Blog Directions
There is a proliferation of literature out there on the analysis of blogs: how to write one; styles; genres; money opportunities.
What I want to talk about in today's post is genres. The list is endless, but the 2 genres that interest me are : Topical Blogs and Personal Diary Blogs.
The decision whether to stick to BiPolar topics or stick to personal daily experiences often confounds me as I sit facing the screen in the early morning. So, most times, I try to maintain a balancing act between the 2.
But I've been thinking lately that in the case of BiPolar sufferers, the 2 genres are inseperable. If you're a BiPolar sufferer, then shit, your daily life is always "on topic" as far as BiPolar is concerned. I mean what is BiPolar other than the daily ups, downs and sufferings of real live individuals?
Besides, as I said in a previous post, what is the principal reason the vast majority of us rigorously devote several hours a week to sitting typing at the Cmptr (like we don't have enough of this in our working lives)? Simple: Self Therapy.
This being the case - what is gonna give you more therapy: running a magazine type blog aggregating all the latest international news on BiPolar OR sharing your daily trials and tribulations with the world? A no-brainer. Having said this, I think there is value in BiPolar bloggers to occasionaly comment on topical BiPolar issues - because it comes from a personal, experienced, and knowledgable perspective.
Obviously you (me anyway) can't go too astray in your postings , and for this reason I've often contemplated starting additional blogs. One would be "Philosopher's Cocktail" - occassional philosophical ideas that come into my head. I often have these ideas but am reluctant to put them in here as they're probably a bit dry and heady for this blog.
Another I'd start is "Meditating". A lot of serious mediation practitioners keep detailed dairies of their meditation progression. Again: I don't think it would fit in BiPolar Daily.
But for now I will stick to one blog. It's enough of an addiction for the time being.
(yeah, it's been up and bloody down all week)
You're right: if we suffer from bipolar disorder, then a big part of our life and our blogging must be about our disease.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, the disease is not everything. I make a point to include other things such as photographs, pointers to articles, and mere descriptions of the world because I am more than a bipolar. Call my blog eclectic because I am an eclectic. I get into all kinds of things. I believe I should honor, I should love those things as much as my ongoing "recovery" from the disease. These other things provide me context, a feeling for who I am and where I am. These are both abstract and physical.
My advice is keep writing about the bipolar, but don't forget the larger scope. The disease does not take us out of the world: it demands that we know existence in its fullness and honor it as our Reality. Just as you are doing when you struggle with your finances.
You are always on target... go with your instinct.
ReplyDeleteMage
The last two posts at my blog have been about the Toronto Maple Leafs, but it is approaching the trade deadline. My second blog has been inactive for about a month now. My interests tend to ebb and flow, but perhaps after a year or so I'll start to notice some consistency. As for my bi-polar diagnosis, having had it for twenty years now I really don't think about it all that much.
ReplyDeleteA few months ago it was:
ReplyDeleteHi, I'm bipolar. My name is Maggs.
Now it's.
Hi, I'm Maggs. Oh, I'm bipolar.
my blog tends to be..
ReplyDelete"i'm going to write about whatever the hell is on my mind at that precise moment..chances are, it will in some way connect with my illness..but a good majority of the time i will just write very randomly because, well, that's what i do best."
:)
you've been blogrolled.
When I started bloging in December it was ment as a stray thought diary and sort of log book for my son to read in the future. I started finding my legs a little after that and fell into "writing for an audience" when ...surprise surprise...I started gettng comments (Dear God someone IS reading this crap I slap up on the net)
ReplyDeleteI think I have gotten past that phase and a few others now and am finding my legs again.
I guess a blog or any other form of self exspression is an abnormaly clear window into the bi-polar mind. I know you could track my life and state of mind reading through the last 8 months of my blog'n life in a way that was only possiable previously in a seriours reveiw of my art work.
You have an a truely outstand blog here and I hope to have one of even 1/4 the quality of yours in time. Keep up the good work.