The Reasons We Blog

Image: Idea go / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Now on to Wednesday for the Blog Me MAYbe fun.  Today I have been set the following task:

May I ask something about you?  Ask your followers something about themselves.


I will, but so I don't feel like I'm picking on anyone, I will also answer my own question.  I've always felt it was unfair to ask a question of someone else that you're not willing to answer yourself.  So, with that said, here it is.

What made you decide to start blogging?


Having a modest number of followers (I am relatively new to this after all), I don't expect an abundance of answers, but for those of you who do read this, here's my answer.

I've wanted to write since I was 6.  I even attempted my first novel at that age, but it was well beyond bad.  Still, I have no regrets about those failed early attempts, because that's where I discovered my passion for the written word.

Later on in life, I found myself plugging away at writing novels (still am in fact), but I knew I needed advice other than randomly submit and see what happens.  At the very least, I needed some way to get my name out there and start networking.  These days, that's crucial.

I grew up around the Ames, IA area, and here we have a fun weekly paper called Toons.  Being free and available in a wide variety of businesses around the area, it was also just right for my admittedly slim pocketbook.  It's full of fun cartoons, some of them political, and it also has one of my favorite columns.  To be honest, Trevor's column is one of the things that keeps me coming back.  I love the writing, and the stories he has to share are always interesting.

One column published in 2010 was a review of The Rum Diary.  It begins with answering a question from a fan who wants to be a writer but wants some advice.  The advice was less than encouraging: don't be a writer, because it's difficult and most people give up.  From that point, for those of us who are gluttons for punishment, he provided a valuable piece of advice.

Start a blog.

I cut the review out of the paper, and I still have it to this day.  I used to keep it in my writing notebook, but it got to be too worn from the sheer number of times I pulled it out for inspiration.  Now it's tucked safely in the back of a picture frame where I can't lose it.

Yes, I didn't start a blog until January of this year, but I wasn't sure what I had to say that would work well in a blog.  I write fiction.  I never managed to make a diary last longer than a few pages.  Then I finally discovered something.  A lot of people don't want to listen to what I have to say about writing, but I love writing about writing.  There's something surreal about it too, like taking a picture of someone who's taking a picture of you.  Both actions show a moment when you are the object of analysis.  When you talk about your writing, there is no way to take yourself out of the equation.

So, with that advice in mind, I set out to start a blog about my journey to becoming a writer.  That's that.  So far, I think it was a good decision and I'm glad I've stuck with it.

See you tomorrow.