Secret Blogging
Posted under Witterings
I love blogging. What’s not to like? You get to write about yourself, meet splendid folks who do you the favour of reading your witterings, you get to write when you want and what you want and, through writing, you often get to sift through issues and problems and even get advice, help and support along the way too. It’s a win win WINNER.
But there’s a flaw. The problem is that, well, people are reading. And sometimes that means you can’t really say what you want to at all…can’t talk about work, can’t talk about family, can’t talk about feelings (if you’re British like me…because feelings are against the law in the UK. Little known fact…). So what do you do when you can’t blog it out?
I’m not a paper journal keeper, which would be a good solution. Recently a friend told me about writing letters to yourself as a record of developing situations, which you post to yourself and then file (unopened) so that you have a dated, postmarked record of the situation should you wish to go back to it for a contemporary account of events. A bit like a time capsule I guess, but a wordy one. What a great concept, I love it.
But then I know some of you blog in private, and I’m wondering about that. Does it feel odd? Do you write differently, in terms of style, than you do for your public posts? Do you put photos in? Tell me, I want to know!
I’ve begun to realise the value of ‘old blog material’ is, in terms of revisiting the past. And I’m thinking about recording the things happening in our lives which I’m not allowed to blog about publicly. But I feel a bit self-conscious about it. Which is daft as, erm, I’m the only one who will read it. Oh and MrSpud since he has my wordpress admin details, but that’s ok.
So, Secret Blogging. Who does it? Tell us…
Am I really the first? Or has it just been that long since I refreshed my browser? Anywhooo…
I am a paper journal type of gal. For me the computer and the net have a public purpose, so I keep my writing of personal stuff in a physical, non-digital form. I have a few reasons for this. Mostly because I want my kids to have a physical book of my handwriting to look back on. I don’t expect them to keep every card or note, but I keep my journals, so when I am gone they will have entire volumes of my hands on paper, if they want them.
I can completely comprehend the reasons some blog privately… I just don’t happen to and I also understand why you feel odd about starting it. I would too…
I have a secret blog on another email address. It is public but thus far no one reads it and all details, including the state I live in, are ommitted. The names are not the same either so even if someone chooses to read it, they’ll never know it’s me. I also exclude pictures so there’s even less for identifying. Mostly I use it to write out my frustrations with someone’s ex (not mine) who unfortunately we are permanently tied to. But it’s good for venting all family issues I have, etc. If someone does start reading it maybe they can offer advice to anonymous me so I’ll leave it publicly available but I just won’t tell family/friends and especially work where to find it.
Interesting idea, secret blogging. Years ago, I wrote in an online private journal for a few months…got lost in the chaos of life and quit…Timing is everything…It is very therapeutic to journal both privately and publicly. I find they meet different needs. I’m just glad you keep posting such beautiful words and images…thanks for sharing this part of you with all of us!
Spud,
I would not feel weird about starting a private blog. I know that lot’s of people have blogs that are completely private. And, why wouldn’t you use your pictures in the blog? You are journaling about life, and what is life, but, little moments in time that we capture with our cameras, right? Since you can set up a blog to be private, why not? It would be no different than keeping a written journal on your computer, say in WORD format, right? I have another blog I set up that is totally anonymous, with a totally separate email address and no identifying information on it. The only person who I share it with is my Mom. When I post to it I send her a link to the post for her to read it, but, otherwise, it’s private.
Hope that helps…..maybe not…..
♥
S
Hmmmmmm… Secret blogs eh… Well I might have a secret blog, but then surely that would be telling wouldn’t it… And if I told then it wouldn’t be secret anymore… lol… It’s like making a wish when you see a shooting star.. If you tell anyone then it won’t come true.. So I’m guessing my secret blog will have to remain secret for now….
Ooooh.. Did I say I had one… Poo… Ummmm… Pretend I never said that… [Jedi mind trick].. “You know nothing of secret blogs”.. :)
Dearest Spud,
Forgive me for I have sinned against you as a blog-friend. I’m way, way behind in my reading . . . and now I discover that you are contemplating a PRIVATE blog?
What are the rules of private blogs? Do blog friends still get to come, but not real-life friends and family who might be some of the characters in the drama? Or do private blogs have specialties, and a person has to share that specialization. (I know, for instance, of a blog that specializes in venting about adolescents.)
Actually, I’ve thought about writing a private blog . . . but then I realized that it was mostly so I could whine. I’m afraid that I’m no good with writing if no one is going to read it. It’s very unwriterly of me, I know, but it just seems like too much bother.
i think just the process of writing it down, and letting it all out just makes you feel so much better, when i first started… nobody was reading… but i felt so good getting all that out of me, and why not go all out even if it’s just you that’s going to see it… i think it’s a great idea :)
several things..
1. i want whatever that is in the picture. beads? a necklace? gimme…tho’ i fear i might put it in my mouth, it looks so good.
2. yes, i secret blog. my secret blog is called “getting it outta my system” and it’s there that i write all of the stuff that i can’t write on my real blog. which isn’t that much stuff, actually, since i kinda let it all hang out on my regular blog.
3. and yes, i have secret blog #2, called “writing is the new praying” where i’m writing all of those “prayers” for the things i’d like to have happen in my life, but don’t dare yet to say out loud to the world.
for me, writing is a way of thinking things through. i’m often surprised the direction it takes me in and it reveals to me things i didn’t realize i thought. which i’m certain makes sense to other bloggers and doesn’t make me sound like crazy lady.
strangely, my private blog(s) don’t have pictures. i’m not sure why that is. they also don’t have that many entries in them, i use them only very occasionally, when i need to rant (1) or make big wishes (2).
in all honesty, i have a 3rd private blog, which is where i do work-related writing. it’s a way of having it online and accessible between several computers. and it also helps me when i’ve got writer’s block. somehow the little square blogger space always clears that for me in a way that opening a big, wide, white word doc sometimes leaves me paralyzed in fear.
so i say yes, have a private blog. and blog all those cares away. it’s cheaper than therapy! :-) on the other hand, sometimes people need to hear your thoughts, so don’t keep them all over there (nudge, nudge).
xoxox,
/j
p.s. all of my secret blogs are open only to the author. me. and they will stay that way.
This is so funny — I’ve been contemplating doing this very thing! I think it’s why I haven’t been blogging much lately. I have lots of “stuff” to work out that isn’t really appropriate for public (or, associated-with-me)site. I have a paper journal, but to be honest, I’m a little stifled with that too because I’m afraid of what might happen if I lost it. Plus, if you’re clicking away on a computer, no one seems to care, but (in my world) if I’m handwriting something, it draws interest. A secret blog, which I could access from any computer, might be the answer. But then I also wonder what it means that I feel so stifled. I should write about that. This is getting very circular, isn’t it?
xo
I guess you could say I’m a secret blogger. 3 people know, but I just mentioned it and they don’t have the address/link, so they can’t read it. I prefer to not have people I know read it because I fear that i won’t always be completely honest or be able to write what I really want to write. I’m glad I’ve kept it this way. It’s for me. I if I want input from my analog friends I’ll ask.
I say do it!
Hmmm… secret blogging could be useful. And even fun… although I would miss making a fool of myself in public. Seriously, though, writing things down helps me see things from a different perspective. I don’t do it often, but it does happen occasionally.
[...] not really here, I’m actually blogging in my head. I read all your comments and emails about secret blogging and I weighed up all the options. I’m still tempted by a secret blog as my chosen vehicle, [...]
I don’t have a secret blog, but maybe it’s not a bad idea. hmmmmm
Leave it to Julochka to have a million blogs!:) She has the best idea to keep it to author only, there is something grounding and calming about clicking away on the keys… and I have way too many real friends and family reading mine now that it’s stifling my bs.
my “secret blog” is my written journal, althoug I’m pretty open on my blog there are things I want to keep to myself. I suppose I could start a “secret blog” but I love pretty notebooks and pens that really write beautifully so I’ll stick to the oldfashioned diary for my really, really personal thoughts.
Hugs
B.
Secret blog or not, please just don’t leave Chez Spud. We’d all miss you too, too much.
I’ve kept a paper journal since I was five and wrote “I love Garret” in a big scrawl, and completely understand the need to vent with freedom I do not have on my blog. I also have a mutual pact with my sister and fellow-journal writer to burn said books upon death. Some pages are material for the stage show “Mortified.”
Just discovered your blog, love it!
secret blog…hmm…havent thought of that before.
but i have an email account that i opened for my son when he was born…cause im not a written journal person either. so both husband and i just email him whatever we are thinking or just different stuff. he will be given the password when he is old enough to understand :)
maybe you can start an email account if blogging seems like an odd idea
you know, i tried to ‘secret blog’ once. i had writted down a bunch of posts, like a journal, but in another character completely. it was sort of like my short story form…but a lot of the things were ‘of me’ and my ‘real’ feelings about things, etc… and then when i posted it, i realized it was connecting back to me via blogger! and it was MY name on there! and i couldn’t seem to figure out how to not connect me and this secret blog and so…it stays in a book now and i rarely, if ever, visit it anymore. but someday, maybe… for now, i try and get as honest and real as i can in my own blog and pretend that nobody’s reading.