It’s the end of Blogtoberfest. I made it. So did lots of others who set out to get there. I don’t think I realised just how hard it might be some days to come up with something but I set myself the challenge early on of keeping memes and other filler stuff to a minimum to see just how resourceful I could be.
Thank goodness that early on George, Kylie and I came up with the idea of finding creative ways to keep ourselves inspired, like using randomly selected words to spark ideas or even just writing at the last minute going, 'what are you blogging about tonight? I'm stuffed if I can figure anything out.'
There was also the list that RoseRed devised which proved useful for a couple of ideas and was always there as a back up if all else failed.
So I’ll take a minute or two to reflect on what the experience has been like because, you know, blogging about blogging has so never been done before.
Why I did it
The fact is I like, no I love blogging, so in the end it was just an invitation to spend more time doing one of the things I love best. The odd day presented difficulty, but mostly, I loved it. Over exposure worried me a little but obviously not so much. I figure if daily blogging is bothering someone, don't read!
What I Liked About it
Blogtoberfest gave me permission to make blogging a priority. I’m lucky that I have little in the way of evening commitments. With no children and little in the way of a social life outside the odd night out here or there, our evenings are ours to do with as we please. I loved the discipline, how it made me sit and think instead of just writing when inspiration hit. If I was going to be a proper writer that’s how I’d approach that particular exercise. It showed me I could do it.
I also liked that it really gave me a focus in a month where I wasn’t feeling particularly happy with my lot in life – and this was another reason why I signed up. I saw the concept as one big distraction. I was right.
One of the reasons I blog is so that I have a record of the good things (and sometimes, the not so good things). Sure, I could keep a journal, but knowing that someone out there is reading it means I don't get bogged down in an internal monologue. It becomes something a little closer to a dialogue and is therefore, I hope, less maudlin or inward looking. Everyday I looked for something good, funny and hopefully interesting to share. There’s a life lesson in that, I’m sure of it.
Blogging isn't actually therapy for me, as it is for some, but creativity and that's what makes me feel that life isn't just about drudgery. If I can make something, be creative and share it around, I'm happy, or happier at least. A month of daily posting reinforced that for me in so many ways.
What I Didn’t Like About It
Not much, except for the odd niggling bout of insecurity.
Thoughts on Comments
One of the things I thought might be impacted was comments. I love getting them. Who doesn’t? I worried numbers would drop off just by sheer volume of posts to keep up with. But people seemed to keep coming back when I worried about the over exposure stuff, so it was all good, and I'm really glad people kept coming back.
Did you see the post by Jane Brocket on Yarnstorm recently, the one where she explained why she briefly turned off her comment facility? She said she just wanted to see what it would be like to write in a vacuum. Shocking! Especially since it seems that one of the things that keeps the blog world going is commenting. It's not the reason to blog but it's part of what makes it fun, interactive and interesting. Just reading stuff online is good enough, but the chance to write and tell someone how what they wrote made you think/feel/respond in a certain way is fabulous.
As blog writers, I'd say we all share, to varying degrees, a love of the feedback and affirmation that comes from comments on what we write or present. I certainly do but I'd continue to do it with or without readers because I love crafting a post. That people read what I write is just lovely.
So thanks to Big Cat's Emporium for hosting this event. Thanks to the friends who also did Blogtoberfest and shared in the mad scramble for material. Thanks also to people who read - and encouraged! That was a huge ball of fun.
But for now, I'm taking a break, even just for a day. I'm going to a wedding where I will be wearing fabulous new red shoes. RoseRed will be proud.
Bells
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