Why Do I Even Blog Anyway?

 

May 28, 2017

          I am infinitely thankful to all of the people who are reading my posts. Some of you might be wondering why I have undertaken this project, so this post is to elucidate that fact.
          Slowly but surely, I am working on a novel about a gentleman in a nursing home. His name is Sam, and he’s been rumbling around in my brain for a long while now. I have strong feelings about the way end of life issues are handled, and this story has a lot to do with that. It isn’t just about that hard to swallow topic, but hopefully, it will be the kind of story that warms the heart and sheds a different light on the aged and on death.
          Because this story has that bigger purpose — to prompt a conversation on any level possible — I want it to be published traditionally which brings with it a number of challenges. Books are getting increasingly difficult to get published by the big houses because the electronic world has changed the game. You might be wondering why, then, I would want to go the harder route, so I’ll delve into that a bit.
          Only traditionally published books make the New York Times Bestseller list and some of the other big lists, though I think for the Amazon bestseller list it doesn’t matter. For the most part, I think it’s baloney to even want to hit these lists, but I want this book to spark a social conversation, and making those lists will help that. How else will Good Morning America know they need to have me on their show? Okay, maybe that’s a little tongue in cheek, but I do want to do a traditional book tour, and those morning shows or radio shows or whatever will help take that conversation out of the minds and into the mouths of families. Hopefully. Maybe I’m smoking crack, but it’s my crack, and I’m gonna keep puffing. And to be honest, there is a bit of a truly prideful pipe dream here. What author wouldn’t want the sort of validation that best seller lists brings?
          Back to why I blog…
          Apparently, one of the things that traditional publishers look for when they’re trying to decide if an unknown writer’s work is something the take a chance on, is whether that writer has a following. This blog is to build that following, to find the people who like my style of writing and who will come along for the crazy ride, and to have a preexisting group of people who will pay dollars to read something I write and feel passionately about. So far, it seems to be working. Hearing positive feedback from the people I know and love and from people who have no dog in the hunt and love my writing anyway is beyond exciting. Thanks to Medium posts and my blog, I actually have people I’ve never met or had any connection to subscribing to my feed. (Super exciting!)
          An added benefit is that the regular blogging sharpens my skills and prompts me to ponder things more deeply — to stop and explore interesting topics that I come across during my days. I am a fairly introspective person, and I find great value in sitting in the quiet and burrowing into a thought. Blogging provides an outlet for that.
          I started this blogging project as part of a 30 day challenge through the Ninja Writers. The response has warmed my heart and helped me build my future. So thank you for subscribing, for following, for reading. Thank you for giving me a piece of your day. Time is the most precious thing we have, so I don’t take lightly that you give me some of yours to read my words.