Self-Promotion

I must apologise to Clare again, I still haven’t wrote the blog entry I said I would.

For those of you wondering, it was meant to be a funny look at the pros and cons of going to uni, or at least the pros and cons of our experience. We wanted to write it to remind those like us that even though they might be struggling with work and money, the whole thing had been worthwhile and an unforgettable experience.

But today, I’d like to talk about self-promotion. I’m not very good at it; I normally worry what people will think. It may be quite a British thing, but we’re generally too polite, too apologetic and too self-deprecating. Probably because growing up, no one wanted to be the ‘swot,’ the ‘show off’ or a ‘bad winner.’ No one wants to feel like they’re ‘up themselves’ or waving their achievements in the face of others. However, with the rise of Facebook and Twitter, people constantly wave their achievements and adventures in the face of others. So why can’t I?

Well, mainly because Facebook in particular, makes you feel as if you’re not good enough if you pay too much attention to the ‘look at my amazing life statuses.’ And because of all of those scary people you know who will judge if you do the same. As I’ve said previously, everyone has people on Facebook that they would rather not.

I wanted to get this blog out there. My page views have been dwindling a little bit, and I’m actually really enjoying writing it and thinking of new things to write every couple of days. From the bits and pieces of feedback I’ve received, the reception has mainly been a positive one and I have a couple of regular readers who enjoy what I do. So, if I want to further my writing, and even become a better writer, I need feedback, and to get feedback, I need to reach a wider audience.

No one wants to read something that the writer doesn’t believe in. I believe in this, and even if there are some who don’t enjoy it, they just won’t read it! So I decided to promote myself on Twitter. I’ve set up a new email account and a Twitter account, gone on a following spree and have been very slowly building a modest following.

It is hard and it is intimidating to commit to a Twitter account that potentially millions of people could see, and in return, those people could read my blog. It’s basically saying, ‘this is my writing, enjoy it.’ And there’s nothing wrong with that. No shame at all in that and we should be quicker to revel in each other’s achievements rather than dismiss them or be bitter about them. I’m following a lot of positive thinking and positive quotes Twitters and although this isn’t always positive, it’s about celebrating the little things and knowing that sometimes before things get better, we have to work and endure. It’s about celebrating that journey of taking the good with the bad and never expecting all of either all of the time. In short, it’s about being honest.

So I’ll be honest. I would love more people to share this journey, more people to relate it to their own and enjoy or understand what I have to say. So whether you love it or hate it, I’m here to stay and would love for you lovely lot to stick around too!

So a bit more self- promotion, follow me on Twitter and tell me what you think. Do you find sharing your work or achievements hard or scary, or do you like to blow your trumpet with pride? Share your thoughts on this, or any of my other posts. All followers welcome. Apart from trolls. No one likes a troll.

The uni post will come later in the week when I’ve gathered mine and Clare’s pros and cons lists and stopped laughing at the con that involves sociopaths and those who admire what comes out of their own nose. Intrigued? Then check back over the next few days, or wait for the link in a tweet.

@ThePositiveFear