Anyone wondering where I've been since early August? Well, various potholes and detours on my planned blogging route combined with confusion regarding my intended destination. The result? A blank space where my writing used to be.
As the year accelerates toward its big holiday finale, it's time to
As the year accelerates toward its big holiday finale, it's time to
reflect on my derailment, and consider the next phase of this journey.
In recent months I've been reading blogs of all kinds: fashion, food, do-it-yourself, home design, health, spiritual/inspirational, writers writing about writing, writers promoting their latest publications, news pundits and pundit-wannabes, animal bloggers, and humor. It's not exaggerating to state there are bazillions of blogs out there. My email reserved just for writing purposes has become a monster; it had over 450 unread emails this morning, primarily because I've been avoiding opening it.
I also checked out blogger groups whose members actively support and encourage each other. Blogging is now a critical component of building a customer base for many professions, and connecting with others who have an internet presence can help make that happen more quickly. That's certainly been the case (pardon the legal pun) for my sister Shel Harrington, a family law attorney in Oklahoma, who began hers in January. For women who want to work from home while raising their families, blogging seems to be the 21st century equivalent of Tupperware and fashion parties. There is money to be made in blogging for those who find the right niches and persistently self-promote enough to grow large reader followings. However, as with home parties, success in earning power comes only with major time investments in research, writing, networking, and promoting. In other words, w-o-r-k.
I reread my first blog. It is somewhat disconcerting to note my confidence in my writing hasn't grown much. However, "Recalibrating" presented the list of questions I had promised to ask myself about any new endeavor, including writing. Happily, I can answer yes to two of the four questions: writing does enhance my relationships with family and friends, and it does benefit me emotionally.
So now what? Well, I went through the writing emails and caught up on some of my faves (thanks Dee Dee!) I also unsubscribed to those that post more than once a week (no time!) and those I'd lost interest in. That leaves me with about 50 of the most recent, which will be this evening's entertainment.
And entertainment is the key word. I do not want writing to become w-o-r-k. I want to write to explore what rolls around in my head, and to connect with family, friends, and anyone else who's vaguely interested in what rolls around in my head. Blogging is one way to do that. I would still like to post weekly (my original intention,) but of course that may not happen. However, I will keep it as a goal.
In January 2014, when this year's resolution ends up with a weekly posting rate of less than 50%, I will not consider it a failure. I will have purposely written something (nearly) 50% more often than in any year previous to this one. That is success.
In recent months I've been reading blogs of all kinds: fashion, food, do-it-yourself, home design, health, spiritual/inspirational, writers writing about writing, writers promoting their latest publications, news pundits and pundit-wannabes, animal bloggers, and humor. It's not exaggerating to state there are bazillions of blogs out there. My email reserved just for writing purposes has become a monster; it had over 450 unread emails this morning, primarily because I've been avoiding opening it.
I also checked out blogger groups whose members actively support and encourage each other. Blogging is now a critical component of building a customer base for many professions, and connecting with others who have an internet presence can help make that happen more quickly. That's certainly been the case (pardon the legal pun) for my sister Shel Harrington, a family law attorney in Oklahoma, who began hers in January. For women who want to work from home while raising their families, blogging seems to be the 21st century equivalent of Tupperware and fashion parties. There is money to be made in blogging for those who find the right niches and persistently self-promote enough to grow large reader followings. However, as with home parties, success in earning power comes only with major time investments in research, writing, networking, and promoting. In other words, w-o-r-k.
I reread my first blog. It is somewhat disconcerting to note my confidence in my writing hasn't grown much. However, "Recalibrating" presented the list of questions I had promised to ask myself about any new endeavor, including writing. Happily, I can answer yes to two of the four questions: writing does enhance my relationships with family and friends, and it does benefit me emotionally.
So now what? Well, I went through the writing emails and caught up on some of my faves (thanks Dee Dee!) I also unsubscribed to those that post more than once a week (no time!) and those I'd lost interest in. That leaves me with about 50 of the most recent, which will be this evening's entertainment.
And entertainment is the key word. I do not want writing to become w-o-r-k. I want to write to explore what rolls around in my head, and to connect with family, friends, and anyone else who's vaguely interested in what rolls around in my head. Blogging is one way to do that. I would still like to post weekly (my original intention,) but of course that may not happen. However, I will keep it as a goal.
In January 2014, when this year's resolution ends up with a weekly posting rate of less than 50%, I will not consider it a failure. I will have purposely written something (nearly) 50% more often than in any year previous to this one. That is success.
#writing, #blogging
