Are you a Writer, or a Blogger?

On By TomIn Achievement, Competitions, General, Insight, Novel, Poetry, Promotion, Review, Short Stories, Uncategorized

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Are you a blogger who writes, or a writer who blogs?
If I had to make a choice, I would know instantly where I stood.

*

What’s the difference?  

To my way of thinking, if somebody told you that you could only do one or the other, then you’d fall into one of two categories:

* The writer will take about three milliseconds to glance at the title page of their blog. They’ll have several images of the links to their favourite online friends and recollect a few wonderful articles and images as they say a fond farewell to all of it.

* The blogger will look at the title page of their blog. They will have a lot of images of the links to their favourite online friends and recollect an abundance of wonderful articles and images.
The blogger will have fleeting memories of stories, articles and posts they’ve written, then have a tea or coffee as they ponder what is most important to them – writing, or blogging?

*

Is it really that simple – that brutal?

Yes, dear reader, I believe that it is.

You don’t think so? Check the title of this post.

What was your immediate response?

liebster_award[1]

What’s my point?

I’m dealing with a journey where the only baggage is emotional.

I’ve been on a long trip, and there have been two stages of revelation recently where this subject came clearly to mind.

The first revelation was when I elected to take part in a blog-related promotion. Having said I would take part, I then felt I had to step back from it. That was regrettable – mainly because I’d broken my word, but also because I had originally wanted to be involved.

Why did I abandon the blog promotion?

I re-evaluated the time I’d spend away from two major writing projects – and I had to be true to myself.

The second revelation was this morning as I re-worked a passage whilst updating my author website. I arrived at my destination, checked over my baggage and found the following items:

* One large case of wishing I had more time to respond to the lovely people who follow this blog.

* A small bag of regret that there are still those folk out there who will follow a blog, simply to be followed.

* A portfolio of online conversations with like-minded souls who write for many reasons, and who on occasion get in touch to apologise for not reading and commenting on my blog often enough.

* A trunk full of guilt for the number of times when I start scrolling through the list of fifty blogs that I follow, only to find myself abandoning the cause to get back to that chapter I wanted to rewrite.

* A satchel full of notes, ideas and headings for blogs that I might never write, because I’m too busy completing a story.

On my trolley of baggage there are many more containers, but the detail of their contents would only become boring, so you’ll have to trust me on that score. It’s a heavy load.

*

Are those who blog not also writers?

Yes, but they are writers who have chosen a different path. They are writers by the very fact that they maintain a blog.
They are not primarily storytellers. For the blogger, those activities are a secondary activity.
The blogger looks at their blog as social media.
The writer looks at their blog as a marketing tool.

An Amazon Author Page
An Amazon Author Page

Will I continue to blog?

Yes, of course I will, and hope that at least some of those I do work hard to follow will understand my motivation – the need to produce stories, much more of the time than I spend checking out the thoughts, opinions and dreams of others.

Yes, that is a selfish attitude, but what more would you expect of a person who spends the majority of their time in their own company – through choice.

Don’t worry, that was a rhetorical question.

image1[2]

Later today, I will once again set my timer and attempt to read about ten of the fifty blogs I follow.
Thank you as always for the patience it takes to negotiate one of my literary rallies.

Any comments are welcome.

***

21 thoughts on “Are you a Writer, or a Blogger?”

    1. Hi Patrick. Thank you for the visit and for such a kind compliment. Don’t worry, I don’t speak French. 😀
      You’re not so bad at the writing game my friend. I’m aiming to get to your latest soon – which is skulking around on my Kindle.

      Liked by 1 person

  2. michaelbillington9

    Tom – well said. I am inconsistent when it comes to writing my own blog for pretty much the same reasons… I’d rather be writing stories and once I start I pretty much block out the real world because I’m too busy wandering around those that I have created.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Hello Mike. Thank you for the visit and comment. You do a wonderful job with those worlds too. I love those short pieces of yours I’ve found on Goodreads, in which your characters meet up over coffee, or somewhere away from their own story. That for me is the mark of somebody who knows their characters and their fictional world well. 😀

      Like

  3. A very interesting blog post, Tom, and thank you for taking the time to write it. It made me think – although as you predicted, the answer to the question posed in the title was immediate. I hadn’t even heard of the word blog until someone said I should write one in order to become ‘visible’. I didn’t want to be visible. I wanted to write. Just write. Let someone else deal with all the other stuff. But in the indie world you have to be all of it. All those people wearing different hats to get you and your books known. It’s not enough to write. You have to wear the hats and do the work. I found to my surprise that I enjoyed blogging – there are times when it’s good to share thoughts with a few people you think might just be receptive. But I do it randomly. I have to be in the mood, or have a burning idea, or a really good reason. So yes, I won’t win any awards for my blog, but I won’t do one of those blog tournaments either. The one thing I’m glad about that has nothing to do with your blog, or your books, is that I’ve met you. However virtual an experience it is, I’ve come to respect you and like you, and to be grateful when you reveal more of yourself in what you write as you have today. Sorry to ramble. It’s your blog post, after all. 🙂

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Hello Lesley. Thank you for the visit and taking the time to give such an indepth response, which is genuinely appreciated.
      Yes, self-marketing is not a place many authors like to go, but as you said, if we don’t – nobody will do it for us. We really must wear as many hats as it takes.
      I remember suggesting that you had more of a presence on Facebook, because as exceptional as your writing was, I didn’t think enough people were seeing it. Hopefully from what I’ve seen in recent months that has changed and you’re reaping the rewards of getting the word out there regularly.
      True, there are many of us who don’t blog regularly, but that was one of my reasons for this post. Again, thank you for stopping by, and believe me, the respect is mutual. I have a healthy respect for anyone who can be honest publicly. 😀
      Now get back to that keyboard and produce another masterpiece.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you for dropping in with such a kind comment Paul, and special thanks for the re-blog my friend. It is very much appreciated. 😀

      Like

  5. Tom, the use of my time is exactly the reason I stepped away from my old blog. It’s the reason I abandoned social media–at least for a while. I am first and foremost a writer, and I have a novel to rework. My job and an ailing husband take up so much of my time, I have little left over to work on my novel. I had to prioritize.
    And thanks for “following” me when I moved. I consider you one of the handful of friends I have made in the blogging world.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. In light of your circumstances Cathy, I feel privileged that you’ve taken the time to stop by long enough to read and comment. I count you as one of the real friends I’ve made through social media.
      When I say friends, I mean the folk I would still maintain contact with via email – if I didn’t blog. I have many ‘friends’ on Facebook and other platforms, but there are a bunch of people that stand out, and I think you all know who you are.
      I’m so pleased that you’ve managed to reset your priorities, and I hope things are working out for you. Take care of you and yours. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  6. Hmmm can I be awkward and be both? I write stories for children so I love my blog as an outlet to be grown up once in a while. My little stories belong to my children, they give the ideas, the inspiration and the joy. My blog is my baby. I don’t care if anybody reads it (though it is lovely to get comments), I do it because I enjoy it. I have met so many lovely people through doing guest posts, I couldn’t possibly give it up, and I certainly couldn’t give up writing stories for my girls…

    If you made me choose, I’d rebel and do both anyway. Sorry Tom!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hello there Sylva, you rebellious little ‘fence-sitter’. 😀
      I knew I’d get at least one. Should I let you off?
      Yes, I believe I will, because you’ve been up front and given a good reason, but don’t go telling other people or they’ll all be jumping on the bandwagon.
      Seriously, I can imagine where you’re coming from, and I know how much effort you put in to help on social platforms. Thank you for dropping by. Until later. 🙂

      Like

  7. ramonawray

    Very brutal indeed 🙂 But you’re right. I go mad if I go more than two days without writing or rewriting something, whereas I write all my blog posts on Saturday morning, and that’s that. I don’t miss it during the week. I do read blogs though on a daily basis. Mainly, to make informed decisions about the books I’ll be reading next. My target is 100 this year… What can I say? I love reading and writing equally and just as madly 🙂 Great post, Tom.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hello and thank you for dropping by Ramona. It sounds simple – until you think about the implications of doing without one or the other.
      I believe it is a true test of a person’s resolve. Any good multi-choice questionaire will always have an even number of options for that same reason – to ensure that the answer falls to one side of the fence because an even number doesn’t allow a middle choice. 🙂
      I’m almost back to my normal routine, so I’ll be checking you out through the week. 😀

      Like

  8. I read fellow bloggers from 5am until 7am and that’s it. I always start at the top of the emails alphabetically, so “T” for Tom Benson frequently misses out. If it’s any consolation (and it won’t be) my blog starts with a “W”. After 7 am I start writing.

    Liked by 1 person

  9. A very interesting and thought provoking post, although I am glad to see you’re not going to disappear completely off the blogosphere, that would be a terrible shame.
    I’ve instinctively known since I started that writing and blogging are two different areas, although your post here has made me think about it on a concious level. I think I’m in the very rare position where I do have the time to devote to both of them. I have a part time job, no kids, and a partner who understands what I do. I’m rather lucky really.
    And although I do write on my blog, it also contains other things, such a dragons and occasional life bits and pieces, so it is different to the novel writing I do, and it’s nice to mix it up.
    If you absolutely made me choose, I would go for novel writing, because I want to get published (editing a novel with promise currently) but I would miss my blog. A lot.
    Thankfully I don’t have to make that choice at the moment, so I can be another annoying fencer and stick with both 😛

    Liked by 1 person

  10. Hello Princess and thank you for landing here for a while. So you want to cling to the fence and dig your claws in eh?
    I’m pleased that you’re circumstances allow you to do both, and I’m sure that because of that you are the envy of many. 😀
    I’ll be waiting impatiently for your novel …
    Will be over to check you out in the next couple of days. I presently have an erotic novel ‘resting’ appropriately enough, and I’ve just this week completed the fourth draft of my latest thriller. I’m treating myself to some reading this week before I get back to the hard but enjoyable task of writing. Take care my friend.;)

    Like

  11. I wish I could find more time to blog, because I enjoy the experience. It’s cool to highlight books, I have read, and give another virtual voice to a book I have enjoyed (like your ‘Coming Around’, Tom). True, bloggers do it for social media exposure, but I think many are genuine book fans too (though I see far too many saying that will not accept review requests at this time…suggesting that people are taking advantage of their good nature. A review is not free…it takes time to create…people need to respect that!). That said, I prefer my time spent mostly writing new stories – the blog is fun for me, to some extent is a good marketing tool, I’ve garnered lots of sales from it so as the ‘place’ in Product / Price / Place / Promotion, it works for me. However, your blog and author website are putting me to shame. You work so hard on it. You deserve your place amongst the stars. Good luck Tom and thank you for sharing this clever and informative post.

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Hello John and thank you for the visit, the valuable input and the kind words. It is enjoyable blogging as you say, and that I suppose is where we who consider ourselves first and foremost as writers find the frustration.
    Blogging is an avenue of the written word, and a place where we can let off steam, or pass on some tips or useful information to our friends and peers. It is also as you point out a great place to deal with reviews. On the subject of reviews, I tend not to make a post of a review, due to them appearing alongside on my Goodreads link.
    I agree with you regarding the time and effort of writing reviews – they are not done on a whim. I write a review, and then it’s left alone, sometimes for a couple of hours, and occasionally for a day, because it’s the only way to give the author fair feedback on their work, and to give prospective readers / customers a decent insight, even if it is only my opinion.
    Keep that pen moving and producing more stories. 😀

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