Recently, I read a blog about why authors shouldn’t blog.

Huh?

The creator, also an author who blogs, made some valid points; albeit in their blog which breaks their rule of not blogging. But I digress.

Alongside how blogging takes away valuable time from writing books and can habituate poor writing, they made a very startlingly interesting point—you don’t sell books by blogging.

Well, my dear readers, while these points are true, and I honor the fact that this author had a very clever share, I can’t stop blogging. So, you’re stuck with me putting my fanciful thoughts on the web. Casual grammatical style aside, I like to pull back the curtain, so to speak, and offer a few thoughts that might provoke questions, feedback, and yes, inspire the author in you.

Conversely, here are three additional reasons I choose to blog.

I’m a reader. I love reading just about anything. From the Wall Street Journal to Harvard Business Review, and People Magazine to The Reader’s Digest. You can tell that I also love to read a wide variety of books and yes, blogs. I’m always interested in learning a little more about people after I read their books. This means I pop onto their website and look at their blog and discover what they’ve been up to lately or what they like to do for fun. The “why” of their books and their characters and what they do with their time besides writing is interesting to me. As I learn more about them through their blogs and interviews, not only do I get to “know” my favorite authors a little better, but I feel like I’m meeting a new friend. 

I dig inspiration. You know that feeling that comes over you when you walk into a craft store, office supply emporium, gourmet food shop, or my favorite, The Container Store. You get inspired like crazy to rush home and create something or make your environment a little tastier, organized, and enjoyable. When I blog, the ideas come flowing out for books and characters and even other blogs. My fingers are skittering over the keyboards as my brain is whirling with inspiration. So much so that I’m paid to write blogs for other authors too (shhhhh).

I like conversing. When I blog, I imagine sitting down with you—reader, writer, author—and having a frank conversation about what’s on my mind. Yes, it isn’t really a conversation if I’m doing all the talking but still a form of interaction, especially when readers write back in the comments (hint hint!). Blogging takes me out of my author’s chair, literally (I move to a different location with a different laptop), where I sink onto a comfy club chair to enjoy an indulgent drink and a little conversation with my readers—you!

Back to the original questions: To Blog or Not to Blog? I think it’s clear. Blogging is my M.O. Is it yours?