Pitfalls of bloggers and rock stars

On a summer trip back in 2015, Mind Key affiliate and writer, copywriter, and coach, Marisa Goudy, learned some life lessons applicable to many creative entrepreneurs and their artistic ego. Through the lens of U2’s song, “Songs of Innocence,” Marisa found there are many pitfalls that can be found among creative types and entrepreneurs across the globe.

By Marisa Goudy

You know the songs that matter. They have a way of illuminating your past. At the same time, they shed new light on your present and make you look forward to a brighter future. (Articles and blog posts can do this too, of course.)

If “Songs of Innocence” appeared on your iTunes as a free download back in 2014, you likely recall the backlash.

No one even had time to notice whether the music was any good. This was because they were so angry that it appeared unbidden on their iPhones. (And if anyone from Apple dares take up one more blessed megabyte with content we don’t actually want, there will be rioting. Or snarky tweets. Whichever.)

Shortly after the album’s release, Bono apologized for their tactics and tried to explain why they did it:

“A drop of megalomania, a twitch of generosity, a dash of self-promotion – and deep fear that these songs that we poured our life into over the last few years mightn’t be heard.”

Like it or not, you likely blog and write online content for the same reasons U2 paired up with Apple. Though each element Bono describes can be good in itself, when mixed you may find yourself in a fine mess.

Why your Artistic Ego is winning

Inspired by U2’s release fail, I was able to pull together some reasons why your writing may not be gleaning the exposure or results you seek:

1. Ego: When you write merely to hear your own voice and to rack up shares and likes, you’re going to lose track of your online raison d’etre—the reader.
2. Generosity: When you give away all your insights you’ll bankrupt yourself and compromise the quality of what you offer to your paying clients.
3. Self-Promotion: You blog in order to build an online platform, but, if you’re writing in order to be seen rather than to deliver value, you’ll end up alienating your audience.
4. Fear: Any venture motivated by fear is bound to fail eventually. Blog posts written in the spirit of “if I don’t get something out, my readership will forget all about me!” will never be as successful as those grounded in wisdom. When writing, you need to anchor your writings in trust that your message is worth listening to.

So what happens when you write a blog post for just anyone? CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

Want to learn how to bring together your wisdom, energy, and services with an audience that truly needs it? Consider joining the Sovereign Writers Circle with Marisa Goudy, or contacting danielle@mindKEY.me to learn more about how our online communications services can help you connect your message to the right audience who needs the services or products you provide.