Even though I love writing, I’m not a huge fan of blogging. It’s not particularly because I find blogging self-indulgent. If I protested that type of shameless self-indulgence, I wouldn’t be such a fan of twitter, would I? (FOLLOW ME. I WANT 300 FOLLOWERS!!!) I think I’ve found blogging difficult because they tend to work best when you 1) consider yourself an “expert” on a certain topic and 2) write about that topic with a consistent perspective.
And I'm no expert. If I undertook writing about celebrity news, I know I'll get trumped by those with more of an interest than me. I’ve considered writing a blog about the ridiculous job market for post-grads, but I have a limited point of view and, to be honest, it’s a depressing subject to revisit on a regular basis. It should be obvious that I’ve never considered a fashion blog -- the shirt I’m wearing today I’ve owned since high-school (that was over five years ago, for those of you keeping track.)
The "consistent perspective" part is also pretty difficult for me. When I write something and propose that I believe it definitively, I'll return to that piece in three days and realize I was mistaken, misinformed, or just crazy. For example, I wrote an editorial for an online celebrity news site where I asserted that Rebecca Black's "Friday" was better than Katy Perry's "Last Friday Night," mostly because I hated Katy Perry. Two months later, my mother dragged me to a Katy Perry concert as a "gift" and I realized that, although she's not my favorite human being, she's definitely preferable to Rebecca's nasally squeal. But that published piece is still floating out on the net and commenters have lambasted me "THA STUPIDEST IDIOT IN DA WORLD." The point of this pointless story is: I've become leery of writing and publishing my opinions on an official forum because I'm still learning and accessing new information that affects my stance on important issues.
But, as an aspiring writer in a digital environment, I know how important an online presence is… I need to be able to show, not just tell, that I’m a good writer. I need practice writing about different topics, and perhaps most importantly, my friends and family have told me I need an outlet for my thoughts because their ears are getting tired.
That’s where the concept for “1000 Words” started. 1000-ish words on any topic, from riveting analyses of my favorite TV Show, The Jersey Shore, to what I’ve learned in the 6 months I’ve spent searching for a job in the past year, to the reasons I consider my dog my personal hero, to my choice for president in 2012. I know I'm always learning and changing my mind and, if I do, I'll take another hack at it. I know you are just absolutely RIVETED, so stay tuned.
