How to Be a Blogger AND a Coward

Posted October 3rd, 2010 / By Brandon Cox in Misc

I know. That was harsh, but it’s just as much a reminder to me as it is to you. It’s easy to slip into coward-mode in the blogging world and I just wanted to push us all out of our comfort zone a bit to do some blogging-self-reflection. Here are some signs you’re a blogger and a coward.

• You take shots at people, personally, and hide behind your computer screen without ever contacting them to air your differences.
• You spread gossip without the guts to verify your facts.
• You refuse to talk about your content with people who disagree, which could include deleting comments that might prove you wrong.
• You refuse to take a stand or choose a side. You’d rather straddle the fence so nobody ever dislikes you.
• You can’t admit when somebody else beat you to the great idea.
• You can’t admit you were wrong.
• You never ask for feedback, because you might just have to hear some brutal truth.
• You ignore potential changes that might adversely affect your current methodologies.
• You’d rather play safe than take bold risks.

So if you’ve been hiding behind a keyboard hoping to make a buck or create a stink without exposing yourself to any challenges to excellence – good luck. I hope you enjoy mediocrity. But if you want to go to the next level, own up to your mistakes. Open yourself to communications with critics who have good intentions and ignore the rest. Allow disagreements and squeeze the value out of the tough conversations.

What prompted this post? Yet another conversation with someone who perceives the industry as nothing more than a gossip column or tabloid for techies. So let’s change that. Let’s be bold, truthful, and honoring to the artform we all love – blogging.

Anyone courageous enough to throw a word into the conversation?

photo source

In addition to serving as Editor of Fuel Your Blogging, Brandon is also a Pastor at Saddleback Church and Online Community Coordinator for Pastors.com. He’s also a web designer, blogger, and church communications consultant. Catch him on his own blog or on Twitter.