Writing a dating blog wasn’t really what I had in mind when I was a young dumb ambitious writer who gave up everything for his craft – and lets call a spade a spade, a game blog is a dating blog – dating is what girls call it – game is what guys call it – masterbation is what socially awkward effeminate dregs call it. But you’ve heard all this before haven’t you?
I’ve been one for truth, my blog, as I’ve mused about before on here, wasn’t supposed to be limited to just game – it was supposed to be just a masculine clump of awesomeness guys could sometimes learn some game from – but also provide entertainment, sarcasm, wit and a good laugh or two – spaced out with mind shattering philosophy here and there.
What happened is that I started to enjoy writing about game so much, because I was writing about my favorite subject; girls – that I couldn’t stop, and I started to get a following, after a certain amount of traffic and repeated readers, it became beneficial to my own success to keep feeding the masses what they want, despite my feelings that there’s nothing new to say about game, or any new ways to write about it -hell I barely even read about it anymore as me writing it and reading it just seems like pointless re-affirmations that game works and is true. I wonder who I was doing that for?
So I figured I painted myself into a corner, I have to give my readers what they want, so I keep doing it. However, there is a fallacy here. I’m assuming that 1.) my readers only want to read about game and girls and how bad marriage is, and to stay away from it etc. and 2.) That narrowing my subject matter is the only way to grow my audience – when the opposite should be true. What I’m trying to say, transitioning isn’t easy – one doesn’t want to alienate his faithful readers, so one fears change. And thats when it occurred to me…
….not to give a fuck.
dope
I think you’ve fallen into the same type of trap that first time fathers do. Before the baby, it’s just you and the Mrs. and it’s easy to lead, have fresh ideas, be carefree. Then the baby comes out. You want to teach the baby things and make it into your image. But sometimes, you hit the wrong note and the baby is unhappy and mom lets you know why. Then you start deferring to mom to keep baby happy. Everyday, you give more and more ground to mom. Then doing what mom says and making baby happy becomes the default and -poof!- you’re a Beta.
You’re going Beta with the blog (you). In order to keep your readers happy (baby), you’re deferring to the comments (mom). In the beginning, somebody said there are people that can benefit from your wisdom, so you made a blog to impart that wisdom to them. But sometimes, you hit the wrong note and it showed in the comments. So you tweak your blog to fit the comments and keep the readers happy. As you go along, you defer more and more to the comments. Soon the tail is wagging the dog.
So like you said, don’t give a fuck. You’re comments may shit test you. They want to be in control and make you dance for them. But then the blog no longer belongs to you and you are no longer the blog. You are trying to impart wisdom to the readership (most of whom silently absorb your information). You may lose some readers, but I doubt you will lose many. Men are your primary target and they follow out of respect for who you are and what you do.
So do not write the blog for the sake of the readers. Do not change the blog because the commenters are unhaaaapy. Write what you want to write. Bask in their admiration and be amused by their frustration. Maybe you’ll find a new trail to explore. Be the prize.
Write what you want man, its your blog. You are a good writer, regardless of the content. Better to write what you want and let your readers adjust or drop out in place of new ones than to be a slave to your audience.
Right on man, you’re on top of it, it seems to me. Follow your inspiration and you can’t go wrong.
Also, that’s a very acute analogy Ed, nice work.