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Friday, February 12, 2010

To Blog or not to Blog

So, I never thought in a million years, well, at least in the last ten or so years, that I would blog. How could I? I'm a writer, right? And if you are a writer, well you know and respect the revision process. You just don't throw your words out there in the world. You work them over and over and over. And then you have trusted readers tell you what you still need to work over and over...and then, only then, do you maybe put your words out there. Okay, so this process is not very conducive to blogging. But in the past few months the question, "Why I still Write?" has been plaguing me. It took me 3 years of an MFA program and a novel in the drawer, several published essays and stories, on line and in print, and a group of women who write by my side and commiserate about writing at my side . I teach writing classes and I know teaching craft is important, helping a writer find her voice is crucial, but sharing heart is essential. Without the heart, the belief we can do it, if only half the time, we won't do it.

The big T for writers has to be Tenancity, not Talent. Talent is subjective and can be used by those with power to keep those without it in their places.

But after so many years of feeling like I write because I have no other choice, I'm realizing I have a choice. We always have a choice. So, why do I choose to do this? To take time away from the rest of my life, my family, my son, my friends...love, to pursue this THING, we call writing? Maybe this blogging thing will help me answer this question. Or, at the very least, come up with other questions.