Writing on Wednesdays

Oh man oh man, I'm blogging too much. I'm doing this A to Zed challenge, which is a hoot, and I'm blogging on my other blogs about Rumi and chickens and knitting and, of course, here, at the Burrow. Today I'm writing about writing. I thought I might tell you all why I blog in terms of my writing. Weird but true. I blog to write, I write to blog. Blogging keeps me away from my WIP maybe, but it doesn't keep me away from my writing. I know, I know, people say it does but it doesn't. It would be like saying that cleaning the top of my cupboards (which I'm also doing today - hateful task) keeps me away from housecleaning. No, it keeps me away from cleaning the bathroom but not housekeeping.

My writing has improved a great deal since I started blogging. After about 600 posts (500 at my main site and a bunch more elsewhere) I think I can safely say that my writing has improved. And it spills into my 'real writing'. Yes, it does.

I get instant feedback from savvy readers on what constitutes a good blog post and I can tell you, the writing has much to do with it. For instance, I nearly wrote 'alot' to do with it but I know that word is a no-no, or funny, or something - and I know it from blogging. I have honed my skills to use other better words, different words, unusual or unexpected words BECAUSE I don't want every blog to sound like one after another of cliches. And it is the daily practice which tells me this.

So, complain if you like about how blogging is taking you away from your important writing - even if you only do this to yourself or your cat, but ask yourself this. Why do I blog then? Because you do if you're here. You do.