Blogging. Everyone is doing it, except me it seems.
I've spent 25 years in the public relations business, and often when I have a chance to chat with my peers I find I'm the only guy in the room without a blog.
My short-term problem is that I can't find my voice. I'm unemployed right now, and if I were to start a blog, I'd most likely want to find a want to link my personal and professional interests together. My professional interests are up in the air right now.
Left to my own devices, I'd probably start a blog linked to public relations, politics and media. I guess I fancy myself as a bit of a pundit, and I'd like to express political opinions.
But, it's entirely possible that my next employer would restrict my ability to own such a blog. I've worked in the public sector most of my life (and likely will in the future) and always faced restrictions on political involvement or activity.
There's no point in starting a political blog if it can't include opinions.
My second issue is that related to my current employment status. I don't know how much time I can commit to a blog. Sure, at this point, I could post something everyday, but when I return to full-time, nine-to-five work will I have the time or energy to post something weekly, let alone daily? A current affairs blog that isn't current will be a loser.
A solution that I've been toying with is to start a blog on a much narrower subject. Specifically, I've been thinking of setting up a blog/website to push for term-limit legislation in British Columbia (and perhaps at the federal level). Basically, the idea is to prevent someone from being premier of the province (or prime minister of the country) for more than two four-year terms.
I can't imagine that a blog such as that would attract tens of thousands of readers, but at the same time, there wouldn't be the expectation that a site with that scope would have new content every day.
A friend of mine - a very successful PR executive in Vancouver - has been operating a crème brûlée connaisseurs page on Facebook for almost two years. She goes to restaurants fairly frequently, and likes to try crème brûlée when she can. Every time she tries the dessert at a different restaurant, she files a review of the dish, including its score on her four-factor rating system.
It's a brilliant idea. It's fun, and allowed her to practice working with serious tools on a not-so-serious topic.
The closest idea I've had is to start a blog on "What I saw on Commercial Drive Today". It would allow for photos and even video, while still allowing for writing. There would be room for serious writing too -- not everything on The Drive is pretty. Expectations for frequent updates would be low and it would be fun.
Blogging is like swimming in a cold lake; the first step is the hardest. The advice at the lake is to just jump in.
If I want to become a skilled blogger, I'm going to have to find a way to just jump in.
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