Saturday, July 6, 2013

Ew. You blog?

Recently I found myself engaged in a conversation about writing.  OK, so maybe I brought it up. But it was totally organic, I promise! (It wasn't.)

I off-handedly said that I participate in a writing challenge and there was a spark of interest.  Turns out the person I was talking to also writes.  That person publishes stories, which is wonderful.  I said I blog. And that's when all of the enthusiasm drained out of the conversation.

There was a half-hearted, "That's cool," and a sudden need to do something elsewhere.

Hey, I get it.  When anyone can start a blog and write anything they want, there's no guarantee that it will be any good.  Some really aren't.  But many, many more are very good. There is a wealth of self-published writing that is just begging to be discovered.  Blogs should not be discounted just because they are blogs.

I don't claim to be perfect, but I put forth the effort to construct a proper sentence and use correct grammar.  I try to mix up the parenting stories, the memoir pieces, and the general slice of posts so that I can be relevant in a variety of ways.  I try to challenge myself and improve.

I haven't been published and I do recognize that there is a certain amount of validation that comes with having someone else approve of and, hopefully, pay you for your work.  I'm well aware that if everyone hated what I wrote, I could just keep on doing it and no one could stop me.  But I also know, even if I don't always admit it, that I have a relatively unique story to tell and the voice and skill to tell it.

My blog is a vehicle to tell that story, and, sure, any other thing I damn well please.  I do consider myself a writer and I don't care if someone else doesn't.

I've been lacking confidence for a long time.  I know that and, if you read here with any regularity, you know that, too.

One sure fire way to give me confidence, though?  Imply I'm not good enough.  I'm sure that person isn't reading this and none of the blog haters are either.  That's just fine.  I don't need them.


(Submitting to the moonshine grid.  A fun place to hang out on the weekends.)

30 comments:

  1. way to get PO'd...You deserve to be confident. Youre right about your self assessment ( in this piece of writing) You do have a unique story with the skills to tell and sell it!

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    1. Thanks! Hopefully those of us with great stories can give blogging a whole new reputation some day.

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  2. Some people are so snobby. Next time, try this: I'm part of an online writing community. Then you can keep the focus on the topic without bringing up the b-word.

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  3. i think people who look down on blogs or really anything they haven't seen for themselves are just generalizing and being ignorant and judgmental and obnoxious. and just saying... there are many many many published writers who couldn't hold a pencil to you.

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    1. Thank you :) I think there are good writers and bad in every genre and method. To act as though just because we blog we are not worthy is silly and misguided. Worse yet, people who do so are missing out on some great stories.

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  4. You're right, you don't need them. You're an excellent writer with a unique story to tell, and blogging is a great vehicle. There are lots of people who call themselves "writers" and they never write. You engage in the act of writing at least a couple times a week. Blog on sister!

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    1. Exactly! And not everyone who blogs only blogs, so to snub everyone is, as I've said, silly. I do a lot of writing offline too, just no one has seen that yet.

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  5. I love (and admire) that you get fired up when people imply you're not good enough. I've finally gotten to the place where I believe and know in my heart and soul that I'm a writer regardless of the naysayers (a hard place to get to). You are an excellent writer, with a distinct voice and story to tell. The vehicle/medium is irrelevant. A writer is a writer.

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    1. Agreed. And I have learned so much from other bloggers - like how to accept myself and own my talent (did I just write that?!), what things people like to read, etc. It's really just another exercise in honing a craft. It doesn't matter how you do it, as long as you're writing.

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  6. How annoying! I'm glad you are feeling confident right now. No one needs those people!

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    1. These last few weeks I've seen my own mindset turn around. A lot of things have contributed to that, not the least of which is the support from this community. The better I feel, the more I feel I can write. I'm over the negativity, at least for today.

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  7. I admire that you are taking the implied snub and turning it into motivation. Woot!

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    1. I am today at least. Another day I may have have had a different reaction. This one is healthier :)

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  8. Ignore the Luddite Philistines and keep up the writing. You ARE a writer, and the format diminishes this fact not one bit. In fact, I LOVE reading your blog. So there.

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    1. And if you love it, that's all I need!! No really, thank you.

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  9. One of the reasons I enjoy blogging is the feedback I get from other people. I'd rather do that than write in a vacuum and not get any feedback. You are sharing your stories every day. I think that's the best part.

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    1. I enjoy the feedback as well. The community aspect is one of the best parts of blogging.

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  10. I can totally picture this conversation. Ef that interlocutor.

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  11. Ehh.. To each their own, I guess. Personally, I like blogging. I like the feedback. I like the ability to get to know other writers. Sure, it might lend me to some bad habits from time to time... Like not proofreading what I write because I'm so excited to publish, but all in all... I like the medium.

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    1. There are some days when I just enjoy posting a rant or something quick and having the convo about it. Or even just having it out there. I think we all do. There is something about the instant gratification that makes it fun.

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  12. Trying to explain blogging to a non-blogger is like trying to explain the color green to someone who has never seen it. I get such a kick out of seeing non-bloggers sharing blog posts on Facebook without ever realizing what it is. Or how much of their local paper is written by bloggers!

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    1. Ha - yes! People are down on bloggers, but we are everywhere. Everywhere!! We shall take over the world!!

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  13. True, there are plenty of poorly written blogs. There are also plenty of poorly written print articles and stories. And there are great writers who just don't float my boat. If you don't like it, don't read it. I like what you write, so I read it. I think what I like most about Yeah Write is the support and desire to help people be better writers, without people being elitist.

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    1. I agree about Yeah Write. We all have different styles, but we all support each other. I think people who just decide they don't like one whole thing in general are missing out.

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  14. You definitely do have the voice and skill to tell your very unique and compelling story. I love blogging as a way to stretch my writers muscles while I write something that I hope might get published for real one day. And I really think that even if I had all the published books in the world, I would still blog just for the fun of it, and for the amazing people I get to "meet" in this strange and wonderful online world.

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    1. I love the freedom of blogging as well as the ability to get to know new friends. You can't get that as easily just by doing the solitary writing thing. Also, blogging has opened up my view a bit to how things will be received by others. That is so helpful because once a book is done, shouting, "That's not what I meant!" isn't going to work very well.

      Sorry it took so long to reply to this comment :-/

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  15. Boy, do I get this! Keep on keeping on. I think you're a talented writer, and I think your time will come when you aren't "just a blogger." And even if it doesnt, being "just a blogger" is cool....especially when you're a good one. And you are.

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    1. Thanks so much for the sweet comment, Susannah!

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