Writing Blog Number 2

20240227 Why Am I Doing This?

WHY AM I DOING THIS?

Okay, I was asked this question yesterday (my time) and it got me thinking.... Sorry... what question?

Why are you writing a blog about writing for a website about writing where hardly anyone reads it and even less would care about it? (For the record, it was not a question asked here on WdC, but by someone who asked what I was working when they saw me typing at the library.)

I do say that I am in "pay it forward" mode. This means I have received help in the past (and even now - people reading a novel who are giving vital feedback - continue to help me) and am now giving what little help I may be able to do to others.

It makes me feel like my existence here is not worthless.

There is another reason why I do it. I do it because if all writers improve, then all writing is seen as better, and we are all taken more seriously by association. In this day and age of so much easy online publishing and even self-publishing, if what people put out there is poorly written and edited, everyone is tarred also by association.

This is not me saying all self-publishing is poorly written and edited! This is me stating that it is less likely (not impossible; definitely not - see James, EL - just less likely) that trad publishing is poorly edited and poorly written! But this is more about blogs, Medium articles, social media and other forms of purely online writing!

What I am saying is that we all owe it to ourselves and our profession to ensure everyone is as good as they can be in all aspects of writing.

So that is why I am doing this blog. Selfish - to make me feel like I am doing something - and altruistic - helping people who cannot help me.