Ask HN: Did you ever find it difficult to find your “voice” on the internet? I've always been a lurker on reddit and HN. But recently I've felt that I need to contribute more but I still find it hard to write comments without cringing at my own writing. The same goes for tweets and any other social media submission. Did anybody else feel like this? Did you have any strategies/tips/mindset-shift to become better at contributing? (regular posting is what I'm trying atm} |
How much editing do you do? I write up all of my thoughts. Then move the words around in the compose box until it looks good. Then, after I hit "add comment" I find at least one spelling error each and every time.
You've got up to 2 hours here to edit comments if someone points out issues, I try to make good use of that time.
It came naturally.
The thing about those, is that they are writing for an audience.
They are public performance.
And that's what writing in public fora is.
If there's joy in that public performance, then it can become a sticky habit. If you don't find joy in it, it won't stick.
After a few years, I started developing this punchy style as an alternative to my Kantian inspired circumlocutions I developed writing philosophy papers as an undergrad, perhaps it seems because reading Kant gave me caution regarding the fallibility of my own cognition in particular and all human cognition in general. Which is to say that, the "probably's", "perhaps's", "etc's", etc. are a reflection of my own aperception...of my own reflections on my inner experience.
Anyway, for me, it's fun to write shit like that and shit like this.
If it wasn't I wouldn't continue to do it.
Be yourself. Nobody but you is watching. Nobody but you is judging. And your writing is probably better than you think. Good luck.
Why do you feel the need to contribute?
If you want to say something, by all means say it.
If you are not interested in a given topic, ignore it.
Just be yourself and focus on what matters to you.
Here in the USA, that's a huge chunk of our problem. I doubt citizens in most 1st world countries that count, like the Scandies, would stand around taking video while cops murder a man in cold blood on the street right in front of their faces. I'd say our skin is plenty thick enough...and that's we get so much wrong.
> The same goes for tweets and any other social media submission.
Twitter is cringe for everyone writing there and anyone reading it
Now it's nigh impossible, as I can no longer speak with my normal voice. My vocal cords are paralyzed after being on a ventilator while I had COVID.
I would like to "speak" more, but I have to figure out how to do it in writing. I feel like I was much better with it vocally, but for now, that's not an option.