I miss blogging. I miss the casual voice. I miss the lack of pressure to place an essay or story somewhere else. I know that’s ironic considering I taught a workshop this week at ModernWell about how to get your work published on places other than your own site. (Or published AT ALL since not everyone in the group has a site.) None of what I said in that workshop is negated by the fact that I miss blogging.
I’ve been working on a novel. It’s lonely. It’s hard work. It feels so much more formal. It feels like it’s a project that will never find its way in the world.
Anyway, I had said here at one point that I was going to occasionally share quotes I used to collect starting in 8th grade when I spent part of a summer at Wellesley College. Obviously I met some kids more advanced than I was and I wanted to emulate them.
I’m glad I did! It’s a treasure to flip through that collection now because I still have the quote book. (That’s my chicken scratch in the picture.) I’ve added to it over the years. An early entry from 11th grade when I read The Awakening sticks out for me today.
“She had all her life been accustomed to harboring thoughts and emotions which never voiced themselves. They had never taken the form of struggles. They belonged to her and were her own, and she entertained the conviction that she had a right to them and that they concerned no one but herself.” ~ The Awakening by Kate Chopin
I’d like to show up here more often. Showing up in general would be good all around, wouldn’t it?
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16 Responses
The casual voice — so true!! Coincidentally, i combed through my old blog today looking for something and I was blown away by the sheer volume of work I produced. That only happened because of the nature of the blogosphere.
Oh my gosh the volume, too.
I can totally relate to this. I miss it too (and also don’t, depending on the day!). Love that quote — look forward to more!
Yep–depending on the day. 😉
Lonely work. Yes. I feel the same. And I think our blogs are full of unconditional love, really. We can show up and share whatever weve written and the trusty blog is there to witness them.
Absolutely true that the blog and the readers tend to still be there, and all with love. I miss the writing in that way, for me. I’m heading over in a few min!
I miss it too! Let’s make blogging cool again 🙂 I’ve actually been thinking about getting back to it myself…
Yes, let’s!
I love the Awakening. My favorite quote is: ““Pirate gold isn’t a thing to be hoarded or utilized. It is something to squander and throw to the four winds, for the fun of seeing the golden specks fly.” And yes! Come back to blogging! xoxo
That’s a great quote! As for blogging, I love that you have stayed on that path and also kept busy with your other writing projects (and major non-writing career). It’s very inspiring!
Showing up! Theme for the week. I love your voice wherever it is. But, yes, nothing quite the same as that cozy virtual spot that is our very own.
This reminds me that I need to reread The Awakening. I haven’t read it since college.
I love the idea of keeping a quote journal. I realized I was forgetting a lot of details from books I’d read, so I started a bullet journal of sorts where I keep notes. It will be fun and helpful to review at the end of the year and pull quotes or general impressions. Otherwise it’s all a blur. 🙂
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Hey Nina,
Completely relate to your thoughts on blogging. Timely post for me. Thanks for reminding me that I need to revisit “The Awakening.”
Hi Nina! As others have said, glad to see you and yes to showing up. And blogging. 🙂
Yes! I miss blogging more frequently as well. There was something so special about the “old days” when blogging was the only form of social media- at least that was my experience…. I started blogging in 2007 and it was a different world then. By the same token, I was desperate back then for someone to notice my work… I had a) no idea it wasn’t that great and b) that sitting around and waiting for someone to notice you isn’t generally the way life works. Ha. Anyway, love that Awakening quote. Did you by any chance go to Explorations Camp?? I worked there for one summer during college!
As often as you show up, I’ll be reading! I’ve committed to posting once a week this year, and I’m enjoying the regularity.