Personal Blogging – Choices

Posted byZoewiezoePosted inDaily DittiesTags:, , , ,

‘You know, I’d probably actually read your blog if you would just write it in Dutch. I just don’t get why you do it in English.’

I get people commenting on me and my blogging endeavors every now and then. Friends and acquaintances that wander in from my Facebook timeline or Whatsapp statuses and discover that I do what I do here. Which – is fine. Really. I mean, I share my new posts for a reason, right? (It’s a bit scary, but also awesome, knowing that people ‘know’ me in this way. It’s an introduction to me I might otherwise never get to make.)

And though feedback and criticism is a part of any creative outlet, some things make me just wonder at the proper way to respond. Like this. What am I supposed to say ‘Oh. Damn. I’ll switch my whole blog around then!’?

Sure. I am Dutch. Born and raised. Never lived abroad. Never imported a cute American cowboy hubby (sadly. I’d totally save all the horses if I could ride a cowboy) or spent my childhood with a live-in exchange student. I don’t particularly have any reason to write this blog in English.

Well. No other reason than: I choose to.

That’s a lie. I actually have plenty of reasons for blogging in English. But that one is the only one I would truly need, in the end.
Still, English, to me, has always felt more expressive than Dutch has, as a language. The rhythm and words always seemed to fit my own personal sort of ‘flow‘ better.

Dutch, I find, is a very choppy language. Heavy. Aggressive, in a sense, much like German. A lot of the words don’t really match their connotation for me personally, and thus I find it a lot harder to write something that I think is engaging and ‘smooth‘.

English, on the opposite of that spectrum, is a gorgeous language, even though it’s not my mother tongue and I obviously make the typical grammar and spelling (and things like sentence order) errors and mess up an idiom or two every now and then. It happens. It’s a risk I take.

And well, as someone that is slightly addicted to that little number of followers on the bottom of the blog, and the interaction with other writers/bloggers – English is pretty much the only logical choice as well. The increase it brings to my reach, and the added chance it offers to connect with people around the whole wide world is worth any stupid mistake in my texts AND the occasional loss of interest in someone that would ‘probably‘ read my blog.

My point is:
When you choose – choose for you.
When it comes to decisions about your blog, language, niche or layout – choose for you.
All of these ‘How to blog‘ guides might tell you to figure out what your readers want from you, and give them exactly that. I disagree. The more you find that genuine touch, the more you fit your blog to who you are as a person (or want to be) – the more you allow people to connect with the real you. Instead of a front that fits someone else’s mold.

And if that means that you’re that weird Dutch girl who writes a blog in English, even though her friends don’t get any of that? Go be that girl to the best of your abilities. Because in the end, it’s YOUR choices that make you you. Not theirs.

PS. Wanna read more about the ins and outs and hows and whys of personal blogging round here? Click on, brave warrior, click on!
* Personal blogging – Risky Business
* Personal blogging – Dirty little secret
* Personal blogging – To be recognisable or to be unique?
* Personal blogging – Out for the count
* Personal blogging – Listless
* Personal blogging – The science of stars
* Personal blogging – The personal touch
* Personal blogging – The Voice
* Personal blogging – Patterns
* Personal blogging – Art of repetition
* Personal blogging – Choices
* Personal blogging – Looks matter

75 thoughts on “Personal Blogging – Choices”

  4. I completely agree with you! The fact that we should write what our viewers want is so bizarre. We will always get viewers if we stay put to our own thoughts and put them into words.
    Also, really glad that you write in English. Otherwise I wouldn’t have enjoyed your blogs so much😉😉😉

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    1. Exactly!
      If you follow your road, people will always be inclined to walk with you for a while and see where it leads. If you just walk with the rest, you never get anywhere new!

      And thanks so much, glad to have you around!

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  5. Society has a way of placing people and expecting them to stay in the confines. When we breakout of these confines we get judged. Being bold enough to know who you are somewhat you want is the begining of ones freedom.

    English is my third language but it’s my first choice in blogging. I get the same reaction when friends find about my blogging. Well said, we have to be our true-selfs and strive to be best at it.

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  6. My mother language isn’t English as well but I could totally relate with you on the fact that English is a very lucid language and brings us convenience as it is widely spoken across the world so helps us connect with the audience. Also our first language in school was English so sometimes for me, finding the correct vocabs which would bring justice to my thought and emotions are easier to seek in English rather than my mother language.

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  10. I, for one, am glad it’s in English. If it weren’t, I wouldn’t be able to read your blog. I’m glad you have chosen what you prefer over that of others.

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  12. My mother tongue is Swiss-German and I’m fluent in German. My parents spoke Italian to each other while us kids grew up. We all know French (but I’m out of practice).

    For some reason, English is the chosen language for all of us now (we’re in Canada now, emigrated Switzerland in 1980).

    But it’s interesting that over the years, my blog attracted international attention from bloggers who translate their posts from English to French, or German. Like, they have two parts of each post: English first then the other language.

    Anyway. I like the English language.

    Your blog, your rules. 🙂🇨🇦

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  17. I wish more people would understand that – “I choose to” – is a complete reason in itself. It does not need any supporting arguments. I love that you made it “bold” and clear here. 🙂

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  18. You’re not Dutch, are you. You don’t write Dutch English. It’s easy enough to notice Dutch grammar and vocabulary in Dutch people’s use of English. Why say you are? Now THAT is a weird thing to do. But, your choice. Whatever makes you happy. It’s a good idea to blog in English, because it grows your audience. That’s why people with non-English background sometimes write in English.

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      1. If that’s how you take it, then so much the better. Anything to keep you happy 💛 But, you’re not Dutch. It doesn’t matter, but somebody should rectify and that somebody happens to be me. Good luck in blogging 🍀

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      2. I wonder how my Dutch parents and Dutch grandparents and oh…at least three more generations of Dutch before them would feel about that conclusion by a random internet stranger who doesn’t know me 😆🤣

        Guess I’ll have to have the nationality on my passport, id-card and drivers license changed as well 🤪🙃

        Ps. Not how rectifying works. Something needs to actually be wrong instead of made-up-incorrect 🤫🤭

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Interesting challenge on a post explicitly dedicated to me making my own choices ;).
        Luckily I feel 0 need to ‘prove’ my Dutchness to you whatsoever. You may think what you like 😆

        Maar ik gok zomaar dat zelfs als ik switch naar Nederlands typen er dan een bizarre Trump-esque theorie komt over mijn briljante Google Translate skills 😉

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      8. Nevertheless — you deserve a compliment for the Dutch. You’ve achieved a lot. A few glitches show it’s not your first language. But for sure, it’s above Google Translate level. Try some more, good luck with blogging 🍀

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      10. Nevertheless – you deserve a compliment for the trolling. You’ve achieved a lot.
        I mean. What you’ve been doing is the same class of weirdly unfoundedly stubborn as me telling you you’re a dude on the internet pretending to be a chick. And then you say ‘no no, I’m a real lady’ and flash me some boobies and a cunt and then I go…’not good enough. They look kinda real but surgeons are very adequate in building them these days’.
        Oh. Oh.
        Or me telling you you’re not a Christian but obviously an atheist. And then you quote half the bible to me and I go ‘not good enough. I could memorize that fairy tale too if someone paid me!’
        Oh oh!
        Or it’s like you saying ‘I’m a living person and me going….nope. You’re definitely dead. And you reply ‘What? No. Just look at me. I’m breathing and walking and everything.’ And I just go ‘not good enough, faking breathing is easy. Even Kristen Stewart can do it’ and then I send you a clip of Kristen in Twilight being taught to pretend to be human as a vampire.
        Omg. Having way too much fun with this comment 😆🤣😆🤣😆🤣 I should post this as a blog and have the rest of the followers enjoy it too 😆

        Liked by 2 people

  19. Weird how other people want to exert control over another person’s creative endeavours. This happens with my family too. My blog is Today’s Perfect Moment, but sometimes, I don’t write about Perfect Moments. Sometimes I have to rant or point out something. Then my family will write me or call me and say things like “get back to the Perfect Moments.” It’s my blog. I can write about whatever I want.

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  21. Your English is excellent. As others have mentioned, I would have never known it was a second language. And I love the advice, “you do you.” Why do we even have to justify our choices? I decided to write a blog . . . I made this decision . . . if you don’t like my blog or what I have to say, move along. In any event, Thanks for sharing.

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  22. SMiles Is It
    Any Wonder
    Languages
    From Colder
    Regions Are
    Not As Warm
    No Not Really
    And Naturally
    Heads are Bigger
    As They Retain
    Heat in
    Frozen
    Tundra’s
    Where Tools
    Humans Create
    Are Literally
    Life
    Or
    Death
    In The Snow And Ice

    Yet To Transform
    Into Spring

    Human
    Natural
    Winter Change
    Also Brings

    For

    More

    Joy

    To Color
    Winter Springing

    In Deepest Softest Snow 🧊

    Hehe With That Said

    Great

    Paternal

    Grand

    Father

    ‘Clock
    Maker’

    From Germany
    Indeed Part of

    ‘My Name’

    Along With Limerick

    Born Irish X-Catholic

    Priest And Counsel

    At The Vatican

    To A Pope

    Immigrating

    To The U.S.

    Just in the

    ‘Saint Nick

    Of Time’ Then To

    Be Woo’ed Out of
    The Pews at 36

    By My Very
    Spicy Cajun
    French Grand Ma
    At Sweet 17 Oh Thank
    God For All The Rule

    Breakers

    Who

    Bring

    Even

    Stranger

    Children unto

    Freer Breath Seeing💫

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  25. Okay first, no clue that English wasn’t your native language, so super kudos!! How you write is super relaxed and makes it feel as though you are just chatting with your readers (why I followed!)Secondly, you are SO right! Write how and what you wanna write! Isn’t that why blogging is a thing!?

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  26. I honestly had no idea you were Dutch; I couldn’t tell at all! I’ve enjoyed your posts since following you recently, so carry on with all of the English posts you write!

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  28. For me it just seems logical to write in English on a platform that connects you to the world.

    What I noticed myself the last month’s if I was writing in dutch and thing’s got deep and the feels got real. Without noticing I would go on in English. It comes out more easily.

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      5. I support your right to be Dutch with all that it entails. I’m English with a Roman nose, an Irish forebear on my paternal grandfather’s side and more than a pinch of Gaynor both sides of the family. Oh, and my skin is pink in the morning, brown in the summer and blue when it’s cold if that helps at all. And I’m learning Hindi and an marries to a Trinidad whose grandparents came from India, but none of that makes me Indian. It’s all a bit moot really, innit? 🤓

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  32. As I think you know, I am a native English speaker from the western US (but I’m not really a cowboy, sorry). I agree with what everyone else is saying that I would not have guessed from your fluency in English alone that it was not your first language. I think it is great that you have the ability to write so well in multiple languages. There are a lot of Spanish-speakers in this part of the US, and I took Spanish for three years in high school; I can usually write well enough in Spanish to get my point across, but I have to stop and think about what I am writing, and I usually have to look up a few words. An ex-girlfriend from my late 20s had a blog and would occasionally write in French, I suspect when it was something personal that she did not want everyone to be able to read. One of her French posts from around the time we first met, I don’t know French but I can sometimes pick up a little bit because French and Spanish have common roots and because English historically borrowed a lot from French, but I suspected it was about me… anyway, I’m getting sidetracked. I took that idea, and in the blog I had at the time, I would occasionally write in Spanish for that reason. I don’t know how grammatically correct it all was, though. I wouldn’t consider myself fluent in Spanish; I know enough to get by, but I have a hard time listening to native speakers, because they speak so fast, and because they often use slang and dialect forms and such that aren’t taught in textbooks.

    (Side note: regarding what that other guy said… where I’m from, “born and raised” is a lot more common than “born and bred,” although I would have understood either way.)

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  34. BTW, “born and bred” and “born and raised” are both fine idioms. “Born and bred” implies family in the area for a long time. “Born and raised” means born and lived in the same area all your life without comment on one’s family. I don’t know (but suspect) the former is more common in Great Britain and Commonwealth countries, the latter more common in the States. Splitting hairs, yes.

    I fully understand your wanting to blog in English. My best wishes to you.

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  37. Of course English is smooth, just say smmmmooooooth (yummy…) and then try the same in Dutch….!?!
    What ‘they say’ is irrelevant, isn’t it, looking at the growing rate of your number of followers. And you’re simply good at it. I occasionally write a post in English when it’s about drawing, for my international tweep friends, but normally I stick to Dutch (I don’t think it would bring me any followers anyway 😁)… However, I love English!

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