From Book to Blog

I can't tell the first time I started to write stories and poems. I always loved writing and figured because of my talent, I was called to do something in that area. I wrote poems for competitions, as gifts for persons and as a get away from the world. So it was not surprising when I felt inspired to write a book. At the age of 18, I wrote a book called 'Dear daughter, listen...'.  It was about me telling my future daughter(s) and all other females my experiences as a teenager. The good, the awkward and the ugly. As teenagers, you don't get a manual for what to do or what to avoid. If you're not fortunate to have a present mother, a mother who would guide you and tell you about her experiences or have a mother at all, then sometimes it can be frustrating. I share quite often that I learned the most from situations when others were transparent with me and told me their experiences. 'Dear daughter listen..., is supposed to be that book for me to share.'

By the age of 20, I was sure the book was complete. Then I found more to write about. Then 21 came and that finished feeling came again. It was at the age of 22 that I realize that maybe writing a book will not be enough. With blogs, I can update regularly if I need to. I can communicate with my audience and I can share the platform with others so they can share their stories. If you, like myself, have wondered about writing a book or a blog then look at some points that I have discovered about blogs. 

• With a blog, you can have a constant dialogue with your readers. 

• You can edit what you've written easily if needs be

• You can share your platform with others 

• It is so much easier and cheaper to do a blog by yourself rather than publishing or self-publishing

• One thing I feared regarding the publishing of my book was not having a large audience. The audience would first need to purchase my book before they could benefit from it's wisdom. But with a blog not only can the audience access my insight, experience and feelings for free but I would benefit from a deep connection with them because of the easier medium and mode of our interaction.

• it is time-consuming to keep up to date with postings especially if it is not your primary job

• if it is all about making money for you then it is harder because you will have to make great effort to get the traffic you need to make the amount of you want.

With all this said though, I do strongly believe that eventually I will publish my book for girls and it would be something I am absolutely pleased with. Sometimes turning away from what you always wanted to do gives you a sense of incompleteness but my boyfriend said it perfectly. He said,

'A pivot from an initial plan teaches us that there may be road blocks but it may not be an absolute end only a new beginning with a new direction.'

Eventually I think I may publish my book but for now let's blog!