When I looked at today’s topic*, this morning, my mind went blank.
If I can’t handle a free topic, does this mean I won’t be able to blog once this month is over, and there are no more daily topics to write to?
It will be strange to not have to think about blogging. It will have been two months of daily blogging challenges, will I know what to do with myself when it’s over?
Will I be so relieved at not having to blog that I’ll quit?
And you’ll note I said blogging not writing. Even if I quit blogging I have so much writing to do before this year is over. All work-related. (Maybe that’s why these blogging challenges have been fun, some writing that’s not for work.)
When did this happen, when did my job become so much about writing?
At library school I don’t think there was much emphasis on the fact that when you work in a library, the chances are very high that 1) you won’t ever be called on to catalogue anything, ever, and 2) you will need to be able to speak in public (delivering classes to your clients, or training sessions to your colleagues, for instance), and 3) if you can’t cope with having to learn a lot and very quickly, you will suffer. Oh, and also, that you will need to write lots. Reports and briefing papers and business cases and of course email. I won’t dismiss email as part of the writing task you will have to do, because writing good, clear, concise email is so important.
So anyway, I enjoy and value these blogging challenges as they help me focus more on my writing and put me in the habit of choosing my words, and redrafting and rewriting things.
I do wonder, how many people handwrite their posts before putting them up on their blogs? I’m sure this is very inefficient of me! But I do love to sit with my notebook, pen in hand, nib gliding across the page and thoughts slowly spilling out. Even if it is slower than typing.
~~~~~
*Today’s topic: “Write about whatever you want to”.