Are you a Writer, or a Blogger?

Are you a blogger who writes, or a writer who blogs?
If I had to make a choice, I would know instantly where I stood.

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What’s the difference?  

To my way of thinking, if somebody told you that you could only do one or the other, then you’d fall into one of two categories:

* The writer will take about three milliseconds to glance at the title page of their blog. They’ll have several images of the links to their favourite online friends and recollect a few wonderful articles and images as they say a fond farewell to all of it.

* The blogger will look at the title page of their blog. They will have a lot of images of the links to their favourite online friends and recollect an abundance of wonderful articles and images.
The blogger will have fleeting memories of stories, articles and posts they’ve written, then have a tea or coffee as they ponder what is most important to them – writing, or blogging?

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Is it really that simple – that brutal?

Yes, dear reader, I believe that it is.

You don’t think so? Check the title of this post.

What was your immediate response?

What’s my point?

I’m dealing with a journey where the only baggage is emotional.

I’ve been on a long trip, and there have been two stages of revelation recently where this subject came clearly to mind.

The first revelation was when I elected to take part in a blog-related promotion. Having said I would take part, I then felt I had to step back from it. That was regrettable – mainly because I’d broken my word, but also because I had originally wanted to be involved.

Why did I abandon the blog promotion?

I re-evaluated the time I’d spend away from two major writing projects – and I had to be true to myself.

The second revelation was this morning as I re-worked a passage whilst updating my author website. I arrived at my destination, checked over my baggage and found the following items:

* One large case of wishing I had more time to respond to the lovely people who follow this blog.

* A small bag of regret that there are still those folk out there who will follow a blog, simply to be followed.

* A portfolio of online conversations with like-minded souls who write for many reasons, and who on occasion get in touch to apologise for not reading and commenting on my blog often enough.

* A trunk full of guilt for the number of times when I start scrolling through the list of fifty blogs that I follow, only to find myself abandoning the cause to get back to that chapter I wanted to rewrite.

* A satchel full of notes, ideas and headings for blogs that I might never write, because I’m too busy completing a story.

On my trolley of baggage there are many more containers, but the detail of their contents would only become boring, so you’ll have to trust me on that score. It’s a heavy load.

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Are those who blog not also writers?

Yes, but they are writers who have chosen a different path. They are writers by the very fact that they maintain a blog.
They are not primarily storytellers. For the blogger, those activities are a secondary activity.
The blogger looks at their blog as social media.
The writer looks at their blog as a marketing tool.

An Amazon Author Page

Will I continue to blog?

Yes, of course I will, and hope that at least some of those I do work hard to follow will understand my motivation – the need to produce stories, much more of the time than I spend checking out the thoughts, opinions and dreams of others.

Yes, that is a selfish attitude, but what more would you expect of a person who spends the majority of their time in their own company – through choice.

Don’t worry, that was a rhetorical question.

Later today, I will once again set my timer and attempt to read about ten of the fifty blogs I follow.
Thank you as always for the patience it takes to negotiate one of my literary rallies.

Any comments are welcome.

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