writing
i like to write. i wonder (this has recently been a topic of discussion and i want to get your opinions), when you write, how much of your writing is part of yourself and how much is written with an audience in mind?
i could have made my blog private or my own personal journal, but there's something thrilling about writing and knowing that someone else will read what you write.
even if you do write a journal, do you write with only you in mind or does a hidden audience influence you to some extent?
i think that some of the best pieces of writing are the ones that reflect the author's experiences/thoughts/emotions and are honestly personal. it can be seen in non-fiction but also in fiction (through characters etc) and of course in poetry.
the audience will always have some degree of influence on the piece of writing though.
so how to manage the proportions of each? how much do you put of yourself in your writing (and for yourself), and how much for others?
(this lovely piece 100% for you, my public!)
i could have made my blog private or my own personal journal, but there's something thrilling about writing and knowing that someone else will read what you write.
even if you do write a journal, do you write with only you in mind or does a hidden audience influence you to some extent?
i think that some of the best pieces of writing are the ones that reflect the author's experiences/thoughts/emotions and are honestly personal. it can be seen in non-fiction but also in fiction (through characters etc) and of course in poetry.
the audience will always have some degree of influence on the piece of writing though.
so how to manage the proportions of each? how much do you put of yourself in your writing (and for yourself), and how much for others?
(this lovely piece 100% for you, my public!)
posted by rouba at
10:47 PM
8 Comments:
The audience always affects what we write, what we dress in, and what we say...
no matter how we say it doesn't...
By
Hashem, at Friday, April 07, 2006 12:28:00 AM
you're absolutely right hashem, it's just a matter of how much
By
rouba, at Friday, April 07, 2006 1:13:00 AM
[Gomhoory el habib]
only to some extent. I would say 30%.
But the audience does not affect what I write (I mean I don't write to attract a specific audience). they more affect the mood I'm in, for instance when I read others' blog... or they instigate a discussion about something.
But I also find it very amusing to blog, especially when writing about a funny episode that happened to me... It helps me highlight the comedy in my life, which I start to find even in bad situations. so in this respect, yes I write for myself. it entertains me.
Now how much of this is myself, I believe a lot.. but this is part of having different personalities (no not in a psychotic way, but more in being complex way)... some of these personalities you only expose in blog, some you let out on real life occasions...
(I hope I'm not crazy and others feel the same)
By
Ghassan, at Friday, April 07, 2006 8:03:00 AM
I like how Gus actually puts a percentage :) Gus, what's the standard deviation on your calculation? YOu know that 80% of all statistics are made up on the spot right? :)
Rouba, if you made your blog private then it's no longer a blog, it's a journal. The purpose of the blog is to share with the rest.
I think if you write a journal, you are definitely writing for your own, unless you have some psycho mischievous plans :) (like you write some stuff and purposely "lose" your journal and have others find it and read what you want them to read you tricky girl!) but when you write a blog, you are definitely influenced by your audience, not necessarily when it comes to what you write, but what you write about.
By
Dry Gin Martini, at Friday, April 07, 2006 9:11:00 AM
In a perfect world. Where I am You and You are Me. where black IS black and white IS white. (where smoking isn't harmful to your lungs, and alcholol isn't to your liver). where Waters would be writing the national anthem.
In that world, you would be writing only to yourself.
By
Paul, at Friday, April 07, 2006 9:58:00 AM
i'm talking about writing prose/poetry/fiction and not reporting an event or exposing an opinion about something - and whether creating your story with the audience too much in your mind will detract from the quality of your piece (again, i think the more it comes from you the better it is, but that's my opinion)
LC, my journal's waiting to be discovered in the bottomest lefthandside drawer of the modern antique topsyturvy commode in the basement - use it well and for the good of humanity as a whole
:)
By
rouba, at Friday, April 07, 2006 3:26:00 PM
i like the public bit. i think not just writing is affected by others but pretty much everything we do. i tried to tackle the issue in general in 'crossing the line'. but in terms of blogging, the thrill of the voyeuristic nature of the blog would probably affect what we write to an extent. (read what i posted). i don't see anything wrong with that though, writing reflects the writer's psychology and inner self as well as his environment which is directly affected by others.
and i don't think writing to yourself only would be in a perfect world as much as it would be in an isolated one.
By
Unknown, at Friday, April 07, 2006 7:00:00 PM
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By
Unknown, at Friday, April 07, 2006 7:06:00 PM
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