Blogging – The Answer

Last time I published a blog post on:

a. whether or not to blog, and

b. the generally proffered advice from the experts on how best to create and sustain that arduous process.

Since I’m here again, it’s probably evident I’ve decided I can’t live without them. Or, rather, perhaps my book sales demand it. Whatever the case, I’m here for the long haul. The first two volumes of The Ravenstones have now been published, and there will be five more before I’m finished with the story. As it will take at least a couple of years to publish the whole lot, you – the reader – will get to read a whole slew of these posts.

In my last post, I referred extensively to the advice of Jane Friedman (columnist, editor, author, professor, speaker) (https://www.janefriedman.com/) on the subject. Among many other things, she suggested five models for the blog’s content:

1. Literary citizenship (celebrating authors, the craft, and books)
2. Advice to authors (best practices)
3. Use one’s field of expertise (works esp. for nonfiction)
4. Behind the scenes (research, news, current events and contests)
5. Personal essay or daily life

Since I’m sure the advice I might offer to other authors is limited, I will focus on the fifth option, with occasional lapses into the first and fourth ideas. It is why I am calling my set of posts ‘A Reading Life and A Writing Journey’. My life (so far) and my journey (so far) has brought me to this place of authorship. How did I get here? What helped or influenced me on the way? What authors delighted me to such an extent that I can’t help but celebrate them and their stories?

As I noted last time, I will post a story only every two weeks. That’s enough for folks who have so much to consume, both in world events and in daily life. Everyone is busy, even the retired. And in these days of pandemics, we have much to consider about life and death. In the event of some extraordinary world event or a demand from readers who seek a response or well-considered expression of opinion, I will post more. But I will try to restrain myself.

I’d like to think my stories will strike a chord with readers, many of whom will want to know more about me and why I decided to write them. If nothing else, at worst, when my days on this earth come to an end, something will be left behind for my children and grandchildren that explains who I was and what I cared about.

At the end of the day, the advice of Adii Pienaar of the Making New Mistakes blog (https://adii.me/) strikes me as the soundest:

“Write for yourself first & foremost. Ignore the fact that anyone else will read what you write; just focus on your thoughts, ideas, opinions and figure out how to put those into words. Write it and they will come.”