It's true. I am. I don't update blogs with any regularity or reliability. I do it if and when I remember to, and even then only if I feel like it. It's not like writing books for me. Writing books is fun for me. I get to invent worlds and characters and then shove them all in different situations and then watch how they react as the story unfolds beneath my typing fingers. It's a process that is, for me, as natural as breathing. I just do it. But blogging? Not so much. So many people, when they learn I am a writer, say to me something along the lines of: "Oh, you should start a blog!" I know they mean well, but inside, all I'm doing is letting out a hearty guffaw. I may be a writer, but that doesn't translate to "blogger". Why not, you may ask? After all, they're both writing, right? So, what's the difference?
What, indeed.
Here's the thing... there are SO many routes for people to take depending on their area of interest/expertise, and yet, not every one of those routes is a good fit. It's not as cut-and-dry as that. Oh, you're a writer? Start a blog! Write a book! Work for a newspaper! (Why do I get the horrific feeling I just dated myself with that last one...?) It doesn't have to just be about writing, either: You're good at math? Be a mathematician! Be a professor! Be an accountant! I could go on, but we'd be here for days. And besides, you get the point. Having a hobby or even being good at something isn't the golden ticket anymore. Figuring out what you like to do is only half the battle. The other half (and the more important half) is figuring out how you're going to make a living doing what you like - and it's not always easy.
You know, when I was growing up and I told people I wanted to be an author, I'd get the same set of responses. The eyebrows would go up, half-interested and half-confused. I'd hear "Oh, really?" said in just about every tone of voice you can imagine. Most people were supportive (I was lucky in that regard) but every so often, I'd get someone with "ugh, she's going nowhere fast" written all over their face. And I won't lie, it hurt. But did I give up? Nope. That's how you know you're doing what you're supposed to be doing. Even when the odds are stacked against you, even if people don't believe in you. If your heart won't shut up about it, you've got to give it your all. Which, again, isn't always easy.
In my particular case, I'm making tracks! I've published a children's novel that has gained some fans, and with that physical product in hand I was able to attract the attention of a wonderful literary agent. She is helping me push my book(s) to bigger publishers (and even film/TV studios), and I am very excited about what the future holds for me and my writing career! I may be the world's worst blogger, but I think I'm doing alright with writing books. I've found my path, and I'm keeping true. I hope anybody reading this has done or will do the same thing. :)
