Skip to main content

Writer vs. Mother vs. Blogger

As I watched a piece yesterday about Erma Bombeck, I couldn't help but wonder if not for Erma would we have all these great mommy blogs today. I haven't done any statistical research, but I would guess the blogs just about mothering and the adventure of mommyhood are pretty prevalent among this new mode of information.

I like to talk about my parenting journey some too, but I realize how different mine is with a child with a disability which is autism. There are many blogs dedicated to that as well.

But I think the thing I have always most enjoyed about my writing is that I like to let it go where it wants to go. I don't like concentrating just on motherhood or autism or I seem to get bogged down. I also don't like to get very negative in my writing. It's just not my style to air grievances on my blog (even though that may happen sometimes).

But I would encourage anyone who enjoys writing, on any topic, to start a blog. I have friends who tell me all the time how much they would love to blog too. It's easy! Just go to Blogger and follow the instructions. There is a real instant gratification that you don't get in other writing. You get an instant audience with immediate feedback.

Many writers say that writing is a lonely occupation (or preoccupation perhaps), and I think sometimes I would agree. I keep some of my writing private, and I think that's something online writers have to make judgement on for themselves. But sometimes it's great just to throw those ideas out there and see who responds and what they have to say. As a blogger, you teach and learn at the same time. And that's something we all need a little more of.

A clerk in a bookstore once gave me the best compliment/encouragement and some that I really needed at the time. I was buying a writing publication and she asked me what I had written or was working on since it appeared I was a writer. I humbly said I had quite a few short stories and an unpublished first novel manuscript, but I wasn't really a "writer". A manuscript? She had all kinds of questions about it and advice for getting published.

Then as she completed my purchase and pushed the bag across the desk to me she said "if you have a manuscript, then you're a writer". Why is it that when a stranger tells you something sometimes it means more?

So now I'm a stranger telling you, if you're a writer or someone who wants to try writing at all, hop on your own blog right now. Andy Warhol may have said that fame lasts 15 minutes, but when you blog, it lasts forever!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Reclaiming Your Childhood: Priceless

 This story might take a minute to tell. Bear with me. When my sister and I were little girls, my mother took us to a large baptist church in town. Even as a child, I never remember feeling welcome there.  But I do remember the lovely older couple that kept my Sunday School class. They gave us saltines and kool-aid, and I remember thinking they would be nice grandparents to have. At Christmastime, the Sunday School class was set to have a random gift exchange. Every child was supposed to bring a gift that could be exchanged with any other child.....no specific gift designations.  I received the gift of an Avon 7 bead necklace which was very popular at the time.  I loved it so much and was thrilled to have it!  I was somewhere between 5 and 7 at the time. (Back in the 1970's and 80's, Avon was a cosmetic company that was also known for it's inexpensive jewelry.  I couldn't find a price on what this necklace would have cost back then, but apparently there is ...

My Week with Rumor

 My dog Rumor was an experiment.  A trial offer.  And all parties knew that going in.  Except for maybe Rumor. Rumor was an outdoor country dog.  His given name was Ruger (named after a firearm if you don't know, I didn't) which made sense for a dog raised in hunting country.  He was a stray that came to live with a loving family at about the age of 1.  He lived outdoors, slept in a garage crate at night, frolicked with an older dog pack and had a lovely life. We think he was about 4 years old.  He had been neutered, had vet care and was by no means a "rescue". His dad offered Ruger to me on a give-it-a-try basis.  He knew I wanted a dog. He told me Ruger would be sweet to me and also be my protector.  He was right on both counts.  He told me if it didn't work out, I could bring Ruger back to him and his wife.  I could tell they were a little sad when they dropped him off.  It made me glad to see that Ruger came from such ...

NYE for $200, Alex

 Can we all just agree that New Year's Eve is the worst of the string of winter holidays?  I would even go so far as saying it's THE WORST of all the holidays.  I loved when Stanford Blatch defined a party as feeling very "forced festive".  To me, most NYE parties feel that way.  The idea that this is a big year-end blow-out and we'd all damn well better make it awesome! The reason I hate NYE is because it combines two of things I most hate about celebrations: cold weather and crowds.  Plus it's during a time of year when everyone has already spent all their money.  AND you usually have to the leave the house.  ADDITIONALLY, you have to stay up late.  It's a big F.U. from me on all this.   I would dare say that some of my happiest New Year's memories have been spent at home in my pajamas with either my child, an S.O. or happily alone.  I remember one unforgettable year of moving into a 3rd floor apartment on NYE.  I rememb...