Friday, February 24, 2012

Blogging Your Naked Passion - Are You Brave Enough by Jenny Hansen


The day has arrived!  It's Life List Club Friday and the witty, thoughtful Jenny Hansen is here to guest post!  Please give Jenny a warm welcome and enjoy her wonderful post about blogging bravery.   If you're wondering where I am, you can find me over at Sonia G. Medeiros's discussing Extreme Perseverance.  Welcome, Jenny!
Blogging Your Naked Passion – Are You Brave Enough? By Jenny Hansen
Courtesy of janellesalah.com
There is a magnet on my refrigerator with a phrase by Zora Neale Hurston that says, “There are years that ask the questions and years that answer.”
Sometimes, if we’re very lucky, a year does both.
Some of the questions the last few years have asked me are:
  • How to be a mom?
  • How to blog?
  • How to own a home?
  • How to balance work, writing and family?
  • How to plant a garden and keep up a yard?


All of these questions share one common thread: the answers can’t be easily explained.


You just have to forge ahead and try things out to see what works and what doesn’t. Sure there’s manuals, but it’s usually quicker to forge ahead and just try rather than reading 20 books first, especially with parenting.
I’d say the only question above where this “give it your best try” approach DOESN’T apply is blogging. There are a number of wonderful resources available for bloggers. However, I recommend a shortcut: social media genius, Kristen Lamb.
Kristen’s books We Are Not Alone–The Writer’s Guide to Social Media and Are You There, Blog? It’s Me, Writer  should be required for ANYONE who wants to blog, but most especially for writers.
If you have a blog, want a blog or just have the idea of one tickling the edge of your mind, I’d make fast tracks for Kristen. She says that your blog should…
OMG, wait for it…
…MATCH YOU.
That’s it. No big hidden secrets of blog success (besides getting yourself on social media so people can find you and your genius). Your blog should be about the things you love and the things that interest YOU. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t interact with your followers, just that every blog starts with you.

Courtesy of Google Images

I sum it up as: you need to be authentic.
The same way a writer’s fiction shouts, “This is who I am,” your blog will too. I’m pretty sure that’s why so many bloggers ran screaming for their pillows when Kristen posted this on what writers should blog about (hint: not just writing).
I’m sure many of them were thinking:
You want me to be personal? To hang my passion out naked for the world? Are you kidding me?  This is NOT Weiner-gate, Kristen! This is MY BLOG.
Authentic is scary. It’s exposing and humbling and real. If you’ve read Margery Williams’ book, The Velveteen Rabbit, she describes this perfectly:
“What is REAL?" asked the Velveteen Rabbit one day... "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When [someone] loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.

"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."

"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't often happen to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept.

"Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand... once you are Real you can't become unreal again. It lasts for always.”

Margery Williams, The Velveteen Rabbit or How Toys Become Real
In today’s world, where “reality TV” is staged and we watch our public figures lie without qualm, our blogging pals give us an important slice of real.
Are you letting your naked passion hang out for the world to see? What do you like about blogs? What makes you bookmark or subscribe to a blog?

About Jenny Hansen

Jenny fills her nights with humor: writing memoir, women’s fiction, chick lit, short stories (and chasing after the newly walking Baby Girl). By day, she provides training and social media marketing for an accounting firm. After 15 years as a corporate software trainer, she’s digging this sit down and write thing.

When she’s not at her blog, More Cowbell, Jenny can be found on Twitter at jhansenwrites and at her group blog, Writers In The Storm. Every Saturday, she writes the Risky Baby Business posts at More Cowbell, a series that focuses on babies, new parents and high-risk pregnancy.

34 comments:

  1. Ha. So instead of the Naked Chef, it's the Naked Blogger. ;) Smart lady that Jenny.

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    1. That's what I'm talking about, Ryan! Naked, naked, naked... :-)

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  2. Honestly, Jenny, there are so many elements of awesome in this post, I don't know where to begin! Passion, Kristen, the Velveteen Rabbit, and your wonderful Zora Neale Hurston quote. I love it. You struck a chord today and again make me so happy you're a part of the LLC with us. From your last post at More Cowbell to this one, you're a journey sister! And I am loving your naked passion! Please keep it coming and remember we're all here to help out.

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    1. Thanks, Jess! Part of me was bummed that both those posts came out at once because the Fluffy one would have made a great Life List post, but I think it's just that kind of week of me. :-)

      I'm glad it's working for you.

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  3. Authenticity. That's a million dollar word, Jenny. Most times, you can't go wrong just by being authentic and doing the best you can. Thanks for reminding us.

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    1. Oooh, Gary. There's a blog right there. You sound like my mom and she was the smartest lady I know. Thank YOU for the comment!

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  4. I totally agree. Be authentic. Great post Lara!

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    1. Jenny does a great job, doesn't she!

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    2. Thanks, Kelley! I appreciate the warm welcome over here at Lara's place. :-)

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  5. Jenny, perfect post! I love the Velveteen Rabbit excerpt...it so perfectly explains your message. Authentic is exactly right. You set the example everyday at More Cowbell. No one could have made the essence of blogging more clear!

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    1. I love that Velveteen Rabbit quote too. I've got it up on my wall and it reminds me to keep it real. I'm blushing over your compliment, Marcia. THANK YOU!

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  6. FAB post Jenny and sooo true. Being authentic and putting yourself out there can be tough at first but once you start, and realize that "they like me...they really like me..." the anxiety eases off and the blog suddenly becomes fun, fresh, and your fav place to hang out!

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    1. It is a weird moment when you realize you have loyal "fans." I think once you step over and embrace them as friends, the real magic begins. Real. Naked. Magic.

      You've got it in spades, girl!!

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  7. Although I don't have big numbers of hits on my blog, I am fortunate to have some very loyal readers. I think my transparency may be the reason for that. I don't mind letting people know I get pedicures or pray with waitresses or other such things.

    Well, here I go talking about me. The point is that you are exactly right. We need to be willing to expose our inner selves if we're to connect with readers in a way that strikes a chord in them.

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    1. I love your blog, David. And you're right, your authenticity is a big part of who you are and it shows. It's nice to see you talking about you - pedicures and all. :-)

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  8. I think you are spot on! People know when others are being insincere, or "in it" for themselves. By being authentic, we share ourselves, and invite a relationship, instead of a "gimme" moment. Thanks so much for the great post, Jenny!

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    1. Yep, that "gimme" moment is a big turn off. I think people turn away from those blogs pretty quickly.

      It's one thing if you say, hey look, I'm selling this thing if you want it. It's quite another when all you hear is BUY MY BOOK, BUY MY STUFF, MEMEMEMEMEMEMEME... (Pretty tiring, isn't it?)

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  9. It's true that my favorite blogs are from those writers who are authentic. I get a real glimpse at who they are and their voice. If I love it, I will quite likely love their books too -- even if the subject matter is different. You already had me nodding, Jenny, but when you threw out The Velveteen Rabbit, I reached over and hugged my laptop. LOVE that story.

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    1. Awww, Julie...how sweet is that?! I adore that story too. It's so magical and wise.

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  10. Oh, I really like this. Jenny gives great advice. Your blog does start with you. Fantastic, truly wonderful!

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    1. Thanks, Emily! It's lovely to see you over here at Lara's place. :-)

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  11. Arg...just lost my comment. I'm still discovering my blogging voice. It's getting easier to blog the closer I get.

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    1. I agree with that, Sonia - for both you and me. I've noticed that the postings are quicker, and it's all just easier when I go with the "nakedness."

      Gotta love Blogspot, eh?

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  12. Love this post! I've always considered myself a naked blogger (love that term). I didn't realize I was doing it because when I write things, I just write. One reader made a comment and said that I had a fearless voice. I think that's something we want to strive for because when your voice is fearless, it means you're not hiding, and when you're not hiding, you are free to be yourself.

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    1. Ooooh, a fearless voice...what a great compliment, Diane! That's fantastic.

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  13. Nice to meet you Jenny! This is a wonderful post. Just what I needed today! Thank you :)

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    1. Nice to meet you too, Leigh! I'm delighted Lara and I gave you the boost you needed for the weekend. I hope you're writing like crazy right now. :-)

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  14. Thanks so much for hosting me, Lara! I appreciate it!!

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    1. Most certainly welcome! Thanks for the wonderful blog post!

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  15. Jenny once again you just proved how amazing you are! Thanks for posting on twitter today. I had forgotten about this post! I'm glad I didn't miss it. Thank you Lara for having Jenny as your guest! :)

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    1. I was so excited to have Jenny come over and share on MfC! She definitely didn't let me down (of course, she never does!)

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    2. Boy, you two are good for my ego...thanks for the sweet comments!

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  16. Jenny, this is awesome advice! Years ago, I journaled at a site where we all poured our hearts out in a very personal way. As I got more serious about my writing, I realized that this wasn't the best venue or style if I actually wanted to promote myself and my writing, and so I locked that journal down and came to Wordpress. For I while, I think I may have went too far in the other direction and blogged only about things I thought aspiring writers "should" be putting out there. I've reached a happy medium now and interject a lot of my own goofy life stories and off-the-wall thoughts into my blog, because they are what makes it and my writing mine : )

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  17. Well, hello Life Lister that we sorely miss! Lovely to see you here and I'm so glad the writing is going well. :-)

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