Blog: a Noun; a Verb
Depending upon the topic, how technical the details, and the purpose of the text, I recognize that the inspiration behind writing and the discipline of refining it are not necessarily equal means to the same end. As the former is required before the latter can take place, I hope to change my habits as author/ editor, that I might not concern myself to be so studied. At least, I hope to impose less restriction on what I publish– that I might regard the content of WordPress Center .net, less as a reflection of myself (assuming the site might cast into the minds of readers, something of an image of who I am), and more as a collection of notes; to recall my former tendency to share the little discoveries, that I might place more importance on recording what I’ve learned in hopes that others might find something insightful in it.
Blog Awareness
The preceding entry (dated 2009-10-08) is the first post I’ve authored in the past few months which has not rested for any length of time in a draft-state– having been published immediately upon first composition, at the very culmination of the thought, transcribed– has thus escaped the alternate, unfortunate end. Other compositions exist, however, in what I think of as the WordPress Center .net: “requires editing” queue, doomed to be deleted for collecting too much proverbial dust, perhaps, should I neglect revisiting to edit and post them soon. I share my thoughts on the matter here, that the reader might consider his or her own habits in web log maintenance, and to serve as my own reminder. So, I want to get-back, as Paul McCartney advised Joe-Joe†, and rediscover my earliest approach to writing WordPress Center .net.
Premature Destruction
If a draft is destroyed because the content was rendered obsolete by new technology, maybe it is telling of why I might be better advised against placing text in draft, altogether. If I resolve that the content was too sophomoric for publishing (having become more learned of the topic in the meantime), or my own interest in a draft-item has diminished, or– self-censoring out of vanity, that foul motivator– leading myself to believe that readers are not likely to be interested in my text, then the article is subject to deletion. Having gradually adopted this draft-revision process (rather, draft-deletion) over a period of years, I have come now to see this, my tendency to save compositions in draft, is not without a relatively significant impact on WordPress Center .net.
The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking‡
Although authoring a draft, and refining it through subsequent revisions generally results in a better published article (assuming follow-through to completion), my observation prods me to evaluate the balance of my effort to maintain this web log. I must ensure I focus a realistic, or proper amount of energy toward the publishing of draft items, to develop a better awareness of the results of my effort– in general, my productivity– so I do not let viable content to rust for authoring, instead, more new drafts. I must prioritize this process of revising drafts, indeed placing it ahead of certain minutia of web log maintenance, the work which more arrogant advisors might categorize as “the fun stuff”, such as the activities involved in tweaking the CMS (or fumbling about with different CMS platforms altogether), an ever alluring diversion leading perhaps to an inflated sense of accomplishment. If any such related activities get in the way of the real work of the web log– that is, the writing; the actual log; the written journal which is the heart of the thing– after hashing these thoughts out here “on paper”, I hope to have a keener sense to see it happening.
†The passage refers to the rock song, Get Back by The Beatles (the musical ensemble at the forefront of the British Invasion era in Rock History; arguably the most influential recording artists of the 20th century). Paul McCartney, electric bass musician, and co-lead vocalist of The Beatles, sings the line “Get back to where you once belonged… Get back, Joe-joe!”
‡The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking, the title of an album by Roger Waters, former vocalist, songwriter of Pink Floyd
