My Not So Secret 1st Birthday

Last week this blog turned 1 year old. Where did the time go? I remember its birth like it was yesterday.

Blogging has been fun but not without its ups and downs. I have a nice group of friends who stop by to say hello - some I've know for a long time and others I just met recently. I know how precious your time is and I appreciate when you read and comment. I don't mind talking to myself; I do it all the time. However, it's nice to know that someone else is out there and has something to contribute to my tangents. And to be honest, looking forward to your comments is what keeps the desire to post during the difficult times of the year.

Why did I start blogging? I don't facebook and I don't twitter (tweet?), but I enjoyed reading blogs as a newbie writer seeking publication. For me the next logical step was starting my own blog. It was my way of acknowleging to myself that yes, I want to write and share my journey with others who may be travelling that same path. Sharing my take on this crazy, scary, exciting, sometimes fulfilling - sometimes draining writing process is what I enjoy and keeps me going. Blogging gets me to write during those weeks that I'm drained from all the real life responsibilities weighing me down. Hopefully, it's helping to improve my writing and develop my voice.

Writing can be lonely, especially when family, friends, co-workers don't fully understand the drive and passion that go along with it. It's not just, "I'm writing a book." It's, "I have this idea that won't leave me alone. And these characters I'm creating are real and I have just have to listen to them and write their story. And maybe someone will read it one day and it will help them forget their misery, give them an escape, help them through a hard time, etc." You get that.

There have been rumblings that perhaps blogging has run its course. I don't know. My favorite bloggers are still around and I don't get the sense that they're going anywhere. This is what's comfortable to me. And although I know that I have to master the shorter post, this is my preferred form of interacting with others.

I hope you'll continue to visit and offer your opinions. They're always welcome. I don't follow many blogfests. Not that I have anything against them, I just don't have the time. I don't chase followers either. I don't want my blogging experience to be about artificial numbers. I'd like others to come because they like it here and plan on coming back.

So, happy birthday, blog. May you have many more.