Writing/everything is hard

So, “restarting my blog” went well, didn’t it?

I had a bit of a writing hiatus during December, but January feels better.

Had my first taste of publisher rejection before Christmas (wrote a short story back in October for an anthology, which was “borderline” but not quite right). The first in a long line of disappointments, which is half the fun of being A Writer.

Started another story about a manipulative priestess and a giant crab. One day a publisher will appreciate my talent and send me a limo pfffff.

Genuinely good; I won 1st prize for Flash Fiction and 2nd for Poetry in a competition at Nottingham Writer’s Studio. I am so proud of my wee trophy! The hardest thing for me is just getting started, so events are a great motivator.

I’ve got a couple of fun things to write for Left Lion too over the next month. I like to think stuff like this is my “real job”…

2018 resolutions are Fitter, Happier, More Productive. And get published (ha).

Did you die?

Is blogging dead too?

I hope not, but social media made blogging redundant for a “casual” blogger like me. I found it easier to stick a few photos/words on Facebook or Twitter, rather than spend time fleshing out a big beautiful blog post about my week.

Why are you doing a blog post then?

I write about law now! To remedy this, I have joined a writers' group and write weird fiction in my spare time. Social media posts aren’t very satisfying - I want to torture my three followers on Blogger with some long reads.

What delightful things can we expect?

Just the usual boring stuff I used to blog about. Television programmes, beauty products, what I like for dinner etc. You may also get some mildly interesting stuff like book reviews and local event write ups (I live in a city now!).

Is that it then?

Yes, that’s it. I am a world famous blogger once again.

Blogging versus Tumblelogging.

Quite like this blogging lark. It's probably a phase, but it's an enjoyable one. Brushing the tricky concept of putting everything you ever thought/said/did all over the internet, for everyone, forever, everywhere.

All internet publishing could be interpreted as attention-seeking to a degree, in particular blogging perhaps, but I think I mostly post interesting things... THOUGH I SAY SO MYSELF!

But. "Which is better, Blogger or Tumblr?"

I use Tumblr more, with about 20 posts opposed to just 9 on Blogger. But that's the difference between them for me; Tumblr is the scrapbook where you scribble thoughts and collect pictures and go this is good, look at this thing I've found. Blogger is better for traditional blogging (no shit Sherlock), recording things that YOU have made or done, taking the time to write more than a few words. Like a secret diary, one that everyone with a computer can look at.

If you remember learning about primary and secondary sources in English, it's something like that I guess.

Personally I use Blogger for posting original images or pieces of writing that I consider good enough to stand alone. I filter what is 'worthy'. Tumblr is more about sharing; it gets everything my Blogger does, and then some.

The platforms themselves?

Blogger's control panel does not seem to occupy the rules of logic, time or space. And the interface is UGLY. But it has been around longer, is less pretentious, has a simple archiving system with TITLES and I can usually expect to find focused, original, quality work on there. It is however rumoured to be changing it's name to "Google Blogs", which sounds absolutely disgusting and I will probably leave.

Tumblr is gorgeous, busy and fluid. Busy as in you leave it for a day and you have a bagillion notifications saying who has reblogged your blog. Reblogging and recycling is not frowned upon on Tumblr, infact most people's archives are filled with content they've found elsewhere. More quantity than quality? It also crashed my internet browser, but works like a dream with Google Chrome. Oh the irony.

Oh well, fact is I can't choose. They're both good in their own way and they both keep me writing and my brain working. It's probably a bit unhealthy actually, I've got to the point where I sleep with my notepad.

That's my input, now back to spooky pictures I've found and stoopid dreams I've had.

http://nataliesarthouse.tumblr.com