Why I Keep Blogging After Eight Years: My 8th Blogiversary
Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler
Photo Credit: Brainy Quotes
Why I started blogging…
It’s my eight blogiversary. 516 posts later and I am celebrating!
In December, 2009 while new to the writing scene, I was told I needed to establish an on-line presence. That was back before I didn’t know what the heck an author platform and social media had to do with being a writer.
Photo Credit: social entrepreneurs.com
Despite my reservations to get involved, I took a flying leap of faith one day and started a free Word Press blog, Write On: Random Thoughts on Writing and Life by a New Writer.
Here’s my first post: “New Beginnings”
Well, that was relatively simple except when I thought about doing it every week. How will I ever come up with ideas to blog about every week?
But then, something happened…I got hooked.
What I anticipated would be a major distraction from my writing time became my lifeblood of creativity. I started meeting people from all over the world and the conversations generated served as inspiration for more writing ideas. And, perhaps best of all, I was having fun.
So much fun that I am still blogging weekly and have consistently over the past eight years with the exception of a Lenten Sabbatical I took in 2015. In 2011, I changed the name to Memoir Writer’s Journey: Sharing Hope One Story at a Time and in 2014 I upgraded to a Word Press.org self-hosted website to coincide with the publication of my first memoir.
Here’s Why I Keep Blogging:
Photo credit: JohnWiskind.com
*Blogging weekly provides me the opportunity to develop focus and discipline in my writing life. This further extends into writing outside my blog. It helps me keep the words flowing.
*Connecting with other writers and readers on a consistent basis serves as a source of both inspiration and writing ideas.
*Comments by followers have stretched and nourished me. I have been challenged to think deeper and wider about my own beliefs.
*Writing can be a lonely endeavor. The connections forged through blogging and the conversations that ensue have added a rich dimension to my life. This applies to commenting on other blogs as well. Being a part of a writing community where we accompany and support each other goes a long way in keeping me motivated and writing.
*Getting feedback on my writing has helped me to find my voice as a writer.
*Blogging helps me become a better writer.
*Blogging helps find readers. My blog is a showcase of my work and who I am as a person as well as a writer.
* I am having fun! If it stops being fun, I will stop. A blog is an extension of who as a person a I am as a person and a wrtier and it will show if I don’t want to do it anymore.
A few more thoughts…
Blogging is not for everyone. There are many other ways to establish an effective author platform, to reach your target audience and share your brand—Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest. It depends on what works best for you and what your plan is for reaching readers.
And there is an online debate circulating about the usefulness of blogging. In “Is Blogging Good Use of Your Writing Time?’ Author Debbie Young explores this issue with several authors.
This quote stands out for me:
“Karl Drinkwater: “Is it worth authors blogging any more, now that the blogosphere is so saturated? No-one ever stopped talking just because there are lots of things being said in the world.You could say the same about writing books…”
Photo Credit: Free Google Image
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How about you? As writers, do you feel blogging is worth your time? As readers, do blogs of authors have value to you? Do you want to start a blog but are not sure? If so, what keeps you from doing it?
In honor of my eighth blogiversary, I am offering a free eBook download or paperback (US only) of my memoir, Ever Faithful to His Lead: My Journey Away From Emotional Abuse to a commenter whose name will be selected in a random drawing.
I’d love to hear from you. Please join in the conversation below~
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MEMOIR WRITER’S JOURNEY ANNUAL SURVEY, 2017:
It’s that time of year when we start looking back at what worked and what needs work. I’d love your feedback on ways I can improve my website in 2018. Your feedback will be greatly appreciated and will be used to plan for 2018. I will report on the results on January 5,2018.
Here’s the link to the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YYG3LDM
Thank you!
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Next Week:
Monday, 12/11/17:
“When to Call Yourself a Writer by Memoirist Linda Strader”
Linda is the author of Summers of Fire: A Memoir of Adventure, Love and Courage, due to be published in May, 2018.
