When I began my blog two years ago I was reading a lot of other blogs which kept saying writers needed a platform. The extolled the virtues of building this platform so you have a ready-made gang of readers when you get published. Many of them posted 2 to 3 times a week. As I said in my first ever blog post, I was slightly sceptical about an unpublished writer having a blog. After all, being strictly amateur, what could I possibly have to share with others? But as I’ve gone along learning more about writing and also about self-publishing I’ve realised that I do have something share.
Some might say I’ve not taken blogging seriously. I’ve never been a regular blogger. I don’t have a specific day when I post. Yes, I stockpile posts but I don’t have a strict schedule. You see, in answer the question above, I put myself firmly in the first category. My first duty to myself is as a writer, so any spare time I get must be devoted to my fiction writing first. If I’ve hit my target for the week, then I can allow myself to work on a post for the blog.
It’s not that I don’t enjoy blogging because I do. I love turning up, writing and sharing post with you and hearing your feedback, and I’m not a bit sorry that I started my blog. Since I’m preparing to self-publish my books next year, hopefully you guys will become my first audience, my first band of readers, but the people who read my blog are much more important than just future readers. I love the fact that I can talk to you and share my ideas and tips with you. Writing is such a solitary activity that it’s good to have outlets such as Twitter and blogging to share information and socialise with other readers and writers. Hopefully the advice and information that I share is helpful to other writers as well as interesting to readers.
For me, writing has become a lot more professional in the last couple of years. Once I started “going public” and telling people I was a writer, I had to start acting like a writer. That meant turning up and actually writing. So while I enjoy blogging, writing will always take priority. I’ll continue to produce more fiction because that is where my writing career lies. The blog will play a supporting role in that but supporting is all it will ever be.
It’s important to decide where your loyalties, if that’s the right word, lie. I will always be a writer first and a blogger second. I have little enough time for writing as it is and therefore must set my priorities. So I will continue to blog but only if it does not encroach on my writing time.
October 30, 2013 at 8:11 AM
Hi L.M. Milford,
I am a new blogger who is also a passionate writer. Curious about how blogging has been for you over these two years?
Sincerely Jody
November 6, 2013 at 8:51 AM
Hi Jody,
For me, blogging has been a slow process. I haven’t always been the most regular blogger because fiction writing is my priority. But, that said, it’s been fun. It makes me think about my writing process and it’s a lot of fun to share my thoughts and to hear back from people who are in a similar position. Writing is a very solitary activity, so it’s important to make connections where you can. My main advice would be keep it up – it’s a slow process but also very rewarding.
Thanks for commenting, hope the advice helps.
November 6, 2013 at 9:18 AM
Hi Milford,
That is great advice. I am already so thankful to have the amount of followers I have, in this short amount of time that I have been apart of this networking world. I will most definitely keep it up, and let my passion drive me! So glad it has worked out so well for you! Never give up what you love!
Sincerely Jody
October 30, 2013 at 2:00 PM
Reblogged this on T. M. E. WALSH and commented:
Great post. I often feel a little guilty if I haven’t kept up to date with my blog, but writing my novels will always be my priority.
October 31, 2013 at 7:48 PM
I agree with you. Writing the novel must come first. I love using my blog as a platform to connect with people but it’s far harder to connect with readers than writers and I also find that readers are more likely to write you an email or send a tweet than write a comment. I don’t like to be stressed by my blog…today for example, since I aim to write on each blog once a week I was at a loss as to what to write…there’s no point in that sort of stress. All the best with your writing anyway