which RoI is very low for me.
3. I am a perfectionist and in this regard, I often never start for this reason.
4. The fear of looking stupid and making a fool of myself.
5. Writing well is a very very hard and time consuming work. I work hard and have little to no time for this extra work.
6. Fear that no one is going to read it. What's the reason to write publicly if I don't get significant audience feedback?
Re: Ask HN: What's stopping you from blogging?
#46Engagement is shit. Im not on Twitter anymore but being in an alive place where the presence of humanity is tangible, where any given post might resound or get replies... that was so much better than time spent in my own isolated little blog.
Re: Ask HN: What's stopping you from blogging?
#47Blogging == Shouting into the Wind.
I find discussing on HN (a la Socratic Method) more useful.
Re: Ask HN: What's stopping you from blogging?
#48Re: Ask HN: What's stopping you from blogging?
#49I feel like I have nothing to teach - the blogs I like to read explain things but anything I know is better explained elsewhere. This is the curse of the internet.
And I also found if it isn’t explained well it is quite a bit of work to explain it well (primary research).
Re: Ask HN: What's stopping you from blogging?
#50The embarrassment of reading it years later
Oh yeah I have nuked blogs many times for this!