Authenticity In Blogging

I have to say, last Sunday's #lbloggers chat was an awesome one. It was based on the theme of authenticity in blogging, and how honest we do/don't have to be, within our posts. It brought up some good points, and I felt I'd love to talk about some in more depth here.

What We Share; It is my belief, not only that your blog should be a place where you talk about whatever you like, but also a place where you can hide whatever you like. Only you define your blog, and what you include in it's content. I've shared some very personal things on this blog and not once did I feel like I had to, to be 'authentic'. I've also kept a lot private; whether it be sensitive issues, something I simply don't want on my blog, or things I just don't think have a place here. None of this alters my authenticity as a blogger. You, as a reader, will have a perception of me. But as long as I am always true to myself on this blog, I am authentic. I may not tell you what is bothering me one week, I may not share what is going on in my life. Or maybe I'll share everything. This is all my choice here, and your choice for your own blog. 
Editing Our Lives; So whether it's editing my photographs to look brighter/cleaner/more interesting, or editing my words to only share certain thoughts on a subject; neither makes me less authentic. In fact, we spend our whole lives editing ourselves for different people and different situations. If you go to a job interview and you dress smarter, and only talk about the great things you have done - this does not mean you aren't being authentic or 'real'. And nobody expects that anyway (at least not normal, reasonable people). I act differently to friends than I do my family, and I share different details of my life with my colleagues than I do my boyfriend. I share a part of my life with you guys reading this, but it's never going to be the whole picture. We edit all the time. It's okay, it's normal, it's expected. As long as you aren't lying, you're still being you.
Getting Creative; The whole reason and driving force behind this blog for me personally, is to be more creative. Regardless of whether I'm sharing my Art Journal with you guys, writing about a new beauty product I love, or just plain rambling; I'm being creative. I put a lot of thought into each post, I take my time and plan my words, I try my best to take a photograph as best as I can, and I'm constantly brainstorming new ideas. It's a creative outlet, and that's the greatest pleasure for me. However I'd like to address this creativity a little. Sometimes I embellish my descriptions of experiences or thoughts, I can take hours editing photos to look more beautiful or interesting, and sometimes I'm influenced by other bloggers. I don't believe any of this makes my blog less authentic. In fact, I think it strengthens it. When I present a photograph like the one in this post, I'm not expecting you to believe I have a beautiful apartment with flowers adorned everywhere. When I get creative with my writing; it is only for the pure joy of it, because I relish each word building a story or a picture in your mind. And when I address something on this blog that another blogger has featured, I give full credit, and I do it because they have inspired me in some way.
Finding your own voice through a blog can be hard, and I sure know I'm not even half way through my own journey there yet. But every part of me that I share, every photograph I edit, every word I write; is authentic. Because it is all a part of me; what I love, who I've been, and who I want to be. The beauty of blogging is that these decisions are all 100% made by you, for you. Make your own rules, stick to what your gut tells you, and revel in it.



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