About Blogging

I admit, I felt a bit hesitant when I began a daily blog. As I feared, it does cut into my writing time. My novel manuscripts aren't clicking up their word counts nearly as quickly as they once did, and it's sometimes hard to come up with an interesting topic day after day. But, I began by pulling from the many magazine articles I've published, and, with practice and experience, it has become easier. In addition, I've seen many positive outcomes already.

First of all, I've met people I wouldn't have met otherwise and made many new friends, as well as reconnected with some old ones. The support and encouragement I've received have been heart-warming. I've even been made an administrator on some pages, so I can post links to my blogs directly onto their facebook page.

Then, there's my Sunday messages. Since I am a Christian writer, I decided early-on to write a faith-based message for Sundays, and God has led me to post on several Christian facebook pages. I have been amazed at how God has used them to touch people's life for Him. It is both inspiring and humbling to see how God has turned this into a call on my life and into a mission. If for some reason, I had to give up blogging on the other days, I would try my best to hang on to my message blogs, because I can see how God is using them for good.

There have even been a couple of blogs that have caused controversy and debate, like my blog on cursive hand-writing. I don't mind people disagreeing with my opinions. Like when I taught school, I'm pleased when I generate questions and cause people to think. One comment said a post was "thought provoking." Now that could have been a compliment or not, but I choose to see provoking thought as a good thing.

I'm surprised by the improvement I can feel in my writing through blogging, although I shouldn't be. The more you practice something, the better you'll usually become. I've always read that writers should keep a journal. Except for some occasional travel journals, I've never found the time to write in one regularly. However, blogging has given me the same kind of practice. 

So, I may have reluctantly begun writing my blogs like many writers before me, but I can see some great benefits from it. In fact, I would quickly say the positives far outweigh the negatives, and I hope you agree enough to follow them each day.

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