Just thought that today might be a good day to put this blog into a bit of perspective. This is mostly for myself, but then again, I’m probably the only one that reads my blog (unless my mom is still reading it).

As I mentioned in a recent post, I’m in the middle of some personal and professional transitions. I started this blog, as a form of therapy AND to help me figure out what comes next in my life. For a long time, I’ve had a fantasy about being a writer. Over the last few years, I’ve spend most of my time writing, but not the sort of stuff that real “writers” write. I’ve been writing emails, training materials, and the occasional (yet highly irregular) blog post.

I’ve toyed with the idea of doing more writing, possibly even a non-fiction book of some sort. However, I’m held back by the fact that I’m not sure what to write about and uncertainty over whether or not I have the discipline to follow-thru with a project as ambitious as a book. This blog, is partially my attempt to deal with these two issues, among other things. I hope to use this blog as a training grounds of sorts, to test myself and see if I’ve got the stamina to write anything really serious or long. I also plan to use this blog, as a place to brainstorm topics that might turn into something longer and more widely read. Finally, I’m hoping that writing this blog might help me uncover/polish my writing style. I’ve been told by folks as impartial as my wife, that I’m actually a good writer. While, this might be true from time to time, I’ve never really tested myself on a regular basis – nor do I think I’ve really found my “voice” as a writer.

My goal is to write at least five posts a week, ranging from about 300-500 words each. I hope to write about online democracy, citizen engagement, a little bit about politics, and to include something about myself in most everything that I write. At the moment, I’m inspired by Jon Swanson, who wrote:

“I like to see the writer, to get a glimpse of who they are. The idea of an anonymous writer has an arrogance at a time when it is acceptable to acknowledge your existence. If there is any perspective at all in the piece, any proclamation of that this post is factual and true and must be followed, I need to know how you are sitting. I need to see your knee.”

Thanks to Chris Brogan for pointing me in the direction of Jon’s blog.