Finding Balance in Blogging: Writing with Passion vs. Writing in Anger

There have been many times where I’ll get angry about something and write a scathing blog about it, publish it, and the next day look at it in horror and take it back down.

In regards to this, I find myself being pulled in two different directions.

On one hand, there’s the age-old adage “write your passions,” which is often considered sound advice for writers and bloggers alike. The idea here is to stick to topics you’re familiar with and passionate about, in order to create more authentic and resonant content.

On the other hand, there’s writing about what really pisses you off. This is taking it a big step further, where you channel your inner rage machine and produce a wall of literary flame. While this may seem counterproductive or even self-destructive, channeling this anger into your writing can offer several key advantages for bloggers.

Let’s take a closer look at both points of view:

Writing What You Know and are Passionate about

By writing about your personal passions, sharing your experiences and expertise, you can establish yourself as a knowledgeable and credible voice in your niche.

Writing on topics with which you feel passionate about can also help you stay motivated and engaged with your work. When you’re invested in the subject matter, it’s easier to stay focused and inspired, leading to better quality content overall.

Writing About What Pisses You Off

There is a school of thought that says you should always write about what pisses you off.

Channeling your anger into your writing can offer several key advantages for bloggers. Firstly, it can be cathartic and provide an emotional release. By confronting your frustrations, you allow yourself an opportunity to clear your mind and excise your inner demons.

Writing about things that piss you off can also lead to highly engaging and thought-provoking content. By expressing your frustrations, you encourage readers to vent right alongside with you, and share their own frustration. This exchange of experiences can foster more robust and meaningful conversations, allowing both you and your readers to grow intellectually and emotionally.

By showing your audience that you’re not afraid to be genuine and vulnerable, you can create a deeper connection with your readers, ultimately leading to increased trust and loyalty.

However, writing about controversial topics can also be risky. Impulsive language and a negative tone can turn readers off and damage your credibility. When emotions take over, rationality often goes right out the window. Blogging while angry may lead to misrepresenting facts or making sweeping generalizations that can harm your credibility.

Bit of advice: if you’re going to write while you’re pissed off, don’t immediately publish it. Give it a day, reread what you wrote, do some fact checking, and make sure you’re ready to take this stance and defend it.

If not, then don’t hit publish.

In Conclusion

While there are different schools of thought when it comes to blogging, the key is to find a balance between what you’re passionate about, and about what pisses you off.

As stated above, channeling your anger into your writing can be cathartic, engaging, and ultimately help you create more authentic content, but it’s important to avoid letting anger dominate your content. By maintaining a level-headed perspective and fact-checking your claims, you can write about controversial topics in a way that [in a perfect world] fosters meaningful dialogue and inspires positive change.

I’ll leave it up to you to decide if we live in that perfect world.