You may not struggle with blogging like me, but if you do... I started in 2008. At that time my attitude was:
I wasn't out to impress anyone with my know-how, dazzle readers, or even build a following. There were no plans for world domination, e-journaling, and being tech savvy. It was merely a place I could post my writing so family and friends on the other side of the country could read it.
Everything has changed. As I look back 5 years, this is what I've discovered:
1. Contests/Challenges: If you can write to a theme (and quickly,) you've got it made. (Especially where there's a call for short stories.)
2. "Publishing": For those who are gun shy, (like me,) blogging is the ideal way to get comfortable with publishing. We'll call it soft-publishing. (Because bloggers are so forgiving of typos etc.) And guess what? If you put something out there you're not proud of, you can always delete it.
3. Critiquing: is hard to take as a newbie writer. Bloggers are SUPER nice, but they'll nudge you toward better writing, if you'll let them. Not only that, I've met two of my critique partners through blogging. If you enjoy someone's writing online, it's possible you'll love their manuscript.
4. Networking: I shy away from this word. I've made so many friends through blogging that I no longer see it as networking. It's simply opening the door to a world of people I'd never be able to know otherwise. (I love you peeps!)
5. Industry secrets: Need I expound? I've read so many writing books, but to be up to speed on what's happening now? Well, there's nothing better than the tid-bits writing friends/agents/publishers drop.
6. Feedback: This is one of the quickest ways to learn how people respond to your writing. It can be invaluable, especially when learning how to write for a specific audience.
7. Drafting: For those of us *pointing to self* who struggle with outlines, blogging is an easy way segue into planning scenes. It's learning how to plot in bite-sized portions.
8. Editing: I have a bit of a problem. Seriously. This slight case of dyslexia used to come between me and reading in public. It's something I eventually overcame, mostly, but I do read in weird ways. Thus, when I edit, I have a propensity to miss things--no matter how carefully I'm looking. Through years of practice with blog posts, (just like YEARS of reading out loud in front of groups,) my eyes skip less.
9. Experimenting: The blog-o-sphere is a great place to toy with your writing voice. You can take on a persona, try out poetry, flash fiction, short stories, non-fiction, etc, and no one will think twice about it.
10. Support: I'm a dork, but there are a few people out there who love me anyway. How do I know this? They continue to check in, even if I go silent for a six month stretch.
Granted, I'm not on the blog-o-sphere as much as I'd like (because of three adorable "little's" I slave to educate), but blogging has been an invaluable experience. What have you learned from blogging?
I wasn't out to impress anyone with my know-how, dazzle readers, or even build a following. There were no plans for world domination, e-journaling, and being tech savvy. It was merely a place I could post my writing so family and friends on the other side of the country could read it.
Everything has changed. As I look back 5 years, this is what I've discovered:
10 Ways Blogging Improved my Writing
1. Contests/Challenges: If you can write to a theme (and quickly,) you've got it made. (Especially where there's a call for short stories.)
2. "Publishing": For those who are gun shy, (like me,) blogging is the ideal way to get comfortable with publishing. We'll call it soft-publishing. (Because bloggers are so forgiving of typos etc.) And guess what? If you put something out there you're not proud of, you can always delete it.
3. Critiquing: is hard to take as a newbie writer. Bloggers are SUPER nice, but they'll nudge you toward better writing, if you'll let them. Not only that, I've met two of my critique partners through blogging. If you enjoy someone's writing online, it's possible you'll love their manuscript.
5. Industry secrets: Need I expound? I've read so many writing books, but to be up to speed on what's happening now? Well, there's nothing better than the tid-bits writing friends/agents/publishers drop.
6. Feedback: This is one of the quickest ways to learn how people respond to your writing. It can be invaluable, especially when learning how to write for a specific audience.7. Drafting: For those of us *pointing to self* who struggle with outlines, blogging is an easy way segue into planning scenes. It's learning how to plot in bite-sized portions.
8. Editing: I have a bit of a problem. Seriously. This slight case of dyslexia used to come between me and reading in public. It's something I eventually overcame, mostly, but I do read in weird ways. Thus, when I edit, I have a propensity to miss things--no matter how carefully I'm looking. Through years of practice with blog posts, (just like YEARS of reading out loud in front of groups,) my eyes skip less.
9. Experimenting: The blog-o-sphere is a great place to toy with your writing voice. You can take on a persona, try out poetry, flash fiction, short stories, non-fiction, etc, and no one will think twice about it.
10. Support: I'm a dork, but there are a few people out there who love me anyway. How do I know this? They continue to check in, even if I go silent for a six month stretch.
Granted, I'm not on the blog-o-sphere as much as I'd like (because of three adorable "little's" I slave to educate), but blogging has been an invaluable experience. What have you learned from blogging?
