Most people who have a blog update their blog because they want to share their thoughts with the world. Why would anyone want to create a blog that no one is going to read? Isn’t a lack of readership why most people give up blogging? And isn’t the promise of a readership why many people start?
If I told you that private blogs have a purpose, would you believe me? Did you know that, in WordPress, you can label a blog post private or public? You can also decide whether or not you want search engines to find your blog. You can even password protect your blog so that a few or no people have access to it.
I choose to share all my posts here because I would like feedback, and I would like to demonstrate that I think about and have an interest in things like creativity, writing, the Internet, and social media. But what if I don’t want to share? What if I want to blog/free-write but don’t feel like perfecting every post? What if I want to rid myself of the pressure?
I’ve been experimenting with private blogs to help me with my writing. Recently, I started a new blog to help me with a nonfiction writing project. I’ve actually been scared to write about the subject matter because I am so overwhelmed by everything I want to say. Starting a private blog about this subject allows me to explore the subject in small chunks, save drafts for myself, gather corresponding images, test creative ways to approach the subject, and feel motivated by the way my writing looks published.
Even though no one else can see my private blog, I like being able to view my posts with the layout that I have created. I can feel like I’m making progress and like I have some sort of order to my thoughts. I might make the blog public once I feel like I have a better handle on what I want to share, but, for now, I just add posts without any pressure. If I do decide to make it public, I will already have content to share with my new readers.
If you are an aspiring writer or have ideas that you want to explore, I highly suggest you start a private blog, especially if you don’t feel confident about sharing your work. Seeing the published product will provide you with some motivation and creative license. Writing isn’t always about the readers!
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