"Something is nagging at me to write," I heard from more than one attendee at my Writing Your Memoir workshop a few weekends ago. Some even commented on how they felt pestered to write even though they didn't even know yet what topics to address.

Art is often like that. It can nag and pester you to attend to it, even if we are not sure what it is we are intended to produce.

Carrie and Veronica enjoying their writing time at the Writing Your Memoir workshop in June

Blogging is a great way to dip your toes into the writing waters. It used to be that the only way to get your work into the world was to write articles for smaller newspapers and weekly’s. Not anymore. Now you can write and “publish” to your heart’s content, all on a free blog. And although I usually write about food and agriculture, having my own blog allows me to discuss what I want when I want (like giving tips on writing!).

There are at least five reasons to blog, even if what you think you ultimately should do is write a book.

Blogging can help you find your voice

Getting into the habit of writing helps to refine your tone and style. And when you set a schedule for yourself to post a blog every 1-2 weeks, your writing begins to start sounding more like you, and less like you think you should sound.

Explore topics to see if they "feel right"

Because writing a blog is free and the barriers to entry are low, blogging allows you to explore a range of topics to see which ones fit your tastes best. It also gives you practice in editing down your work so that you are only tackling one concept at a time.

Get on track to write more consistently

Nothing—and I mean nothing—gets a writer in the habit of writing more than actually writing. All the books and classes in the world about writing will never be better for your work than actually practicing the craft week after week. A blog gives you a routine and allows you to form a habit.

Blogs teach you to address big topics in bite-sized chunks.

Blogs are short. This means you have to take bigger issues like climate change, music, or your life and divide them into digestible chunks, just like you would do with chapters in a book. It helps you learn to write in a more concise manner—one of the hardest writing skills to learn.

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In other words, blogging is for anyone who wants to write!

Our next writing class, Writing a Compelling Blog, will be held July 13, 2024. In it, I will share with you ways to get started on Substack (this free blogging website) as well as journalistic tips to help structure your writing (and make it easier to write great content). Then we will leave time for you to get going with your writing and chart out your first few posts. Plus, as always at Whippoorwill School (at Whippoorwill Creek Farm) delicious food will be served throughout!