On Blogging - Susan Barclay

Recently, a member of my church's Creative Writing Team said to me, "Some days I wondered if anyone actually uses [our Family Faith Book], but I have since realized that it doesn’t matter because I learned and grew from writing the [installments]." That's exactly how I feel about blogging.

I've had a blog for almost five years now, and until this year the highest number of posts I wrote was 46, back in 2009. Last summer I heard about the Writers' Platform-Building Campaign and decided to participate in order to increase my web presence and network with other writers. Although I didn't participate as fully as some of the writers did - really, I don't know how people keep up with all the reading, commenting, following! - but I did what I could, and I learned and grew from the experience. I gained a larger readership (though I still don't get many comments) and some new online friends.

This year I've decided to stretch even further. I try to write five blog posts a week (weekdays only) according to a rotation of themes (i.e. Mondays are all about happiness, Tuesdays about health and fitness, Wednesdays about writing, Thursdays about faith; and Fridays I put up a quotation, with or without commentary). I'm an official 12x12x12 participant (with a goal to write 12 picture book drafts over the next 12 months), signed on to ROW80 (though I flopped at it - better luck next time?) and the A-Z Blogging Challenge (there's still time to sign on, though the list closes Monday night April 2nd), and I plan to do the platform-building campaign again later this fall. Even if no one really pays attention to these efforts, I am honing my craft through the process, learning more about publication, and finding a sense of community.

I still participate in two face-to-face writing groups, so my 'real' writing - my works in progress - don't get completely neglected. Still, it's all a huge balancing game, and at the end of the day what matters is how I used my words, how I spent my time, and, most importantly, whether or not I connected with the Lord. Yes, I can talk to him in snatches through my day, but I find everything works better when I make that effort to truly connect in the mornings. How about you?

[For more of my writing, check out my website and blog]