Devon Brown (Tokyo-to, 2002-04) is a freelance writer with a focus on food. You can read more of her writing at TravelingTastebuds.blogspot.com.
For about a year I was holed up in my apartment writing articles I would never allow people to read. I only shared my work in large anonymous or protected forums like writing contests or classes. My work needed to be out there, but I wasn’t ready to stand behind it.
But now it’s time for me to take a step out into public as a writer and I feel like I’m stepping in front of a batting machine. On the first anniversary of my writing career, I am jello soft and unprepared for the inevitable criticism that lies ahead. People are actually reading my blog and I write two regular columns accessible to anyone with internet access. On the web, everything is open for comment and I fear the next snide remark or disagreement with my opinions will break me.
I need some quick advice about building backbone from some of you veterans out there because the balls are flying and I can only bob and weave for so long. To all seasoned writers, bloggers, authors and artists did this happen to you and how did you deal with it?
Help out Devon and other JET alum writers by posting your comments below. Yoroshiku!
2 comments so far...
Hi Devon:
Remember that you have your space and are free to write whatever you want on your space. Those who read you are coming to your “home”. Some have better manners than others. We want to foster discussion and healthy debate on our online forums; if we wanted all to feel the same way about the world, it would indeed be a narcissistic effort at best to attempt to blog.
With this in mind, you have the power to respectfully request that order be followed and that comments remain positive, albeit perhaps critical. That is not a bad thing in that we grow through criticism and questioning. If any commenter decides to not follow the rules so nicely, often other commenters will pitch in to help you through comraderie.
You may also ask specific questions in your blog to direct the comments around a certain topic rather than leaving ponderings open-ended. That creates more of a focus and an opinion-oriented approach to comments left by readers.
Ganbatte kudasai!
Be well, Devon.
Thank you for the thoughful comment. It really helps.