Yes, I Do Want to Hear from You

Blogging can be surprisingly lonely.

For about sixty seconds I considered putting together a formal readers’ survey. Then I realised I didn’t actually want a survey.

I write primarily for myself, so I doubt it would change the way I write very much. Besides, hardly anyone would complete it, and I’d probably end up feeling disappointed for no good reason other than pride and ego.

The more I thought about it, the more I realised that what I really want is connection.

I want to know who I am speaking to. I want to hear your stories. I want to know whether my writing helps, whether it sometimes misses the mark, and whether it gives voice to thoughts that are difficult to put into words.

People (I am not talking about family and closest friends who speak to me regularly) often comment on the posts I share on Facebook, LinkedIn and HealthUnlocked, and I genuinely appreciate every response. Those conversations are usually about the specific topic of that post, rather than the wider journey, and that’s completely understandable.

A small number of people also write to me privately. A comment here. An email there. Every single one means far more than the sender probably realises. Yet they are only a tiny fraction of the people who read my posts.

So, if you ever feel like writing, I’d genuinely love to hear from you.

To patients who are able to communicate: am I writing in a way that resonates with your experience, or am I completely off? Are there thoughts you haven’t been able to express that I could lend my voice to?

To carers and family members: does my writing help you understand what your loved one may be experiencing, or does it sometimes make things harder? What have you learnt that might help me better understand your side of this journey?

To my own family and friends: has my writing unintentionally hurt you? Or have we simply allowed too much time to pass without being in touch? If it’s the latter, I’d love to hear from you. It would probably do me a lot of good.

And to readers I’ve never met: I’d love to know who you are, how you found this website, and why it does, or doesn’t, speak to you.

This isn’t a survey.

I don’t want scores. I hate hearing I’m doing badly. I don’t particularly enjoy hearing I’m doing brilliantly either, and being told I’m average isn’t much fun. Besides, I’m still going to write in my own way.

And yes, I already know I probably blog too much. I am not asking for comments on that.

This is, in many ways, a selfish post.

Writing can feel lonely sometimes, and while I never expect anyone to reply, I always hope someone will.

So if you’ve ever thought about getting in touch, this is your invitation.

I’ve set up a private email: EMAIL ADDRESS.

If you’d rather remain anonymous, you can simply use the comment button on this post. Either way, your message comes directly to me, and I promise I’ll read every one.