Incomes International

Home --> Blogging --> Three Reasons Why Confession Is Good For The Blogger’s Soul

Three Reasons Why Confession Is Good For The Blogger’s Soul

When I wrote 10 Scandalous Confessions Of A Super-Sexy Idiot-Genius, I thought it would be a hit. It turned out to be way more popular than I thought it would be. Why?

It probably didn’t hurt that I told stories about:

• Hitting myself in the head with an axe
• Accidentally rubbing some very hot muscle cream on my groin
• Sticking an electric razor in my mouth, thinking it was a toothbrush

So:

Why do we get such a kick out of people airing their dirty laundry or being willing to poke fun at themselves? What is it about a confession that draws us in?

Real People

First and foremost, I think it’s easy to forget that there is a real person on the other side of the screen. Someone, another human being with their own thoughts, memories, preconceived notions, and circumstances, is reading the words you write. Someone is sitting there, staring into their computer and probably not blinking as often as they shouldjust for you.

You owe them the best of yourself. The real you, not who you think you should be so you can sell them things.

And with that profound pearl of stolen wisdom, let’s look at three reasons why confessions can be useful to bloggers.

1. You’re not perfect, i.e., you’re like everyone else

First of all, I’m not advocating that you air all of your weaknesses and insecurities to the point where it turns people off. If your blog is about Peace On Earth, don’t feel pressured to talk about your secret need to commit serial murder.

But, there is nothing wrong with admitting mistakes. If you show that you don’t hide your mistakes, you send the message that other people are allowed to make mistakes as well. That makes them feel safe and it makes you seem like a real person.

2. It creates opportunities to learn

My favorite classes in college were the ones where the teacher/student relationship was blurry. Not in that tabloid way. Rather, when I felt like my professors and I were both working on things together.

My least favorite classes were the ones where the professor constantly reminded us of all the reasons why he was behind his desk and we were behind ours.

I can learn something(s) from anyone on earth. And I want to! I find that the more about myself that I reveal to my readers, the more chances I have to learn from them. It is no longer my blog; it feels more like a giant chat room where we all figure out how to be better together.

I want my readers to forget that I write the blog and that they show up to read it.

Guess who I’m not going to ask for advice? The genius that constantly reminds me he is a genius, even though he could certainly answer all of my questions.

3. It (almost) forces people to respond

It’s true!

This seems to be one of the unspoken laws of blogging that I see reinforced almost every day. When you reveal something about yourself, particularly if it paints a picture of you that isn’t perfect, people will respond to you.

They may say, “There there, dearie”, or they may say, “Suck it up, you weenie!”  Either way, it is a response on a personal level. When we talk about getting our readers to do something as a result of our posts, it is usually called the Call to action.

Personally, I don’t want to think in terms of, “Ok, where is my call to action here?” But I may have very different goals than you, so please don’t think that isn’t a valid approach.

Enter the confession. When you tell someone that you hit yourself in the head with an axe, they’re going to have something to say about it. The confessional, revealing things you reveal serve as their own calls to action.

Trust me. No, please trust me, don’t go out and get an axe just to prove me wrong.

And to top this all off, I’ve got a confession for you:

I never learned to read.

Josh Hanagarne

Get Stronger, Get Smarter, Live Better:Every Day

Josh Hanagarne

About the Author: Josh Hanagarne is the twitchy giant behind World’s Strongest Librarian, a blog with advice about living with Tourette’s Syndrome, kettlebells, book recommendations, old-time strongman training, and much more. Please subscribe to Josh’s RSS Updates to stay in touch.

Related Posts

1. How To Build a Successful Blog
2. 5 Reasons to use Post Ideas to Avoid Writers Block
3. Is Jeremy 'Shoemoney' Shoemaker Gay?
4. Do You Know Why You Blog? Tips To Find Out And How Your Answer Is Crucial For Success
5. How to Cope When It All Goes Wrong

Tags: blog, blogger, Blogging, blogs, confession, hitting myself in the head, insecurities, peace on earth, preconceived notions, wisdom