Onward and Upward

cosmocondina.com

     I had lunch (and a slice of pie) with a friend this week.  She gave me lots of information about protecting the material I post, growing my blog, becoming a member of an aggregate blog, and all kinds of ins and outs of blogging.

     She also gave me some valuable food for thought, asking:  What is my goal for my second year of blogging?

     I've been thinking a lot about this.

     I started the blog as writing practice.  I wanted a deadline to force myself to write, to force myself to choose a topic and focus on it, and I wanted to have a set amount written each week.  At the heart of these goals was a desire to prove to myself that I could do it.

     And I've done that.


     The act of writing and publishing weekly has built some major writing discipline muscles and I am grateful.  It has also caused ideas to start flowing fast and furious.  But not all ideas lend themselves to the blogging format.

     The problem has become that I have to stop writing what I'm really feeling drawn to, (bigger stories that don't work as weekly posts...at least not until they're fully fleshed out), to post something for the blog.  So it's become counter-productive to my real goal of writing.  I don't want to write just for the sake of posting something.

     I'm realizing I want to be a writer...but not really a blogger.  My friend pointed out all sorts of dangers and pitfalls of having work stolen.  I'm not too worried about what I've posted so far.  I posted it to share, so the more it's shared the better.  But, now I'm writing stuff that I'd rather have some control over.

     My goal is just like it always was; to improve my writing.  Blogging has served it's purpose but now I think I'm going to dive into other projects.  I think I'll go back to sharing these pieces with other writers who will give me constructive critique and concrete suggestions on developing story and character.

    ...and so, for right now anyway, I am discontinuing my weekly blogs.

    Thanks so much for reading this past year.  Thanks a million for all the great feedback and encouragement!!  Your kind words have kept me going and I am very grateful!!!

     If I create something wonderful you'll be the first I share it with.

Thank you!
Xoxox!
Susan