W Is For Writing For Yourself

Day 23 of my A to Z Challenge. W is for Writing For Yourself.

If you don't know how this works, I've posted the link back to the rules of the challenge at the end of this, along with a link to yesterday's post. If you want to read my full alphabet, just keep following the links. Each day has a link back to yesterday's post.

I took part in Monday nights #bdibNA Twitter chat on Monday 11th May (if you've never taken part in one of these, do it. They are brilliant! They are held Monday and Friday night at 1am UK time). We discussed, amongst other things, what out greatest fears are with regards to our blogs, which inspired me to write this post.
I've always had a fear that no one reads my posts, or if they do, they hate them! It seems many of us have the same worry. It's good to know I'm not the only one who thinks like this sometimes!
As the conversation progressed, a few comments were made that primarily, our blogs are just that - ours. And that we should be writing for ourselves.
I realised that I do write for myself. Obviously, having readers is important. Blogging takes up a lot of time and to think it's all in vain would be soul destroying, but if you're not writing for yourself, I think that would be soul destroying too. You have to find a balance between giving the reader what they want and it still feeling like your own blog.
To clarify what I mean, if the general consensus within my readers was that they like a certain type of post more than others, I would be happy to include more of that type. Equally if there was a type of post that got a lot less readers, I would do less of that type.
Where I write for myself is by staying true to my opinions. If I had an opinion that I believed would be unpopular, I would still write that that was my opinion - if not, then it's fake, and ultimately I value honesty. Firstly, because bowing to popular opinion is a cop out, and secondly because readers aren't stupid - they can spot a fake opinion a mile off, especially regular readers that know your writing style.
Hopefully, I've got the balance right!
As a blogger do you feel you have the balance right? As a reader do you think it's important to read something that reads as true, even if you disagree with the points made?

Follow me on Twitter @randommusings29 and feel free to comment :)


Link to rules:

http://myrandommusings.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/a-z-challenge-whos-with-me.html

Link to V Is For Victim Blaming: http://www.myrandommusings.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/v-is-for-victim-blaming.html