Don’t do a bear service
I just read the post A summary of things I learned from my time on Bear [OC] by Perfect, a funny look at common themes that pop up in the Bear discovery feed.
It’s funny because it’s true. Trending posts often circle around tech, blogging, and Bear itself. Maybe you’ve had some of your posts show up there, I’ve had a few as well.
It’s nice to see people appreciate your writing. Maybe you’ll even get a few new followers and see other bloggers linking back to your post. It’s a beautiful thing.
But it’s not an important thing. It’s a lovely little bonus, not something that should decide what you write next.
In Sweden we have the saying “göra en björntjänst” (do a bear service), which means doing something you think is helpful but that ends up having the opposite effect. That’s exactly what happens when we let algorithms and trends steer our writing.
Just keep blogging about what’s on your mind. Most of my “best post I’ve ever written” haven’t come anywhere close to making any charts at all, and that’s perfectly fine. I’m still proud of them, they mean a lot to me.
Don’t get caught in a bear hug, no matter how warm and fuzzy it feels. Don’t do yourself a bear service.
Just be yourself and keep on blogging.