Bloggers Block

One of the attributes of a successful blog is to post regularly!
I have found that difficult, in fact as you can see I have found it impossible.

• I wonder if I have bloggers block?
• I wonder if I am not suited to the medium?
• I wonder if the medium does not fit my purpose?

• It's not that I have nothing to write
• It's not that I've not been working
• It's not that I haven't wanted to post

I've been doing other things.
Now the time has come to resume this blog and enter fully into the spirit of my medium.

During the last six months I have made progress but I have little concrete to show.
So what have I done?

I have read many, many blogs.
I have made some comments (not many) on the blogs of others.
I have read and watched many, many presentations about blogging and Web 2.0 in general.
I have completed the registration process for my PhD, declared my area of interest and made preparations for the next stage of my work.

I think that I have a feel for the world of the blog, an understanding of the genre, but I still find it difficult to contribute.

Why?

I know that to study the academic use of blogs, I must maintain one myself.
If I am to persuade others to blog and of the need to blog then I must blog also.

I also need to understand what drives others to maintain their blogs.

Several of my blog heroes write about these themes.

Writing in Blogademia on May 24th Scott Nowson notes

"One interesting observation concerning the days blogademics...very few of them blog. I got that impression at CAAW, but here we were asked to write our name, affiliation, email and blog URL if we had them. I was near the back as the paper was passed around and a quick scan revealed very few URLs. I know I've made this point before, and I'm not saying people have to blog to study blogs...it just wouldn't hurt."

I know what he means, yet I have attended conferences / seminars / tutorials about blogging and have resisted the temptation to reveal my Blog URL..... I know I've not been writing on it, but I don't have the confidence (at least not yet).

If anyone stumbles on this blog thats fine, perhaps thats how it should be.


I was fortunate enough to hear Barbara Ganley speak at the UK's First Edublogging Conference

In her key note address she said

I have faltered even in my own blogging practice during the past month for fear of having nothing positive to say.

I know how she feels!

At the same Conference I met Stephen Downes.

Have you looked at Old Daily ?