If I have learned anything about writing, it is that the writer must have purpose. Spontaneously deciding, “I will write something,” may work for a short period of time, but it’s not enough for a long-term project. There are millions of abandoned blogs littering the information superhighway, parked on the shoulder when the author ran out of gas.
When we create something, we must ask: What is its nature and substance, its reason for being? (Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, book 8.11.)
An escribitionist is a person who keeps an online journal that is publically accessible. The accessibility of these journals make them fundamentally different from dead-tree journals or private blogs hidden in the clouds behind layers of SSH encryption. The blogger is keenly aware a reader may peer over their shoulder at any moment. There will always be an element of pageantry to the work.
It is tempting to use a personal journal for catharsis, but this means the writer is focusing inward, possibly at the expense of the panoramic view. What I’m saying is there’s a time and a place for flinging bile everywhere. This is a high-class blog. We conduct ourselves with dignity here.
A few ground rules, then. Every post should:
- Tell a truth.
- Provide something unique or interesting.
- Be written with the assumption that my child or potential constituents may one day read it.
- Respect the privacy of all individuals referenced.
- Resist catharsis.
- In other words, no shitposting.
These guidelines should keep the misanthropy, self-derision, and shenanigans to a minimum.