Hi She-Readers,
Caitlyn Levine's blog arrived at an interesting time, landing on my doorstep just as I was pondering that age-old question of “Why DO I blog anyway?” Having just posted a two-part series on my own blogger about (blare of trumpets puleeze!) “Building Your Social-Media Platform”, guest-blogging and the time-drain that blogging involves, I too have been much pondering this thing in my life called (rather ignominiously) blogging, which is eating up all my time, has thrown my garden into ruin and is threatening to take over my little universe.
Okay—so maybe I was being a little dramatic there, but you writers know what I mean. There is a definite, instantaneous pay-back of warm-fuzzies whilst blogging: Pretty pictures, lovely feedback, you can write what you want to write, no-one really cares too much if you over-use commas or mispoil a word. Besides, we’re supposed to do it, right? I mean, everyone says building your social media platform is essential to becoming a published writer, right? (Just agree.)
One reason why I blog is fairly mercenary: It satisfies my need to be read! To be heard! To organize my brain’s blatherings into a somewhat cohesive structure, press “post” and release. Ahhh! Catharsism at its best!
Besides, my lovely followers over at the nut-tree never start their comments with: "Thank you for writing. However…” which, sadly is what I hear mostly from agents these days. So, I’m hooked. Here I am right now, blogging away from my own site, when I really should be fixing all of those pesky commas in my middle grade fantasy novel. But that’s no fun.
Twenty-seventh rule of writing fiction: Editing commas is mind-numbing.
I came to “She Writes” because of my recent foray into guest blogging, and have found all of you. I feel like I have discovered a lost island-- a sorority of sisters striving for that same goal through writing and am looking forward to navigating the labyrinth with such a savvy group of writers and individuals. However, I can't help but think, "Uh-oh. Another blog? How can I handle another one?" How do you manage? Do we post only original content here? Does anyone ever post in tandem with their Blogger/Wordpress blog? In the long wrong, I know just being here will inspire me to get back to those pesky commas and wrap my brain around getting behind a fifth (sigh) edit, so I forge ahead, onward and upward into the fog.
Community is the real reason I continue with blogging: Validation, exchange, information, education. It’s why we all keep coming back, right? As humans we are drawn to meaningful exchanges which nurture our spirit and further our own quest for growth.
What keeps you blogging? When the manuscript is beckoning, the sausages are burning and your children are whining to go to the park, what makes you sit down and "post"? I would love to hear your stories.
~Just Jill
(My blog was recently hacked by a bible-study group (?!) and sometimes the link does strange things. I am not the bible study site… Here’s hoping it works.)
On Our Way of Observing Things...
After reading your reply I opened the only other email waiting for me, which happened to be my Daily Dharma, thought for day and so I'm feeling inspired to share it with you, since it seems to go with your own perceptions:
- Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, "The Heart Sutra"
On moles and French libraries...
Thanks for the comments Claire and Neelima. Claire you really hit the nail on the head when you spoke of adding a little sprinkle of humanity. It keeps one's writing from being too self-centered I think. And Neelima, honestly at this point, for me it's just about getting the words out. I feel I am constantly dogged by rejection and while that may be a whetstone for my blade, with blogging I feel I get to put the knife to good use once in a while!
Thanks for stopping by ladies. Now I can't stop wondering why moles are considered "whistle-blowers"...
Absolutely...lots of thing burning in my kitchen as well:) Blogging is very rewarding though published veterans don't advice you to post all those nice poems or stories before you get them published in journals. I get tempted to post things immediately as it is nice to get the odd comment and encouragement. Blogging has made me much more serious about writing..
I agree, community is a big reason for keeping a blog going with regularity. I love to write about books and I used to volunteer in a small library (offering books written in English in a French community) only open twice a week for two hours and I enjoyed the interaction with the occasional person who would arrive during those 2 hours and if no one came, it was a wonderful quiet place to write in. In conjunction with that I would write the occasional review in this community's newsletter, because again they asked for volunteers to write something and it was fun to see my writing in print.
But nothing compares to the added motivation that feedback provides. Without the community of individuals who arrive and like and comment on a blog, I think I would probably have treated it as I did that printed newsletter, just writing randomly when I felt like it. With the silence of the printed word, we have to rely only our own love of putting words on the page, but add a little sprinkle of humanity and interaction and look at what wonderful creations we are capable of coming up with.
My lot know the sausages will be burnt! :)