First of all, a huge thank you! to the folks over at Copyblogger, who posted my guest post about “horrible” blog posts today.
And a hearty hail-and-well-met to anyone who has found my blog via that post. Welcome to you! 
)
The post has received many positive comments so far, indicating that it has struck a nerve. That’s very gratifying to me. Several people have even written things like, “Wow, I feel vindicated. Now I’m going to go write something horrible!”
Well, I’d like to invite you to go ahead and do so. And then if you’d like, you can post the results here.
You can either link to what you’ve written via a comment below, or even write something directly in the comments if it’s not so long that it will make scrolling difficult.
The only rules?
- Nothing profane, deliberately insulting, or in general bad taste, please.
- No judgment. Let’s all acknowledge that posting is scary, and cheer on anyone who takes a chance and shares what she or he has written publicly.
So . . . no praise or harsh words about any of the content, please. Just support for the act of writing and publishing itself.
Wahey! Let’s do this thing!!!
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
Ha! Great idea. Alas, I typically use lots of pictures with my rarely serious posts. Don’t want to mess things up over here. Have fun with this – Dave (aka JaxPop)
Aww, Dave. “Horrible” pictures are fine, too! ;o)
I loved your post, Michelle!
Well, I’m up to blog post #2… Thanks for the “horrible post” inspiration so that I get brave enough to write # 3! I appreciate all your encouragement and look forward to getting into the blogging groove!
http://fruitchick1.wordpress.com/
Not sure this went through the first time!
Thanks so much, Pace!
And Dorothy!!! Thanks so much for being brave and stepping forward and linking to you (new, I take it) blog! Go, you! That’s FANTASTIC!!!
I promised nothing judgmental about the **content** of anything posted or linked to here–either positive or negative–because I think that creates a safe space for people to come forward if they want to. But I’ve got to say that the luscious **design** of your blog made me instantly hungry.
)
I hope other readers will post links to their blogs too.
It was a bit like jumping into the deep end, but try it, I think you’ll like it!
I am brand-new, (as you correctly figured Michelle), so I am very interested in seeing what is out there. Thanks!
Great post Michelle. I’ve written nothing but “horrible” posts since starting my blog. Now I’m ready to write some more.
It was a dark and stormy night . . .
@Doug – Way to go!!!
@Stacie Dee – What a “horribly” good start . . . not to mention a thank-you for reminding me that I haven’t yet checked out the 2009 contest results: http://www.bulwer-lytton.com/
)
Great post! I just read it on Copy Blogger. Perfection is joined at the hip with procrastination, which are those 2 people you just met in the waiting room. The waiting room where people are waiting for their spinal implants so that they can hopefully go back into the world and actually make decisions and/or actually do something. Internalizing and not doing are the same as holding back great advice we can give someone in need.
@Joe Ray – Yes, it surprises a lot of people (it did me!) to learn that one result of perfectionism is often procrastination. Those two “patients in the waiting room” seem diametrically opposed–why would someone who likes everything done right leave messes or piles of unfinished stuff?
But when you think about it, it really does make sense–if you have this terrible need for everything to be perfect, and you’re worried or scared that it won’t be, of course you’ll procrastinate because if you actually do it, you might “fail.”
Then you feel guilty about all your procrastination–what a vicious cycle it becomes!
I kept wondering why anyone would advocate writing something horrible. And then I looked closely at your URL and got the idea that getting permission to do something horrible is wonderfully liberating. Barbara Sher devoted a chapter to this concept in one of her books. And I think I wrote a post about that. Or maybe I dreamed that I did, because I cannot find it. The gist of it was that modeling imperfection is really hard.
@Square Peg Guy – (chuckling) Yes, the reason I started this blog was to allow it to be a practice for *myself* in learning to get over my own perfectionism, and a sharing of that process with other people who are interested. And who might be going through some of the same things. And who might (I’m hoping, hoping!) want to be part of an ongoing conversation about it.
So if you think I’m modeling imperfection here, I’m quite flattered.
)
The guest post on Copyblogger was a lucky break for me because my new blog suddenly got noticed by a wider audience. And *this* post was an absolutely spur-of-the-moment decision that I made on a whim, just to see who might respond. I like the fact that, two weeks later, people like you are still stopping by to comment!
Actually, I’ve never visited Copyblogger or even heard of it. I clicked over here from http://www.JennyRyan.com on which you commented. She’s a riot, isn’t she?
@Square Peg Guy – Oh my gosh, Jenny Ryan is HYSTERICAL!!! She’s one of my favorite bloggers to read. Even her short posts crack me up no end.
Thanks very much for clicking through and finding me here!
Michelle, you blog totally resonates with me! I am a recovering control freak and perfectionist as well. Thanks for the great post!
@Jeni – Thank you! Or you’re welcome? Both sort of apply.
)
Anyway, welcome–glad to have you here! And thanks so much for adding me to YOUR blogroll! I love the name “Ambition to Meaning,” by the way. Not to mention your “want ad’ post from today–where on earth did you find that? Makes me **almost** want to answer, just to see what would happen!
I will immediately clutch your rss feed as I can’t in finding your email subscription link or newsletter service. Do you have any? Please let me understand in order that I may just subscribe. Thanks.
Hi, and thanks for your interest! This month I will be sending out my first newsletter ever,,,so your timing is perfect.
I don’t have the link up yet, but check back within the next week or two, and there will be a subscription box on my main page where you can enter your email address. Coming very soon, I promise!
Michelle Russell recently posted..Holodecks and String Quartets