Writing in the space between TMI and being too private

NaBloPoMo Day #5 Writing Prompt:

Do you feel you have found your voice on your blog? What techniques have you tried to develop your voice in your writing? What are some characteristics of your personality in your writing?

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I think I've always written in my own voice on my blog. From day one I've written as if I'm talking to a friend. I imagine they're sitting right across from me and we're chatting and whatever I'd say to them is what I type on the keyboard. It's also why sometimes my punctuation may not be correct. I add commas and question marks when I would pause when speaking or when I'd raise my voice at the end of a word, not necessarily at the end of a sentence.

My personality. I am generally a calm, positive, empathetic person. I care about everything. People, animals, nature, the world. When I write I do my best to make the world a better place for everyone and everything. Well, everything but mosquitos and fleas, but everyone and everything else.

As my blog has matured my willingness to share more about myself has expanded beyond where it began in 2006. Back then I was very careful to not overshare, to be public while retaining as much privacy as possible. Over the years I've found myself willing to be more open simply because there are conversations that need to happen but don't because they're too painful, or people are uncomfortable talking about them, or we simply don't know how to talk about them. Now I go there, to the places beyond, or perhaps beneath the fun and flirty topics I first wrote about. There, to the places that are dark but need to be illuminated. Time and my own life experiences have made me more willing to be more open with my readers. In general I've realized life is too short to do less when I have the opportunity to do more. If my experiences can help others in any way to find happiness, courage, strength, inspiration, or even patience then I'm glad I have a platform that allowed them to find my stories.

Years ago a couple of people accused me of being too positive and sugar coating things in my writing. Maybe they were right though my motivation was always that there's so much negativity in the world I didn't want to add to it. The thing is, life is full of a variety of emotions and experiences ranging from happiness, joy, elation, courage, loneliness, sadness, pain, loss, and despair. My blog is now a more whole reflection of my life and that completeness has liberated me both in my writing as well as how I choose to live each day.