~Point is

Going through my old writing is therapeutic. It shows me where I was, how I've changed... as a person, and as a writer. I think that I learned a lot being part of online message boards for the past 5 years. I've learned how to make myself a little more clear. I've learned how to work "intrigue". Most importantly though, I've learned when to just shut up and walk away.

For years I spent hour after hour attempting to get "my point" across to people... not realizing that pretty often, people don't want to hear my point. They don't care about my point. They'll listen, sometimes. They'll think, sometimes. Mostly though, if it's not something about them, they don't want to be bothered.

I think that's natural. I don't know that I would enjoy reading about, for example, baseball, day after day. I'd enjoy it if the writer was excited about it and was able to convey that excitement; but if it was just a page of stats or a telling of what happened in last night's game? I'd, maybe, skim it. The only time I'd get really into reading every word about baseball is if someone I really wanted to be close to was really into baseball. Then, in order to know them better, I'd want to know baseball better.

I guess that's the difference between writing for yourself and writing for an audience. When you write for an audience, you have to pay attention to what might interest or bore them. When you write for yourself, there aren't any rules. You can "talk something to death" and be just fine with that.

That's what I like about this blog. It's MINE. I don't have to do what I've done for years on message boards. I don't have to clarify, defend my point, or stop talking about things if I want to talk about them. There are no rules. I'm free to be a self centered, obsessive, prick if I want to be.

I like that.