I don't see how it would be - most of what's written is never read.
Writing is networking for introverts
11–20 of 91 posts
Re: Writing is networking for introverts
#12Earlier quoted context omitted.
How do you hold an opinion if it has no basis that can persist over time? I personally imagine for reading one's own writing, just like listening to my own singing, the exact "pain points" you feel would also be felt by any audience and therefore are the most valuable feedback you could possibly receive...
Not the person you replied to, but it's usually more of a shift in desired tone/writing style than just a general objective evaluation. For example I can write a post and feel the tone is good, then come back to it and find it too informal, not expert-y enough. Then I'll write a new article and some time later find it too academic and not engaging enough. That might just be me though.
This is often described by authors. They sometimes suggest letting the writing rest a while. Come back to it a while later and adjust it into a final draft. This advice is often talking about longer form material, like books, but I wonder if it’s similar to what you’re experiencing.
If so, maybe it’s that your drafts lack something because you’re just trying to get all the words out.
Re: Writing is networking for introverts
#13Earlier quoted context omitted.
How do you hold an opinion if it has no basis that can persist over time? I personally imagine for reading one's own writing, just like listening to my own singing, the exact "pain points" you feel would also be felt by any audience and therefore are the most valuable feedback you could possibly receive...
It's mostly due to learning more things and having different interests. Sometimes it's a change of opinion, other times it's more like "is this even worth talking about" or "I would phrase things differently if I was writing this now".
> "I would phrase things differently if I was writing this now"
This is the point that matters most, and I would pay careful attention to and hone this instinct. It is the one that would truly reduce the "pain" of consuming your own efforts. Otherwise, I am not sure what to say, it is of course possible to write for different reasons and with different efforts and expectations, so I would not fret too much about how much you "care" about something over time, just how much it interests you to read your own points about it
Re: Writing is networking for introverts
#14Earlier quoted context omitted.
People learn new facts about topics and change their minds all the time. A 5 year old may be of the opinion that eating candy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner is a well balanced meal until they have their first candy "hangover".
> People learn new facts about topics and change their minds all the time I view it as inappropriate to put pen to paper to publish about something I've only put passing thought and research into, so this point is a bit facile. > A 5 year old This one even more so.
I learn by writing about things in detail because it causes me to think through them. So, I’m the opposite, sometimes, where I write about things I’m not an expert in. I also publish a blog, so I do it in public fairly frequently.
Re: Writing is networking for introverts
#15This sounds more like "socially awkward but want to talk to lots of people" than strictly introverted (which itself generally gets used to mean many things). I have some "introvert" traits: talking to people tires me out, I have no interest in low quality conversations - I dont like chit-chatting with strangers. If this is what's going to happen at an event I'd rather avoid it altogether than have a pretext for peopl…
I agree. The whole introvert thing is so loosely defined that it covers everyone to some degree.
For example, I find smalltalk with people I don’t really know to be extremely challenging and tiring. And yet with people I do know, or in conversations on topics where I feel confident, I struggle to shut myself up.
I wouldn’t consider myself to be either introvert or extrovert, merely some set of personality traits.
Re: Writing is networking for introverts
#16I don't see how it would be - most of what's written is never read.
Speaking from personal experience, writing something once increases the chance that future me will say something in direct conversation with at least one other person. So for me, there is a positive, non zero benefit.
Re: Writing is networking for introverts
#17I wonder how people recognize you from your writing since your face isn’t attached to it.
I do see the micro-celebrity in action with my adult son, who is a YouTuber. People recognize him pretty often, so his small following must be relatively local and has this effect. But that’s video where he can easily be recognized.
On a related note, I often wonder how people are so sure it’s him. If I see a video of someone, I’m not likely to recognize them in public. Perhaps I have a bit of this condition of an inability to recognize faces mentioned in the article.
Re: Writing is networking for introverts
#18I change my opinions way too frequently for it. Reading stuff that I wrote as recently as a year ago is mildly painful and annoying.
I imagine you're someone who finds honor in the truth. If you are, then you would benefit from writing. Here are two things you get from writing: 1) it forces you to clarify your thoughts, and 2) it enables you to create new thoughts. Writing is a very effective means to discovering powerful truths.
I think you understand the power of the truth, which is why you're uncomfortable being exposed to it too regularly.
Re: Writing is networking for introverts
#19I don't see how it would be - most of what's written is never read.
I’m not sure that’s true for all forms of writing but I’d love to hear more about it.
Publishing a blog, for example, is pretty likely to be read by at least a small group of people. Same with a book. If I’m writing in a personal notebook, than no, it’s not likely to be read. On the whole, the statement is probably true, but for specific forms, I suspect it’s false.
Re: Writing is networking for introverts
#20This sounds more like "socially awkward but want to talk to lots of people" than strictly introverted (which itself generally gets used to mean many things). I have some "introvert" traits: talking to people tires me out, I have no interest in low quality conversations - I dont like chit-chatting with strangers. If this is what's going to happen at an event I'd rather avoid it altogether than have a pretext for peopl…
I agree. The whole introvert thing is so loosely defined that it covers everyone to some degree. For example, I find smalltalk with people I don’t really know to be extremely challenging and tiring. And yet with people I do know, or in conversations on topics where I feel confident, I struggle to shut myself up. I wouldn’t consider myself to be either introvert or extrovert, merely some set of personality traits.
> I find smalltalk with people I don’t really know to be extremely challenging and tiring. And yet with people I do know, or in conversations on topics where I feel confident, I struggle to shut myself up.
FWIW, this pretty much exactly describes an introvert. Being introverted doesn't mean you don't like socialising at all.