I went from working part-time and launching a writing career to working full time and turning the focus on my day job (night job, actually) and my kids. The summer of 2017, I left my husband, became a single mom of of three teens, and then made it official with a divorce two years later.
As of last spring, the kids are all 18+ and high school graduates. Two still live with me, but I'm able to set aside more of my time for myself. Come hell or high water, I'm making time to write.
I've been penning paragraphs on my next western whenever I can and hoping readers haven't forgotten about me. Besides writing and publishing again, the only thing that could make me happier is getting back to blogging.
I had started blogging last year, but then my twins graduated high school. Getting through that plus one starting trade school the very next month and the other learning to drive and entering college that fall sucked all my time. (I still have several Grammar Quest posts sitting in draft form. LOL)
The 24th of this month was my 8-year blogiversary. Has it really been that long?
I miss the days of platform building campaigns, Grammar Police posts, and IWSG. I don't know how I found time for all that. It took effort, but it was fun. I miss the sense of community we had... the support we gave each other and all we learned from each other. Seriously! I wouldn't be the writer I am if it wasn't for all of you.
Blogging might be dying, but it's not dead yet.
I've made a commitment to blog at least once a month. I've decided to set aside the last Wednesday of the month to blog and generally manage my writing business. If that goes well, I'll dip my foot into the blogosphere a little more.
What about you? What have you been up to?
What would you like to see on my blog?
I've really, really missed you guys.
We are glad you're back! You had to deal with real life and that's understandable. Now it's time for a little you time.
ReplyDeleteThanks. It feels good to be back. :)
DeleteWelcome back! Gah, I certainly understand how life and family sucks up all the personal time we hoped to use for writing and blogging. I cringe every time a Wednesday comes around because I would like to post a blog post, but I've also got so much more to do...
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you're back on track for regaining the community you had. I'm happy to see you here!
I'm happy to see you, too. :)
DeleteIt sounds as if your plate has been more than full. I hope that you can, as Alex says, claim a whole lot more me time.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying!
DeleteIt's so great to see you! Real life has to take precedence, so it's not surprising people have to disappear from the blogosphere. It's nice when someone's able to come back.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is. :)
DeleteTotally understand. The best advice I have is to write something, even if it's about what you have for breakfast that day and ask what you should eat the rest of the week. People love hearing from you. So don't sweat the what right now. Just write and worry about the what as your mojo comes back.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree, but I hate posting if I don't have time to make return visits, or at least reply to comments.
DeleteDive into something new. You write such wonderful romances.
ReplyDeleteBlogging is slower, but not dead. I've been at it for almost 15 years now.
Thank you! I've wondered if you sneak a peek what you format. Now I know! LOL
DeleteDiane, I'm upset, you beat my blogging years, thought I was one of the longest still at it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone, do try and find some "me" time - you do work a lot of hours and also find some writing time. I always enjoyed your writing.
Thank you, Jo.
Deletewelcome back! I also enjoy the camaraderie of the blogosphere. I think you'll up to full speed in no time.
ReplyDeleteI hope so. My desire to get out of debt, and thus my working overtime shifts, is also battling with my writing time. Ug! There's always something.
DeleteWelcome back! And all the best with your writing.
ReplyDeleteGreat to see you back! There are still a few of us around here so I think the community spirit will be here for a while yet. Good luck with your writing and blogging efforts.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Maybe there are more of you still blogging than I realize. I hope so. :)
DeleteI'm so glad to see you back! I treasure this little community we have and hope it will continue for quite a while yet. Best of luck getting back to where you want to be with writing and blogging. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteThanks. It's good to see all of you again.
DeleteYep, there are times where the writing gets set aside by lefe events. Hopefully, when things clear up you'll have plenty of writing ideas ready to explode onto the page.
ReplyDeleteI hope so. I seem more distracted than I used to be. It's not as easy as it was back then.
Deletewow, you’ve been through so much! good to hear you’ve come out on top, especially with your kids—they come first! and i’m with you on keeping blogging alive, i don’t know how i blogged every day for a couple of years! guess it was an outlet, crazy times. glad you’re back!
ReplyDeleteTara Tyler Talks
One thing that is worse about not having kids in public school is that they all come and go at different times now. I get distracted more throughout the day instead of having a set block of time with them all gone. Maybe that's how I did it back then.
DeleteWelcome back, Melissa!
ReplyDeleteI too have fond memories of the Platform Building Campaigns... was it hosted by Rachel Harrie, I think?
It was a great concept.
Blogging may have slowed down a bit, but it's still alive!
I love blogging even though I don't have much time to blog on a regular basis. I only blog once a month for the monthly IWSG hop.
Welcome back, Melissa. You certainly had an adventure last few years. All the best for future.
ReplyDeleteHi Melissa,
ReplyDeleteWe are ALL in the same boat. I started blogging TEN years ago! It was very different back then. There was no Amazon books... Book retailers like B&N, Borders, etc. were flourishing. We all had hoped to see our books on their shelves. Now it's Amazons top ten...
Hopefully blogging will never die. Yes, it takes more time, but, like you, I learned so much from this wonderful community!