Blogging 201: New Beginnings

Writing is hard business.

Trying to keep motivated has got to be one of the most challenging things I have ever faced since starting this blog…online publication…project…whatever you want to call it. I really don’t have a name for it.

My voice.

Trying to find the time and the inspiration alone is daunting. I hate almost everything I write. I’m self critical to the point where I find it cripples me. I worry what people will think if I say something a certain way or have an opinion. And these are just a few of the problems I face every time I sit down in front of a keyboard or pick up a pen.

One of the biggest struggles I’ve had since starting this website nearly 5 years ago, was in trying to figure out what I wanted it to be. Was I going to write political opinions or critiques? Did I want to do some creative writing or work on some fiction? Did I want to blog about food? Did I want to be a poet?! Why is this so hard to figure out?!?

Exhausting.

But then I started thinking about everything I had done to this point. Everything that I had accomplished. Everything that I had written, good or bad. Everything that I had published or had had published. That’s a lot of learning, a lot of experience, a lot of growth. A lot of…me.

This website is me.

It’s exactly what I want it to be. I don’t want to be limited to one genre or topic. I want to be able to curse the government one day, and then post a recipe for spaghetti squash the next. I want to tell tales of adventure, mystery, and sadness. I want to share sappy, silly poetry, or talk about dogs. I want to write about things that are important to me and…ultimately…I want to write about what is in my head. When I started this website, I chose “ramblings of my life” to describe what I believed it would become. From that point of view, I feel like I nailed it. When you’re in a river, there are times it pays to let the current take you rather than fight against it. But even the best of things can wear you down a bit.

Sometimes, when you’re a little sweaty and beaten, the best approach is to take a shower and put on some clean clothes. It’s time to freshen up. So, welcome to the same old website with a fresh look and new logo. Also, going forward I will be challenging myself to post something every Sunday.

For those that have been reading so far, thank you. I hope you’ve enjoyed the ride so far and I’m looking forward to the next few years. For those that haven’t, I’m not really sure if you’re better off for it and I won’t pretend otherwise.

Writing is hard business…but damn, is it ever fun!