If No One Reads Your Posts, Do You Still Have a Blog?
If a tree falls in a forest and no one hears it, does it still make a sound? Is content still relevant if no one consumes it? So often, the most challenging part of being a creator is ignoring the nagging need for validation. We pour our hearts and souls into a piece, post it to the world and then try not to constantly check the number of clicks, likes, and views. We tell ourselves we do it as a creative outlet and are not concerned with the outcome, but we both know that isn't true. Low viewership on a post that took hours to research and write is a blow. I believe trees make sounds even if no one is there to hear them, so why do I assume I need a readership to be a blogger?
The need for validation is understandable. It's our time. Our work. Our contribution. If those around us don't recognize it, it feels not valid. After all, wasn't that what our educators taught us? If a piece isn't "peer-reviewed" supported, it isn't worthy.
Each time I sit down to write, I try to remember one tip I have for aspiring writers: to write for yourself and no one else. Your voice is lost the second you write for others. It's the mindset of how I think my writing will come across vs. what I want to say. It's a bit of the catch twenty-two. Content has to be relevant, but it also must be authentic. The guy skateboarding with a gallon of cranberry juice captured a magic moment of realness and relatability. But unfortunately, he could never entirely recreate it because the need for views affected his voice. It made him look as if he was trying too hard. It was subtle but noticeable and off-putting.
What worries me about today's creative culture is the reach judgment has. It's inescapable. Many years ago, the British science fiction Black Mirror series aired an episode titled "Nosedive," which depicted a world where people rated each other on every interaction. From minor interactions with strangers in grocery stores to long-term friendships, unsolicited one to five stars ratings had the power to move people up and down the socioeconomic scale. "Nosedive" haunted me to even think of such a reality. Only interacting with anyone purely to get a five-star rating is much different than being true to oneself. And it makes any lousy day something that can stick with a person forever, just like losing followers because of a misspelled tweet.
But here we are today, mainly creating to get views. In some ways, there is goodness in our new world of influencers and blue check marks. A person can rise to global fame through one virtual TikTok, but I fear other talented people give up from not hitting the algorithm just right.
There is plenty of room for everyone in a world of 280 characters and 15-second video clips. We consume content like a bag of Lay's potato chips. One post is never enough. I think this is why we're all so sleepy. The one constant for success I see is authenticity. Please continue to create content that is true to you, not the person clicking "like." And thank you for reading mine. Your audience will find you, and thank you for it.
