Blogging? - Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.

Ben Franklin said that, except the blogging bit. I'll just HAVE to look him up because I'm thinking it's not Benjamin Franklin, founding father of the United States.

Damn. Now I think it IS. The shame...

 Oooooh, I received a worrying e-mail this morning. The title was '4 REASONS WHY YOUR BLOG SUCKS' from the brilliant Men With Pens website. Do you remember? The one written by a woman who calls herself James Chartrand because she received more credibility as a man. (Ssssssssssssss!)

When I saw it, my heart sank. Do I REALLY need to be made despondent on a Monday morning when I've got a lot of work to do? Do I really need my confidence shot to pieces AGAIN?

I steeled myself and read it. It's the masochist in me.

Gothic Ruin 666, Deviant Art

In actual fact, I didn't come off too badly...here were the points:

1. A lack of authenticity
2. Share a story not advice
3. Write for yourself, not others
4. It's time to change the world

The first three points are self-explanatory. The fourth - "really, there’s just one reason most blogs suck: because they write blog posts instead of changing the world," and "A real blogger understands that each piece they publish should be able to revolutionize somebody’s life. It doesn’t matter what they’re writing about. Hell, it could be knitting for all I care."

I write blogposts AND I strive to change the world. Oh dear, I don't mean to sound worthy and grand, but bringing a bit of humour and lightness into people's day and saying things that other people (writers and horse-riders mainly) can relate to so they don't feel as though they're the only one with that particular gripe or challenge or problem...that's what I do. My little drop in the ocean.

Drops cause ripples, don't they?

And my blog still no doubt sucks but I don't really care.

Writing a blog - how do I do it? And why...

I have published 579 blogs since I started way back in...somewhen, so far back I can't remember. Let me check. November 2009.

That's quite a lot of blogs. Pretty much every day. I think the only few I've missed are when I'm travelling on a long-haul flight and lose a day somewhere because of time changes.

Loads of people say to me 'How on earth do you DO that? How can you possibly think of something new every day?"

The answer (sort of) to the question - why?

First, and most importantly, I enjoy doing it. It's so much part of my daily routine that I actually feel quite bereft if I don't get the opportunity to write one at my usual time - when I get back from the horses in the morning.

Second, I use the blog as an easy way to get my writing brain into gear, ready to start work.

Third, I think it's a way of showing people a bit about myself and my writing - and with 34,276 views from 130 different countries and more people every day, it seems to have worked - though to what purpose I'm not exactly sure. (I mean, I haven't yet got an agent for my children's writing or had a feature length script snapped up by Hollywood!)

The next bit...

Quite honestly, ideas just come to me, generated by the mood I'm in, what I need to do that day, the weather, the horses and their antics, special occasions, a piece of music I've heard on the radio...

Then I usually look for a quote that fits the idea and away I go. Simple as that.

Is it worth it? Well, I think so and that's really the most important thing, isn't it?