This is the second post today. Check the previous post at the bottom of the page for today’s A to Z Challenge post.
Thanks to the A to Z Challenge Blog, this is a busy month, but I will answer this month’s question.
April 3 question – How long have you been blogging? (Or on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram?) What do you like about it and how has it changed?
I have been blogging since 2013 when I published my first book and learned the importance of having an online presence. What I like about it, especially the month I blog as part of the A to Z Challenge and when I do these posts is hearing and reading posts from others. It helps me grow my followers and maybe adds a reader or two to my audience.
How has it changed? Blogging may have changed, but for me, it hasn’t. I do the same things that I’ve always done. It’s a lot like journaling. I use it as a place to sell my books, a platform to vent about issues that affect me deeply, and as a means to connect with others.
I have upgraded my site and now pay for it since I lost everything there a few years ago by inadvertently logging out and not remembering my password. I learned that, by not having purchased anything, the platform couldn’t find my old site either. Now, I’ve ensured that can’t happen again.
How many times I blog every month depends on several factors. I post a piece every Tuesday as part of a small group that shares scenes from our works in progress, each post of 400 words based on a word prompt. I blog monthly with the IWSG, usually answering the questions they provide, special events like the holidays, new book releases, vacations, and events in my life, good and sad that touch me deeply. Once a year, I post a blog a day during April, based on the letters of the alphabet and a topic I chose in March. This year, I’ll be blogging about the day-to-day struggles and joys of being an author.
You can find other opinions here. https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html
Living the Dream 
I do the A-Z Challenge for the same reason 🙂
Ronel visiting for IWSG day Character Choices
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I love this IWSG topic–skipped it because of AtoZ. Darn! I’m with you on your answer, Susanne.
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It’s a lot to do and I’ve been writing less recently, but it’s an awesome motivator.
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My blog came first before the published book. When I got back into writing, I read a blog post stating the advantages of building your author platform by blogging. In order to build a fandom/reader’s base. That’s how I ended up blogging for 11 years. I first blogged three days a week. Then as I got busier and felt like I was running out of things to blog about, I began to blog once a week. Then twice a month and until finally I’m posting once a month for every IWSG.
I only took part in the A to Z challenge once. And with a group of other bloggers. We’d split the alphabet between us and I got the letters D, L and T. Of course the posts’ theme were poetry.
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When I first started writing, I wrote blank verse poetry. A lot has changed since then. I get what you mean about running out of ideas.
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You scared me about losing your blog, Susanne! Yikes! I temporarily lost mine after my first post, because I couldn’t figure out how I got into it to begin with. But I learned, and I’m still here and have all my posts including the first one. Blogging is a lot like journaling for me too, and I like to include a lot of photos because I’m very visual. I appreciate all the wonderful IWSG members and their unwavering support! Wishing you a happy April!
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The same to you. although we’re in the middle of a spring snowstorm.
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Reading this month’s responses to IWSG has led me to re-appreciate this community of writers, for no matter when we began blogging, we’re all pretty much dedicated to the same purpose: writing! Like you, my blog has been inspired by challenges from other blogs (IWSG, those AtoZ challenges). This month, though, I didn’t commit to the AtoZ Poetry Challenge, instead signing up for the NaNoWriMo monthly challenge. I set my word goal pretty low, but travel and a bad cold made me feel a little like I couldn’t aim too high. The result? I’m at 88% of my 4,000 word goal and back to writing with a steady rhythmn — and we still have almost 3 weeks to go! Yippee. Congratulations on your blog. Keep writing!
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So many distractions this month in addition to the writing ones. Congrtas on almost reaching your goal. Glad you’re feeling better, too.
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And you’re still participating in IWSG? I used to do this one too, but stopped it several years ago when my work hours increased.
You’re one busy lady!
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