Thanks for visiting and reading my blog. We're moving to a new site.

Please bookmark the new address, visit when you have a moment, and join the discussion.

http://thoughtsabouthope.wordpress.com/

        

An odd thing happened. Monday arrived, and Easter apparently became one more family holiday memory. Taxes and tea parties dominated public discourse, and bitter bickering resumed. Echoed cries of “HE IS RISEN INDEED” faded into oblivion. << MORE >>

Blaming wastes time and energy. It creates wonderful political theatre and provides an emotional outlet, but blaming accomplishes nothing productive. As long as I concentrate on "who's to blame," I remove my focus from "what am I going to do?"<< MORE >>

As we analyze the "right versus wrong" of an idea or course of action, it's as though we're asking, "Is this who I think it is?" I hope that the voices I follow lead to right and truth, but I confess that the lines become a bit fuzzy. << MORE >>

Challenge and opportunity walk hand in hand. Worry is negative imagination about the challenge. Creativity is positive imagination about the opportunity. Perhaps one of God greatest gifts to us is the ability to choose creativity.<< MORE >>

A popular inspirational quote proclaims, "Character is what you do when nobody's looking." That may be true, but there's also a part of character that's measured when everybody's looking. It's one thing to advocate my convictions in solitude. It's another thing entirely to hold to those convictions when the mob demands something different. << MORE >>

I absolutely believe we should confront wrong when we encounter it, but any confrontation must be done in love. Before I undertake criticism of another, I must examine my heart and my motives. When I've addressed whatever obscures my vision, I'm able to confront with clear eyes and a pure heart.<< MORE >>

I frequently must ask forgiveness from others. When I'm wrong and admit my mistake, I hope others will accept my apology. When I hurt someone in a careless moment of anger or laughter, I hope they'll understand and forgive. << MORE >>

"If it bleeds, it leads."

A fundamental staple of journalism—bad news sells. Everyone says they want to hear more good news, but objective data tell a different story. Audiences gravitate to controversy, crime, and crashes.

Other analogous publicity principles prey upon our fascination with negative events: "There's no such thing as bad publicity." "I don't care what you write about me, just make sure you spell my name correctly."

This morning I read some advice for building blog traffic. One of the highly recommended techniques for attracting readers was to generate controversy. The writer cited examples in which readership skyrocketed following articles that addressed contentious issues.

This advice is troublesome for me. I want to attract readers; that's why I write. More readers means more people are interested in my message, and honestly that interest eventually translates into book sales, article publication, and speaking engagements. It's a self-perpetuating cycle of building an audience. There's not much point to working as a writer/speaker unless people actually hear and read your words.

But I do not wish to add to the pervasive sea of divisive rhetoric from talk radio, cable television, and endless Internet opinion sites. My mission involves inspiration, encouragement, and hope. I'm not sure I accomplish that mission by purposely creating or enhancing disagreement simply to build an audience.

I do not fear controversy when it arises within a discussion, but my primary goal at this point involves spreading the message of Relentless Grace. I fear that an effort to artificially create disagreement might turn away those who most need to hear that message. Those folks already have enough struggle and pain in their lives.

I'd really appreciate your thoughts. This blog currently receives a few hundred hits per week, but very few comments. Should I artificially manipulate the content to add a bit of contention? Would you be more prone to comment if the topics inspired debate and disagreement?

Would I really increase readership and comments by being more edgy? Would a little controversy, and maybe some good old argument, make you more likely to return or turn you away? What would make you more likely to recommend this site to others?

Is controversy a necessary element of writing that attracts and retains your interest?

If you'd like to learn more about Relentless Grace, please visit my website: www.relentlessgrace.com

        

A friend once commented that he'd heard that Relentless Grace was a book about religion. I sincerely hope that's a false perception, because the world doesn't need another book about religion.<< MORE >>