The Blogiversary

As of this Thursday, I’ve been doing this blog for six years. It’s weird because it really doesn’t feel that long. Two or three years, tops. But time seems to be going by a lot faster these days, so maybe that’s the reason why.

When I look back on my first posts, I totally cringe. I had no idea what I was doing, I swear! Back then, I posted every day, usually about whatever was on my mind at that particular time. Which means a lot of in depth posts on the minutia of writing and other really stupid things. No etymology! No stick figures! Just blathering. Lots and lots of blathering.

If I could go back in time…well, I’d totally warn myself about the total sh!tstorm the world was going to turn into in 2016. But if I could go back in time an only warn myself about blogging related stuff, I’d tell myself “Seriously, maybe don’t write down every thought that’s in your head. You know what people like? Cat pictures. Also stick figure comics for some reason.” Hindsight, amiright? I suppose the blog wouldn’t be what it was if it hadn’t gone through that awkward growth, but man. Embarrassing.

Six years. If this blog were a kid, it would be in school by now. It would also be that weird kid that no one can figure out what the hell they’re talking about. And the name! I’m going to be honest: I went with Still Writing… because I am really, really bad with names. It was literally all I could come up with after several hours of mulling it over. Now I’m kind of stuck with it. Why do names have to be so hard???

So I guess that’s all for this year’s reflections. I think I’ll take my own advice and shut up and leave you with a cat picture.

Yes, her mouth is open in that pic. She’s so classy.

Reflections on a Blogiversary

I always spelled it “blogiversary”, but I know some people spell it in different ways. That’s the problem when you make up words. You have to agree on a spelling or it’s just confusing. That’s literally the reason spelling was invented.

Anyway, it’s been five years—five—since I first decided to start blogging because I had heard things about writers having “platforms” and it seemed like something I should do. I kind of thought that by this point I would be published, but, obvs, that didn’t happen. I don’t blame myself for that as much as I blame the fact that life just gets in the way sometime. I know a lot of you have managed to do so (and hey! Congratulations. It’s really great), but perhaps I don’t have the same fortitude as you. Or free time. There could be a million reasons. It’s not like I’m journaling your every single move throughout the day. Although if I was (not that I’m admitting anything!), it would explain a lot about my lack of free time.

I’m not all together pleased with my lack of progress, but I’m not blaming myself either. I had to make choices and some of those choices involved putting writing to the side. It’s disappointing, yes, but…well, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. And please forgive me for using the improper “gotta” but it would sound funny if I didn’t.

Also, blogging has changed quite a bit in the last five years. So many fellow bloggers have vanished into the digital ether! I’m glad all the cool people are still around and reading this blog. How boring would it be otherwise?

Five years. Wow. It just keeps hitting me. I wonder where I’ll be in another five years. What about you? Where do you think you’ll be?

Four

My blog is officially four years and one week old today. It has left its screaming, tantrum-y toddlerhood and moved on to its screaming, tantrum-y pre-school years. About a month ago, when I remembered my blogiversary was coming up, I thought up a bunch of things that I should say for it. But I never wrote it down so, yeah, I guess that’s not going to happen.

As I say every year (seriously, I looked back on my past blogiversaries), I’ve learned a lot from blogging, and most of it is how to be a better writer. When I look back at the things I’ve written pre-2010 (along with some of the things post-2010), I shudder. Not a weak, goose-walked-over-my-grave shudder, but the kind you get when you smell something awful and think you’re going to puke.

That visual is brought to you by the thing my cat was playing with last night.

Anyway! Blogging has made me happy, and I’ve also made a lot of good friends. Some of you have been here from way back in 2010! And of course, the others who came along later on, but are now permanent members of my blog roll : ).

If the internet would disappear tomorrow, you can’t imagine how bummed I would be. Well, maybe you can. To anyone who thinks that the internet and social media isn’t a valuable tool, I say you haven’t been using it right.

We may not have ever met face-to-face, but you guys are still my friends, and I thank you for checking back here Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays week after week, year after year. And after blogging for four years, I can safely say the only thing that will stop me is the heat death of the universe.

See you next time!!!

Upgrade

Oh, right. My cache of previously written posts is used up. I have to start actually writing them again.

First, the good news. Roland Yeomans has a new book coming out! The title is LUCIFER'S ORPHAN, and it’s quite good. I even reviewed it for him. I’m not going to rehash everything here (you can go read the review for that), but the short version is that it’s a Paranormal full of romance and magic, MG technically, but that didn’t stop me from loving it. Roland does a great job with crafting characters. I read it in two sittings because it was that hard to put down.

As for this blog’s news, you may or probably not have noticed that I added a new page to the top of my blog. Go scroll up and look. I’ll wait.

See? Etymology. It’s my birthday gift to the blog, which turned three yesterday. Can you believe it? It’s potty trained and completely off the bottle! I swear, I came this ][ close to just deleting it in frustration after I spent two hours trying to get the formatting right (the reason I was almost completely absent from the internet is because I was so annoyed with it). The reason the columns are so terribly uneven is because apparently, Blogger hates the column function. It won’t even keep the tabs I used in Word, which…well, let me show you.

I assume you notice how nice and even they are. BUT NOT HERE. That just drives my inner neurotic nuts, especially since for some reason the “Edit” function keeps selecting everything so I can’t add spaces. If any of you have any idea how to create even columns in blog pages (or anything else that might work for the word list; I’m open to suggestions), let me know. It will be your birthday present to the blog.

All right, I’m off to try and fix the blog page. Wish me luck. If you never hear from me again, assume I got lost in the html.

Two Year Blogiversary

Two years ago today, in hopes of getting more involved with the writing community, I took up blogging. And promptly proved I had no idea what I was doing. Maybe this is all in my head, but I think I’ve learned quite a bit over the years (yes! It’s plural now!) and while I’m no blog maven, I’m comfortable with the system. Here’s what I’ve picked up, in case someone who’s just started out stumbles into my blog and is as clueless as I was.

The top five things I learned about blogging:

1. Each and every post has to offer something. I often fall into this trap, usually posting long opinions about something that may be interesting to read, but don’t really give much except what I think. While it’s good to illustrate points with stories, if you want to interest people you have to engage with them. Sometimes this means teaching a lesson. Others it means sharing information or tips on a subject.

2. Just because you’re on the internet doesn’t mean communication isn’t a two-way street. If you want to make friends, you have to interact with people. Respond to their comments, visit their blogs/webpages.

3. There will always be people out there who disagree with you and are jerks about it. These may be people who wouldn’t say boo in real life but have no trouble belittling you when they’re enveloped in the supposed anonymity of the internet. It’s why most sites come with a “block” button.

4. It’s important to write posts that are both concise and well-written. Face it, the internet lowers attention spans, and if the writing isn’t interesting right off, people will probably jump on to the next post in their reader. Which is probably why my etymology posts don’t get more hits.

5. If you want an insta-hit post, put up cat pictures. In that vein…

Tell me that's not the cutest thing ever and I'll know you're lying.

She collapsed under the weight of her own stomach.

Cuuuuuuute!

What Blogging Taught Me about Writing

We’re coming up on my second blogging anniversary, so I’m feeling all reflective. So much has happened over the past two years...so many words written, so many posts typed...

The first few years I worked earnestly on my writing, I wasn’t very good. Worse, I was completely ignorant of that fact. I thought when you wrote a book, it was EASY to get it published. You put the words down on a page and then people would jump all over it to read it. Oh, sure, there was some editing involved. Move a few chapters around. Edit some character development. Proofread of course. But not that much work. Maybe another month.

I’ll pause for a moment so you can all laugh at that.

Sad, right? I hadn’t done much research into the publishing process, so I didn’t realize…well, anything. I didn’t know how it worked except in a vague way. I had no idea about predatory “publishers”, or the debates about getting an agent and indie-versus-traditional publishing, or the vast amount of work authors put in to change a manuscript from “work in progress” to “work completed”. “Down on the page” is not the end, it’s the beginning.

When I first dipped a toe into the waters of social media, it was via twitter. By that time I bookmarked the pagesof a fewagents (plus a few more) and they talked a lot about getting involved with other writers and readers, an idea that never occurred to me. It turns out, that was probably the best thing to ever happen to my writing.

So many blogs! About books, about reading, about publishing, about writing. I learned about the all-important hook. Pitch writing, synopses, genres, and the importance of each and every single word. And I’m still learning.

I guess I should say thank you. You guys are awesome and I’m glad I follow your blogs (even if I’m bad about commenting sometimes). I’m sure I’m biased, but I think the writing/blogging community is the best out there and I can’t wait to read what you have to say.

Hugs!

WINNING!!!

Now, the post that you've all been waiting for. As I've been hyping a lot for the past week, I have been holding a giveaway in celebration of my first blogiversary. Or bolgoversary or however you want to spell it. I had quite a few entries this time

The winner of DELIRIUM by Lauren Oliver and ACROSS THE UNIVERSE by Beth Revis is, by way of Random.org...

You know, it's really a beautiful day out.

!!!

Ha ha. Just being mean : P. The winner is Rebecca Enzor!!!


And now, the winner of the $25 Giftcard is...


Myne Whitman!!!

Yay! Congratulations to the winners and thank you to everyone who entered and spread the word. You're the real winners here.

Even I found that to be a bit much. Anyway, I'll email the winners ASAP. Hugs to all!

Already?

Yes, it’s already my first Blogiversary. Just one year ago today I was babbling on about how reducing books to ambiguities such as “Man vs. Man” and “Man vs. Nature” is disingenuous to the work and misses its point entirely. Or something.

Forgive me. I had no idea what I was doing back then.

That was the hardest part about starting up a blog. I jumped into it without much thought. I didn’t realize blogs should have—what’s it called?—focus. I’m not sure why, but I figured it was easier and more entertaining to post whatever popped into my head. It wasn’t until I started restricting myself (which, I admit, came months after the inception of the blog) that it evolved to something I think people like to read. Maybe? Please? I hope?

Has my blog improved in a year? Definitely. Is it at its best? Not yet. I’ll keep working on it.

But enough of that boring stuff. Here’s what you really want. A giveaway! Enter, be a follower and leave a comment below and you’ll be eligible to win either a twenty-five dollar Mastercard Gift Card or copies of both ACROSS THE UNIVERSEby Beth Revis and DELIRIUM by Lauren Oliver! Woot!

Unfortunately, this means it’s US only. I’m sorry about that : ( because there are some awesome non-US people I wish I could include. Again, sorry.

Please enter today! It ends next Thursday Monday (the 26th) at midnight. Don’t worry—I’ll be reminding you until then.

Usual rules apply. Comment so I know you entered and fill out the form at the bottom of the page. +2 entries for old followers, +2 if you Tweet about it (mention me, @jefishere, so I know) and +5 if you blog it.