Why I Decided to Blog

I have written from as far back as I can remember; from poems and stories, to spilling my guts in private journals. Does that make me a writer? HECK YES IT DOES!!

TO BE A WRITER IS TO WRITE, PERIOD.

THE CREATIVE HIGH

I have been enthralled with writing since I was young. I accumulated notebooks galore. Nothing like a fresh notebook. Oh, the possibilities… The worlds I can create, the unique characters. I would jitter in excitement with every virgin page I cracked.

Early on I decided, “One day, I WILL be a published author.” But, it wasn’t until adulthood…meaning, twenty-three-years old…that I started taking it seriously.

I began a novel; a young adult fantasy. Toiled day and night, wrote my fingers raw. My hand moved so fast, it could barely keep up with the ideas pouring out my brain. My fingers cramped, but I loved every iota of discomfort. I was making progress.

I purchased a laptop. GAME CHANGER.

Suddenly, I could write for longer periods of time, and I could EDIT!! That really set things in motion. I started a number of novels, from fantasy to thrillers, children’s books, and ones I still have yet to categorize.

THE HORROR

Life was good. I was motivated and excited. Then…tragedy struck.

My beloved computer crashed and I lost four-hundred pages of work. You read that right…PAGES. Three-hundred were from my YA fantasy…my baby, my obsession.

*Insert, sad face*

YEARS of work, gone in the brief blink of my computer screen. Immediately, I was knocked off my high horse. I attempted to re-write, but it wasn’t the same. After weeks of frustration, I took a well-needed breather.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Six-months passed (had a human baby in the meantime who kept me plenty busy) before my computer saw the light of day. But, instead of working on what I lost, I decided to try something else. I began a new style of story, and something just clicked. I wrote and wrote until I finished my first draft. SUCCESS!!

Research began on how to publish a novel. So…many…questions.

Anyone who has published a book will assure you, the process is not black and white. Do I self-publish or go the traditional route? Should I hire an agent, how much does an editor cost, how do I market, should I social network? What is a beta reader, what’s the difference between a blurb and synopsis, how do I write a standout query letter? And, most importantly, Is my work even good enough TO publish?

Enough to make your head spin straight off your neck.

I joined some online writing groups and learned a lot. I found a few beta readers to read over my draft and offer feedback. While a lot was positive, I did receive some (harsh?) critique. After the block of beta readers, I realized I had loads of work ahead.

I was tired. I had been working on that draft for months, having written, re-written, and edited my heart out. And when I FINALLY felt I had an acceptable product, worthy of professional editing…boom…reality check.

Enter…well, now. I haven’t touched that story since. I was overwhelmed with the thought of all the work still ahead, and decided to take another break. Magic the first time, why not again? Probably best to step back for a bit, at least until my motivation resets.

SO, WHY BLOG?

My parents are fully aware of my trials and tribulations with writing, and have supported me throughout.

My mom (who I’m pretty sure I get my passion for writing from) started a blog, http://behindthesceneryphoto.com

My beautiful mom and I

Every so often, she would send me a link to her latest post. I loved reading them…creative, vibrant, heartwarming and funny. The replies she received were always supportive and encouraging. She gained loyal followers and friends from the blogging community. My mom would rave about how much she enjoyed blogging, and one day, gently suggested it might be something I would enjoy.

“It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just give it your voice and personality.”

I hadn’t thought about it before. Blogging had never been on my radar. I barely knew what a blog was.

I thought about it. Rolled it around my brain for a few weeks, and finally decided to give it a shot.

WHY THE HECK NOT? WHAT DO I HAVE TO LOSE?

HERE I AM

Me, behind a waterfall (foss) in Iceland

This post is my maiden voyage. How am I doing so far? I’m having fun, that’s for sure! And it’s a nice change of pace from the commitment of a full-length novel.

I have a lot of ideas of what to write. As a mother to a toddler and newborn, they make for some interesting and oftentimes hilarious stories, not to mention my travels, plethora of pets, relationships, and general day-to-day moments that a simple Facebook post doesn’t quite express.

I still intend to publish a novel. But for now, I will take pride in the fact that I am actively pursuing my passion. I may not be an “author” (yet) but,

I AM A WRITER.

Credits: Cartoon by pch.vector – www.freepik.com