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Wynelda-Ann Deaver

Blog. Blogging. Bloggage.

Blogs are wonderful things. The online equivalent of a diary or journal, blogs are everywhere. People write about their days, about issues, about writing. Some blogs are funny, some sad. Some are well written, and some are just written.

But should writers blog? Are they more than a public confessional? Are they worth the time and effort? It depends on what you’re looking for in a blog.

I use my blog to keep up-to-date with some of my fellow study group members. Family and friends both have the address to my blog, so I am careful about what pops up there when it’s of a personal nature. But I also use the blog as a tool for writing.

At first, it seemed like it would just be a venting ground for my writing and the editors that rejected me. But the blog took on its own personality. Some of the writings are more of a mini-essay than a journal entry. A few times, I’ve used it to post my goals for my writing: Send out a short story. Write so many words. It can also be used to sing out when you triumph.

Blogs are also a place where you can experiment with fiction. I did a fairytale spoof in one entry. A friend of mine was using hers to do flash fiction, and it turned out that she was really good at it. Another friend does third person musings on the world around her, which are beautiful.

There is one draw back to blogging, however. I find myself going to my favorite blogs, checking to see if they’ve been updated. Some have great information for writers, by published writers. Sometimes, I even use them as a procrastination tool.

In the end, it depends on how you intend to use the blog on whether or not you’ll enjoy it. Some people don’t like feeling like they “have” to blog, that their audience awaits them. Others thrive on it. As for me, I like to keep them guessing.