Once again I sat curled up in bed, my iPad resting on a pillow and with lightening speed I clicked through the blogs. A post idea ignited in my brain and I switched to my own page and my fingers tapped away frantically. Beneath the pillow I felt the heat of the iPad burning and my fingers became scorched as I touched the keys. Repeatedly I tried to stop but my compulsion to finish my post was relentless. Just then I saw it – the top right corner of my iPad smouldering into searing molten plastic. I tugged at it gently and part of my tablet peeled away between my fingers.

With a scream I woke myself and in panic looked for my disintegrated iPad. Quickly realising it was all a nightmare I lay back on my pillow and wondered. Might I be enjoying this blogging experience a little too much?

No way!

I started this blog as a way to share my novel writing journey. Quickly it became much more; providing a chance not only to share the ups and downs of my writing but also an opportunity to relate my own private musings as well as exchanging interesting information, book reviews and anecdotes as well as inspirational ideas.

The writing of the posts is invigorating – such a welcome relief from my novel as well as being so versatile and variable. However, writing and posting my own blogs is only a small part of the blogging experience.

Reading, liking and commenting on other blogs has become an integral and important part of my day. Not only is my isolation as a writer eradicated, the wide range of other posts are often not only informative but often stimulating. Many are accompanied with stunning photographs that cannot fail to brighten the greyest of days.

From around the world come uplifting stories, spiritual ones, funny humorous  blogs accompanied with hilarious images and captions. In contrast there are highly interesting literary ‘essays’ as well as educational posts. I read the numerous book reviews with relish, enjoying their diverse styles and learning so much more about new books available.

Whilst I am following a wide range of bloggers my main cohort is drawn from the writing community and I am eager to learn from my fellow writers.

Self-publishing is an extremely popular topic and I devour and often save the advice and hints offered. Who knows, one day I might need to brush up on these skills! Furthermore there are many posts on practical writing issues such as editing and grammar; always a useful nudge to pay attention. On the creative front I value the many and varied writing prompts posted, at times a phrase or image kick-starting a sentence or idea.

It’s always a joy to read about other people’s success; to see their books, to read the interviews of their writing ventures, as well as learning about their woes and difficulties with self-promotion. New phrases are bounded around with cult enthusiasm and I am now proud to understand what ‘Thunderclap’ and the like are all about.

Finally there are many profound thoughtful blogs created which focus on difficulties of life, illness and loss. What gains my attention and admiration is that they all eschew victimhood and rather take a positive control of their lives in an artistically inspirational manner.

What all the posts have in common is the ability to touch people intellectually, emotionally and/or spiritually. This is something I strive to achieve through my blog – for my words to truly touch my readers. To raise a smile on someone’s face, to teach someone something new and interesting that day, to reaffirm someone’s idea or belief.

As I reached for my iPad today it is in the safe knowledge it will not burn out, melt apart in my hands. Rather it is, as always, a most useful tool for sharing and communicating. With a satisfactory safe click I will join you all out there. Look forward to hearing from you soon.

Until then; Thank you for reading my blog. Thank you for sharing your posts.

‘In a gentle way, you can shake the world.’

Mahatma Ghandi

Current Word Count of First Draft: 68,363