First off, I’ll acknowledge that it is Valentine’s Day. I still don’t like this holiday and I’ve found the perfect site to express my feelings. I know someone else, (I think it might have been Maili or Vanessa) put a link in their blog to the above anti-Valentine site. Thanks whoever did this. I honestly could not stop laughing.
Now to the point of this entry. I am preparing a talk on ‘blogs’ for a local romance writing group. Along with giving the authors who attend links to the different online blog choices, I wanted to know what everyone gets out of their blogging.
For me, blogging started out a bit like a stilted online journal. (Some of you may still think so. LOL!) I enjoyed expressing a few of my feelings, but I admit I hold back A LOT. In person I tend to be far more ‘direct’ and a tad caustic. (No comments from the peanut gallery on the latter. 
I wanted my blog to be a way of reaching readers. And it is, but it’s also so much more. I guess I’m surprised at the unexpected ‘friendships’ that have developed out of blogging. Yes, I know they’re mainly on the level of acquaintances, but a few have moved toward actual friendship.
What do you guys get out of blogging? Do you mainly use it to advertise your books/writing? Is it for companionship? Let me know, I’m genuinely curious.
February 14th, 2005
I know you’re not keen on Valentine’s Day - and I have mixed feelings about it myself - but good wishes, chocolate and hearts back at ya!
As for blogs, mine’s definitely a companionship type blog. I talk about my books and my writing, of course, but mainly it’s a place to talk and think about my life and my feelings about everything, not just writerly stuff. I’m off to check out the Anti Valentine site now!
by Wendywoo February 14th, 2005 at 11:01 amTwo reasons I started my blog:
1.) Because I kept getting e-mails asking how hard it was to get published. I figured if I detailed it in my blog I wouldn’t get so many e-mails. It worked.
2.) To network. I wasn’t a member of any chapters of the RWA, just the national. I didn’t have critique partners. I knew no other writers at all.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
by Sylvia Day February 14th, 2005 at 1:19 pmI’m not a writer, so I have no real valid reason for starting up a blog.
I think I did it for attention. 
by Maili February 14th, 2005 at 2:46 pmNo, seriously, if the truth needed to be told, I started up a blog for three reasons: 1) I was worried that I talked too much on message boards [at times, I talked too much], which may irritate the others, 2) it’s to improve my written English skills, and 3) to take part in a community, sharing information and book recs with fellow readers. I didn’t expect companionship, but to my surprise, the blog seems to attract different yet friendly voices, which is a real bonus, IMO. FWIW.
Wendy & Sylvia,
Thank you for adding your reasons for blogging. I figured everyone would have a different take on the subject.
Maili,
I find your blogs extremely elegant and sharply observant. I love reading them. 
Secondly, I really appreciate your input. It will help with my talk.
by Jordan February 14th, 2005 at 4:56 pmFirst of all, I can’t believe you have problems with your written English skills. LOL!
I just very recently added a blog to my site, and I’m not yet sure what I’ll get out of it. But it’s lovely to have company in this lonely world of writing, I’ll tell you that. I love it when people come post.
by Jill February 14th, 2005 at 6:55 pmJill, I hear you. It’s made a huge difference in my ‘online’ social life. I like knowing I’m not the only writer going through these various writing phases.
by Jordan February 14th, 2005 at 9:42 pmI started blogging mostly because I wrote in a journal about writing every day anyway, and I figured I might as well do it publicly. I have no idea if my readers read it or not; most of the comments come from other bloggers. But that’s okay too– I love to see comments on my blog. It does make one feel a little less isolated!
by Ellen Fisher February 15th, 2005 at 5:52 amI started the blog as a way to bring people back to my site, since I’m not pubbed and have no books to offer them yet - LOL. Like Ellen, I’ve always kept my own personal journal, but sharing it online made me more focused about my writing and less negative too, since I got to read about other writer’s journeys. I’ve definitely made some great online friends through blogging - and I’m hoping that readers enjoy, or will enjoy, my blog. But right now, I’m really just having fun with it - it’s my writing warm-up.
by Steph T. February 15th, 2005 at 7:46 amBlogging…it’s my webmistress’s fault.
She thought I needed one, I didn’t think I’d have anything to say, but here I am. I actually enjoy it. I just rattle on about what’s going on in my life (just a little) to what projects I have in the works. Really, whatever is on my mind. I’m not much on political conversations, and I don’t feel it’s my job to teach in my blog (I have articles on my website, ’nuff for me!). I just enjoy it. It’s a break, and I’ve been surprised with the friendships and acquaintances I’ve developed in the very short time I’ve been blogging. I think I started in Sept. Anyway, it’s just fun for me. 
by Cheyenne McCray February 15th, 2005 at 7:53 amI started a blog partly, like Steph, to bring people back to my site. And partly because I don’t like message boards and lists, but I want to network and mingle with other authors and writers. So blogging was the perfect solution. I LOVE the blogging community. And I’ve found some AWESOME friends through it!
by Larissa February 15th, 2005 at 8:56 amWow, good question. I started blogging a year ago. It was a good way to put my thoughts out into cyber-space. For the longest time I don’t think anyone read it. {laughing} It was for me. Where I deliberated on the universe and how many days it takes mold to form in the refrigerator. I’ve met some great people through blogging. It really is nice to know you’re not the only one pulling your hair out at a unforeseen plot twist.
by Samantha Reynolds February 15th, 2005 at 10:17 amGreat question.
Sam
Oh, you flatter me.
BTW, how did you get that favicon up? I mean, do you upload it into the public folder and let browsers pick it up somehow? Either way, it’s very impressive. 
I think you’re the first romance author who has this up! Congrats! 
[To those who have no idea what I’m babbling about - look at the URL address in your web browser … see that little pix? That’s Jordan! :D]
by Maili February 15th, 2005 at 11:08 amLike Chey, my webdesigner gets the credit for my having a blog. The plan was to write in it once a week, but I got hooked pretty fast. *blush* I love it when people comment on my posts and and actual discussion blossoms. I love it when I post news and people respond. I can go to work and say “Hey, I got my very first cover with only MY NAME on it.” and everyone just says “Oh Yeah? Nice.” and walks away. The people that come to my blog help celebrate the small victories as well as any big ones. I like the support and ‘family’ feel I get from it.
by Sasha February 15th, 2005 at 12:06 pmOh! And it’s just too much fun to hunt down sexy pics to post! *ggg*
by Sasha February 15th, 2005 at 12:10 pmThanks everyone for the wonderful responses. I wanted to make sure the talk covered a broad base and ya’ll (wg) have helped me immensely.
I love the blogger community. It seems even more tightknit than some of the writer’s groups.
Maili, To answer your question, my dh put that favicon together for me. I will ask him how he did it when he gets home. He called it a neat little trick after it was done, whatever that means. LOL!(Ah, the perks of living with an ex-programmer.
by Jordan February 15th, 2005 at 1:25 pmMaili, To answer your question, dh took a piece of my photo and resized it to 16 by 16, then saved it as a bitmap. He then saved the bitmap as an icon.
by Jordan February 16th, 2005 at 10:08 amI bought a FP template last year (about this time, I think) I had planned on putting up a website, but then decided to wait until I had a sale, because I didn’t want to have this *stagnant* site up were there was nothing happening. So I got a blog to get my feet wet in cyberspace and build a bit of name recognition that I could hopelly transition over to the website when I got it up. Now I blog for fun. Because I like it, and I love the people I’ve met/made friends with in the blogosphere. I still hope to transfere traffic to the website, but that’s now secondary.
by Jaq February 16th, 2005 at 11:30 amJaq, I can’t wait to see what you come up with for the website.
by Jordan February 16th, 2005 at 6:17 pm