Blogging | Cathy C. Hall Writes

When Juniorette Hall was a Girl Scout, I learned that song, “Make New Friends.”

As I wrote “Making Friends Out of Blog Readers” over at the Muffin, the song kept going through my head (and going…and going…and going). The thing is, I’ve made a lot of friends because of the blog. Oh, they might’ve started out as readers, but many have ended up as friends, golden friends who’ve been a huge blessing and support through the ups and downs on this writing path.

And as a bonus, every once in a while I make a new blog friend and get prizes! Like a mug! Look how cute this mug is:

I won the mug from illustrator, Lori Keehner, who was over at Kathy Temean’s blog, sharing her art (and having a giveaway). If you write for children, you won’t want to miss Kathy’s blog, Writing and Illustrating. But she also shares non-children’s writing stuff, like the Peyton Prize, a no-fee essay contest. You’ll want to make friends with Kathy Temean (and follow her blog!).

And don’t forget Lori Keehner, too! She shared a lovely blog post about my mug (and I used her pic because honestly, she has mad photo skills). You’re going to want to see ALL of her delightful mugs and prints and pillows and t-shirts…well, it’s a regular smorgasbord of Lori Keehner awesome art over at her Society6 shop. I am not gonna lie; it was hard to choose which mug I liked best ’cause I liked ALL of ’em! But I have a thing for owls, and that little owl family was so cute…

So now I have the mug on my desk and I will fortify myself with a nice cuppa every day and hope that a little owlish wisdom will infuse my writing. Thank you, Lori!

And thank all of you who keep coming back to read blog posts and share your ups and downs, both the writing and non-writing ones. I so appreciate the friends I’ve made over the years, and if you want to know how you can make friends out of your blog readers, then zip over to the Muffin to read that post.

Oh! And sorry about that song that’s stuck in your head now.

When I attend writer events, I bring along my cards and pass them out willy-nilly. The card’s pretty basic: my name and my website/blog. Invariably, I’m asked the same basic questions about blogging.

What in the world do you blog about?

Why do you blog?

Do you really think blogging’s worth all that time and effort?

So after nearly six years of blogging, I have my answers down pat. To wit: (And skip ahead if you’ve heard all this before.)

I blog about writing–my path to fame and fortune along that glorious, challenging road to publication. That’s what I said in my very first post and I think I’ve stuck to the topic. (Well, Fun Friday posts can be a little whack-a-doodle, but all work and no play make Cathy a dull girl.) So far, I haven’t run out of things to say about writing. Which isn’t surprising because I love to write. Isn’t that a serendipitous way to move on to the next answer?

I started blogging because I thought it was something serious writers did. And though I make my living, more or less, in writing funny stuff, I’m pretty serious when it comes to the actual writing. I didn’t know that I’d refine my writing voice, or that I’d meet so many other writers. I didn’t even realize that blogging was an exercise that was building my writing muscle. I’m kind of like that ugy duckling hack that turned into the beautiful swan writer. (Um…beautiful swan may be a stretch, but I’m going for the metaphor here, people.) Which brings me to my last answer.

I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t written that first blog post–and made the time to stick to blogging. And sure, there have been times when it was an effort to blog. I mean, I love writing, but sometimes, writing doesn’t love me. Pushing through has made me a more disciplined writer.

But maybe I still haven’t convinced you. Yes, you–the writer I meet who smiles and says, “I don’t know…it just doesn’t seem worth it.” Maybe you should read agent Mary Keeley’s post about writers who begin as bloggers. She makes lots of excellent points about the value of blogging.

But I think she may have left out one that’s not so quantifiable. Probably because it’s just impossible to measure influence.

It’s true that I wouldn’t be where I am today, writing-wise, without blogging. But I wouldn’t be where I am today, Cathy C. Hall, writer-wise, without each of the bloggers who’ve taken the time over the years to comment, encourage, to laugh or commiserate along this up-and-down path to publication.

So yes. A thousand words, yes. Totally worth it.