Write what you want

The Goddess who is Eden wrote today about blogging. Hmm, imagine that. A blogger writing about blogging. That never happens.

But she had some good points when it comes to art, how it gets better with practice, and whether or not blogging is an art, there is something to be said about writing improving the more it is written.

One of my instructors for one of my favorite courses used to say, “if you want to be a better writer you have to write.” His goal was for me to write a novel. I can't quite get the plot thing down (hence, why I'm here and not at NaNoWriMo) but maybe in time I can. I would love to be able to actually do that and dedicate the book to him. JC wherever you are now, I miss talking with you. You are awesome.

But it did make me look back on this month (so far). Last year I struggled to get things out, things I thought I should say because dammit I had to blog yet for the day. This year it's felt different. I've wanted to write. I've wanted to say things and get them down. Often they are incoherent and equivocal because they don't quite make sense in my head, let alone when I put them down on paper. But I get them out.

Sometimes it's like it's building up inside and I just have to write. Often these moments come at work and I send myself emails with the blog posting for the night. Other times I email them to me but I never post them. I actually have two in my inbox right now waiting publication, and two meme's I've completed but set aside for days when I really don't have anything to say.

But do we ever not have anything to say? Blogging started as a web log – a place people could write their own thoughts, right? At least that was the understanding I had when I started – a place I could write my thoughts and if my friends or others wanted to read my thoughts and keep up with the goings-on in my life they could. But it seems blogging has evolved into this thing. A thing where you are either a mommy blogger or a political blogger or a photo blogger or whatever. And those of us who just write to write are lost in the shuffle. And I am okay with being lost in the shuffle. I do not need to be read by everyone. I just find it funny that if you are not one of the chosen groups you are not really counted.

I don't know. Maybe that's not true either. I write because I need to and I want to. If someone wants to read my dribble, they are more than welcome to. And if not, that's fine too because I will post what I want.

* And what fun! This is post 555! WOOHOO!