Where I think about the blogger that I want to be

Previously, with this little corner of the blogosphere of mine, any time that there’s been a lack of posts, it’s been because I’ve been without post ideas. If I had the idea, I’d find the time to write it out. Some may have turned out a little better than others, perhaps . . . if I was stressed for time, I mightn’t have proofread the posts as thoroughly as I should. If I had too much time, I’d run off in tangents, and let the tangents run off on tangents, until I had whole posts that were nothing like I had originally anticipated.

Lately, though, I have the ideas . . . but absolutely zero time to turn those ideas into something concrete. And, on one level, this is a good thing — I’m keeping busy, and when I’m busy, I’m not bored. On another level, well, I’m not here nearly as often as I’d like to be. I’m far-far behind on checking in on comments, and I hate this place being a one-way blog . . . it’s the reader interaction that I actually most-look-forward-to.

I keep thinking “well, I don’t have a lot of time, so why don’t I just write a quick post about what will be here next week,” but that would, quickly, turn into the “On the next Arrested Development” where I’d talk about stuff happening that would never actually happen. And that would make me sad . . . though I’m tempted to just randomly write “Steve Holt!” in the middle of blog posts now.

The thing is, if I’m not blogging often, I’m not being anywhere near the blogger I want to be. As I said – it’s the interaction that leads me to want to blog.

Unfortunately, my title at Write on Edge, I fear, hasn’t been revoked simply because the ladies in charge are just too kind to kick me out. The problem is that most of our interaction happens on Skype, and I can’t get to Skype from work . . . and, even when I’m home, I’m usually connected via the work network. Nevermind the work with the prompts . . . because, well, I haven’t been getting around much these days.

Those whose blogs I frequent have probably noticed that I’m not commenting anywhere nearly as much as I once did. However, this doesn’t mean that I’m not reading — it’s just that I might not actually work my way over to a blog to say “hi,” and just read from the emailed notification (this is a reminder, if you don’t offer emailed posts of your blog, no matter how great a writer you might be, no matter how much I’d like to follow your posts . . . I likely am not doing so). Fiction posts, while I love them, I often leave without comment. I want to pick each & every one apart, giving specific & constructive criticism (especially to Lance & Kir) . . . but the amount of time I want to spend with a single piece of fiction is more than I have, and rather than do something half-assed, I enjoy the piece and move on without chiming in (unless your name is Cam and I can’t help myself because I’m just in awe of what you’re able to churn out).

So, I’m not really sure what I’m trying to get across here . . . basically, I wish I were around here more. I wish I were visiting your places more. I miss the time that I’d devote a good hour to blogging, and I’d go through the archives of each & every new commenter who shared their blog with me, just to get a feel of who was reading. Now, I’m staying afloat – no more, no less.

In the long run, I actually think this might be good for me . . . as I’m spending less time thinking in 140 characters and more time thinking about grander things. I have a magnum opus in me — maybe this streak of “being too busy to be a good blogger” is what I need to draw it out.

19 comments

  1. I think we all go through this as bloggers. I know I went almost a year with little to no blogging activity and here I am now feeling more inspired and full of ideas.

    It’ll come to you, my friend.

    1. I must say, since I’ve been reading regularly, you’ve been on quite the roll.

      Naturally, I credit myself for your creative findings.

  2. I haven’t been on Twitter in about 3 weeks. I am both happy and sad about that. Just no time.

    Right there with you on the not commenting on fiction posts. Mostly because sometimes I’m not sure exactly what to say and I don’t want to come off sounding too peppy (“great work!”) or trite (“moving”). You know?

    1. Commenting on a fiction post is a delicate balance — I either need to do a full critique, which would take more time than I can afford to give, or I need to come off as shallow.

  3. My name is Cam (yay!) and I speak for the Trees… no wait, that’s the Lorax. Anyway… WoE isn’t kicking you out. You’re our code-monkey cabana boy! If you are moved to write for us or whatever, do put yourself on the schedule. Duh.

    You’re sweet, and I’m confident you’ve a magnum opus or twenty seven in there. Just don’t vanish completely into it. I’d miss you.

    1. Glad to know that I’m not working the “to be closed for permanent reservations” area of the cabana.

      There’s no way I’m vanishing completely — but, I may disappear for a week in the very near future as I churn out a musical. I don’t know how I’ll pull it off, but the musical is actually speaking to me lately, begging for me to write it. So I think I have to do that.

  4. Well first I am thinking that you Like my stories and want to make them better…or maybe you hate them and want to tell me to stop writing. I hope it’s the first one.

    I understand this..lately it’s taking me a week to respond to comments and I’m still behind. I love blogging and writing but wow it’s sucking the life out of me.

    Either way I’m here and reading…and please don’t hate my stories 😉

    1. Oh Kir, I far from hate your stories . . . of all of the WoE regulars, you are the one that I always make sure that I visit every prompt (I actually usually start with you, and then open tabs for each & every person either before you or after you or between you & Lance). I’m just afraid that, too often, I read it & move onto the next one.

  5. I’m telling you: once a week is where it’s at.
    (With blog posts, of course. Other things require addressing multiple times a week.)

    I would feel far too pressured if I tried to post three or more times a week. And then I’d start the self-defeating spiral of being disappointed in myself for not following through with an impossible goal.

    Not that I wouldn’t want to read you more often.
    But seriously. Once a week is good.

    Believe.

    1. Other things, like changing one’s underwear?

      When I first started, I aimed for three times a week . . . Monday, Wednesday, Friday seems about right . . . I think I might actually churn out better posts if I sat down & tried to only post one a week, but then something unbelievably cute happens and I want to get that written down . . . and once it’s written down, I want to share it.

      Damn kids for being too cute.

      But, I’m seriously giving consideration to doing something ultra creative once a week. I just don’t know what yet.

      1. Ditto on the “kids being too cute” blogging issue. I’m even behind there: by about 50 posts.

        Those are the moments I don’t want to forget, so the other stuff is often lots.

        Then there’s this manner of tidying up my novel so I can actually submit it–sometime this year.

        Write the music if you feel it. We’ll still be here when you get back.

  6. Goodness, everyone is writing about themselves as bloggers/why the have their little space on the interwebs!

    I’ve had that same sort of post bouncing around in my head for weeks…it just hasn’t made it’s way to “done” yet in order to be written.

    I am a firm believer that you can’t force a blog. Just like poop. If you force it, you’ll just get hurt and it won’t be good at ALL.

    So let it come naturally and when you have the time. Or when you have something so pressing it HAS TO COME OUT NOW.

    I’m talking about blogging.

    I think.

    1. Yes, blogstipation is much like constipation . . . bad shit happens if you force things.

      My current situation, where I’m feeling ultra creative, but barely have time to myself, is really making me think about what I want to be writing. And that’s not half bad.

  7. Posts like this make me feel like such a blogging fraud; like I’m doing it wrong. My blog has no theme, sometimes I don’t write for weeks, sometimes I write a few sentences. I should probably be more disciplined about the whole damn thing, but I guess I don’t think of myself as a “blogger” or a writer in any capacity of the word.

    You could forget about this thing for months and we’ll all come back. Life happens and, as it should, takes precedent.

    1. See, you’re one of the ones who is truly “doing it right,” in my book — what’s on your mind ends up on your blog. It might mean your garden or it might be a strongly-worded political diatribe, but it’s always honest & it’s always in the moment.

  8. I so get this right now. Just know that I always enjoy what you write when you write it – and even if I totally mind waitng it’s always worth the wait )

  9. Magnum Opus! Yes!
    My blog alternates between being a way into my magnum opus and a distraction from it. I just try to stay honest with myself about which it is on any given day and roll with that. I’m really glad I never went all business-y with my blog because I would feel pressure then, and I like not feeling that pressure at least in ONE area of my life.

    1. Yeah, I’ll never go “business-y” with my blog . . . heck, I don’t even host giveaways (though I’m approached with offers) because I don’t want the stress of feeling that I’m endorsing something here. But, I won’t deny that, if I made enough money off of my blog to support the costs, and maybe a random trip to Starbucks, it wouldn’t suck.

      I really think I’m going to set aside a night, every other week, to my musical. I think I have some catchy tunes written, and a story line that works. We’ll see if i can get myself disciplined enough to go from “disjointed melodies & story ideas” to “a musical” anytime soon.

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