I started Spinning in October, 2003. I have posted some 2500 entries, 2200 here at Spinning, the rest on a couple of dedicated writing weblogs. As all of you know, when the time for a paid weblog comes up for renewal, we pause and do some serious thinking. It’s not just the money–I could switch to a free service if I want, though I do feel at home here at Typepad and with the current design. But the time is as tight as the money right now.
There have been loads of changes here, in tone, in content, in thought. Like a lot of us, I see the readers come down to a precious few, commenting down to even fewer who care enough about either what I’ve revealed in my personal life–and that’s been a problem for me, since I can’t seem to keep things to myself since my fingers found a means of expression–or my deep interest and ruminations about what I’ve read, what I’m reading. It is possible that I could use a blog for literary purposes and keep in touch with the friends I’ve come to meet through blogging with e-mails instead. But that still doesn’t help the time issue.
On the other hand, I don’t know that breaking the addiction to blogging would not be as hard as say, giving up smoking, or following a strict diet or exercise regimen. I tend to have an obsessive personality and wonder how much more time I would have for doing all the other things that life imposes as responsibility if I didn’t spend so much time both writing here, and reading other weblogs. I love this, but what does it do for me in time and effort and cost if I coud be more productive in areas that count.
Time to think.
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology
I’ve recently suspended my own blog for similar concerns, and understand your question. Your blog has always been well written, and as much as I would hate to lose you in my “blog rounds”, I can certainly understand the need to reevaluate and make the decision that works best for you in the long run.
I also thought it would be difficult to “break the habit”, but with the time constraints such as they are, I’ve found that it gave me a bit more space to interact in that other world that exists outside of blogging. I miss the friendship and camaraderie (I miss it dearly), but then I have to remind myself that I was an island before blogging, and returning to the island is not such a bad thing.
Your choice has to be the one that best suits your internal struggle. To continue to speak while no one is listening is sometimes tough, but to silence the voice might be worse. Good luck in making your own decision.
If you do leave the world of blogging, let me be the first to say that you would be missed. I’ve rarely come across a blog that pulls me in and makes me ponders questions that before might be invisible to me; your voice is one I admire. The simple things, and the ones that are too complicated for contemplation. Your tentative, yet stark revelations. The stories imbedded within your words. All these are things that have given me much personal appreciation for your writing. You speak, and you listen.
Blog-wise or otherwise, that sounds like friendship.
Good words from Brain Crayons.
My suggestion is to keep the habit but make the habit work for you. Report, analyse, and keep that word processor smoking.
What ntexas99 wrote, and to add to it: your blog is an outlet for all that is inside you, and letting it out in this medium is not a bad thing, nor is it non-productive. Spinning is a conduit for your creative fires that is read by many of us who, though we may not comment or do so but infrequently, would indeed miss reading all you have shared in this space.
As far as cost is concerned, there is always the option of moving to a free blogging program such as blogger.com
Susan, yours is a unique voice in the blogging world. You make me think, you make me laugh, you make me write, and sometimes you make me cry. Whatever you do, do it for yourself and the reasons that work best for you. But know if you do decide to go, that you will be missed and that you have contributed intelligence and interest to a world flooded with trivia.
And don’t you dare lose touch with me!
Thanks, guys. I have another month here, and then I’ll look into Blogger and maybe set up a shop of sorts. But if I do, it’ll have to have a time clock at the front door to punch in and out; I guess I need some structure and limits.
Looks like I’ve got some friends out here. Beautiful words and thoughts–thank you.