For the past few weeks, I’ve been contemplating on which road to take as a writer. I posted a poll a short time ago to see how many readers are bloggers/writers. The results?
Majority of my readers are both.
Interesting.
Many are trying to be bloggers while writing their stories. So, the next question in my mind is…
Since we’re moonlighting as both bloggers and writers, what do we truly consider ourselves to be then-
A writer?
Or, a blogger?
Can we truly be both?
Personally, I’m finding it difficult to devout my time and energy to be both. I’m starting to wonder how do I want others to perceive me to be-a writer or a blogger. Which one holds more value for me? More importance?
Yes, blogging helps you gain more readers and followers; but, is that my ultimate goal?
Bottom line, what I truly desire is to create stories. I want to scare my readers. Make them cringe, or cry. I want my readers to care as much for the characters as I do. I haven’t been doing that. Not for a long, long time. It’s starting to make me feel depressed. Moody. I can’t focus on anything. All I want to do is daydream.
Yet, I enjoy blogging, and meeting new readers as well as other writers. I enjoy sharing my thoughts and ideas with the creative world.
Where does that leave me though?
Must contemplate some more.
A writer & her adolescent muse 
I too have battled with this and thought of quitting my blog often, only to pick it back up again. I am thinking of taking some time off from it to really delve into poetry more. I think of myself as a poet first but the blogging sometimes makes me feel compelled to put something out there, which takes me back to the feeling of taking a blogging break so my creativity won’t be stifled or cut short. I find myself not honing my poetry as well as I could. In our busy world of online connections it’s both a wonderful thing and at times distracting. I too feel the tug of war going on. I enjoy those I have connected with but also feel pulled to go into solitude and really write. Thanks for posting this!
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Good points here. For me, blogging is a subset of being a writer–a channel that allows me to communicate regularly with an audience while I’m behind the scenes, creating longer works to inspire the fear, the crying, the laughter, etc. I think it’s easy to let the instant gratification of blogging–or our fears of being overlooked–push blogging to the forefront of our creativity. But it is a means to an end, really, and not the end in itself. Sounds like your Inner Writer is drawing you to spend more time attending to those deeper stories. That being said–I hope you’ll still blog a bit so we can connect while you’re working on those bigger goals!
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Lisa, I think you kind of nailed it on the head for me in regards to the fear of being overlooked. I need to create yet I fear of being forgotten so I blog. I love your view on how blogging should be a “subset of being a writer.” Thank you for sharing with me your thoughts…I don’t feel quite so conflicted now 🙂
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Carrie,
I’m so glad you found it helpful. I think in this age of extreme visibility, the most terrifying thing in the world is the possibility of not being seen. And especially not being seen for who we really are. But if it helps … I see you. I notice what you do. You are visible. 😉
Much love,
L
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It’s definitely a tug of war! Thanks so much for stopping by, Dara 🙂
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I think many of us here are still trying to figure out that very thing. Sometimes there is a fine line there though – at what point are you ‘blogging’ vs. ‘writing’? For me, I am learning that my intent is to portray more non-fiction, more actual real stories. I think blogging in general helps you get a sense of where you want to go. If you don’t have time for both – then write! Do whatever feels right to you.
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It’s true in that blogging can help you “get a sense of where you want to go.” I’ve been blogging on and off for a number of years, and I believe I have a clearer picture of who I am now as a writer than I did back then. So in that sense, blogging has been very beneficial for me as a writer.
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I think it is a bit of a juggling act but I enjoy blogging too much to let it go. It ebbs and flows depending on my other writing tasks at any given time but I always come back to my blog. Maybe it’s become a type of check-in for me. Steinbeck use to start every writing day by responding to correspondence – he wrote many, many personal letters. He said it warmed him up for his other writing. Maybe blogging is something like that for me.
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I love the idea of blogging as a “warm-up”. 🙂
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