Is Blogging Hurting Your Writing

Do you feel blogging takes away from your writing time?

I wondered about this question and came to the conclusion that it helps my writing. I started blogging way back in the day, and I mostly did it because I had a lot of time do so, but that was a long time ago.

I also started blogging because I liked the community of writers I talked to at the time.

My best friend started a blog, so I had to start one. I discovered that he had a knack for writing that I never knew he had, so I had to try to outdo him. I was very competitive when I was younger.

The whole blogging thing was new to me, and it gave a chance to write opinion pieces. This blog has changed over the years, and it changed over the years because I wanted to get more people reading my post. I don't know if it worked as well as I hoped.

I also barely used this blog anymore. It seemed to me that a lot of the writers I used to follow don't even blog anymore. I wonder why they quit writing?

That gets me back to the original question and the question of time. It is easy to get carried away and lose track of what you were working on, but it is also nice to take a break and read what other people write. That is why I feel it is good for your writing to blog and join the community of writers that share their thoughts and ideas. I find these writers to be inspirational.

Will I always write something on this blog? Probably not. I need to be honest. I get distracted easily and sometimes life just points me in different directions.

Good luck with your writing!

The Rejection Pile

Remember no one can make you feel inferior without your consent. —Eleanor Roosevelt

What do you feel after your latest submission gets rejected? I know how I feel. I feel dejected. I question myself and look for jobs in other fields. I try to act like it doesn't hurt my latest idea wasn't good enough for them to publish or use. 

But what happens when the rejections pile up? Well, do you give up? The answer to the question is you don't give up. You look at your idea and see where it can be used, maybe it isn't the right publication. Maybe you use the article on your blog. There are a lot of things you can do when you use your creativity. 

You have to have a thick skin when it comes to writing. Rejections hurt. It is a lot to ask an artist to ignore the pain of someone rejecting their art. Creativity is hard and even harder when you want to be compensated for the work. 

Most the rejections I've received lately have no feedback. I understand editors are busy and don't have time to comment on my writing, but getting a form letter back feels like the editor thought it was so bad that they didn't feel like saying anything original. 

I feel the best thing a writer can do is rework the original idea. I feel that creativity sometimes blindsides that logical side of the brain that is needed for the editing side of the writing business. As a writer, you put a lot of effort into writing and it is sometimes hard to step back and see the flaws in the writing. 

Step back, look, and wait for the crazy train to pass, because it isn't easy being a writer and it is even harder when you get rejected. Don't let rejection make you crazy. Look at what you did and see why it was rejected. Read it over and then read it again. If you feel like you can fix it, go ahead and fix it. If you can't fix it, move on and write something else. 

Good luck!

Freelance Life

Your money or your life? That is from an old Jack Benny joke.

I sometimes feel that is what a freelance writer has to decide. Do you want money or do you want a life?

Freelance writing demands a lot from a writer because you aren't just a writer, you are a lot of things.

You are your own accountant because some needs to take care of the books.

You are your own PR firm because you are always selling yourself to potential clients.

You are your own research department because there is no one else to do the research unless you hire someone to do it for you.

The dream of just writing fades real fast once you commit to freelancing. Sure, freelancing fits in the gig economy really well, so there is always a job for you if you want to work. 

I am constantly on freelance websites looking for work. It takes away from the time I can spend with my family, but that is the choice I made when I became a freelance writer. I am lucky that my family is very patient with me. They see the ups and downs of freelance writing and are very supportive of my dream.

In these changing times, freelance writing is still an enjoyable career, but sometimes the writing process is lost in all the other work that it takes to make it as a writer.

What do you pick? Your life or your money?