Here’s to a Livelier Lively Muse

I confess. These last few years I’ve been struggling with creating and sustaining a regular blogging practice. Scores of writers and artists and coaches create lively, entertaining, interesting, and beautiful blogs and they make it look so easy. I want one, too. So when I saw a post on Facebook that my friend and talented artist Jane LaFazio had signed up for the self-study version of Blog Triage with Cynthia Morris and Alyson Stanfield, I signed up, too.

The first assignment was to describe the people I want to visit and read my blog—age, background, geographic location; all those demographic details that help us define our readers. This is what I wrote:

Writers or those who want to write aren’t of any certain age or background, they don’t live in any particular region (except, perhaps in their imagination; the world of ideas and language), all races and many degrees of coolness; experienced, inexperienced, semi-experienced. Pajama-wearers, stilettos, Vans. Keyboarders and writers-by-hand. There’s no demographic that invites immediate links to images of style or culture or geographic location. We’re primarily English-language speakers, that’s something besides writing we have in common.

The assignment asked what other interests readers of my blog and I have in common. I created this list, which is pretty much the basis of what I’ll be blogging about.

  • How-to’s, why-to’s, when-to’s and what if’s about writing and writing practice
  • Tips and suggestions and guidelines and probably some exercises.
  • Writing accoutrements, cool places to write, great programs and apps.
  • Books about writing and events that celebrate writing and books.
  • All things writing practice, including evocative prompts.
  • Gossip. Not mean-girl gossip, but fun, interesting notes on all things literary.
  • Quirky, interesting things about writers and books and the writing process.
  • Writing retreats and contests and places to go to write and meet other writers.
  • Guest posts and interviews with other writers.
  • Interesting items about libraries, bookstores, and other writing-centered places.
  • Excerpts and examples of good writing and links to even more.
  • What else? I’ll ask. I hope readers will tell me what interests them. (Will you?)

Are they comfortable with the blog format? the teachers ask. Probably many more than me; I’m still learning, exploring. And I expect some are in the same place as me—wanting to know more, but still a little shy. And there are those who I’ve been learning from all these years.

Will they comment? I hope so. I’d like The Lively Muse to be a place where dialogues can begin, where I can hear what others have to say, discover new and interesting stuff, and expand my community. I’ve been part of a vibrant in-person writing community for more than twenty years; I want to expand it to include this exciting, though sometimes overwhelming, tsunami of social media.

So, here’s my commitment to creating a more vibrant, more interactive, and much more frequently posted to, blog. Here’s to a livelier Lively Muse.

Are you a regular writing practitioner? Do you hang out in the blogosphere? I’d love to have your comments, thoughts, opinions.

Thanks for taking the time to read.