My Blogging Career

*If only it was, if only I could hang up my building site boots and my Hi-vis, pack away my tape measure and theodolite and head off permanently to my writing shed (I haven’t got one yet, here’s hoping)

I stumbled across this post via Fandango who in turn answered the questions from Calm Kate at Aroused so thats the formalities completed, what now follows is the meat in the sandwich, the flesh on the bones, the chick peas in the humous. Several questions posed:

From what lead you to start?

I have always written when on holiday, starting off as a dreary and then morphing into something other; thoughts and observations, seeing this happen is pleasing and so I sought to replicate that in a daily blog about the woods where I live and the friends who I walk my dog with in the morning, we talk a lot of utter twaddle on this walks and I thought the world needs to know! Hence theministryofshrawleywalks was born, a year ago Jan 2nd 2018.

Has your motivation changed since starting?

I don’t think so, I still write about the woods, document the seasons with photos and on the day to day posts always include a song from youtube, not sure if folk overseas can use the link but I guess that is part of the magic; not knowing who or where the readers may come from. I have found my self reading the stats maybe a bit too much because my aim is to reach more people, i’ve found replying to prompts and questions like this one helps with these, I like to see the visitors figures climb, and this will only happen if I write so I guess the bottom line is to get on my laptop and write something, the blogosphere doesn’t run on empty pages.

What has the experience been like?

Its been amazing fun, i’ve met people through the comments, there’s a real sense of community here, and I feel I belong; I’ve got my own little corner of the internet which I own and that makes me quite proud of what I’ve achieved for my self, and what I’ve learnt from the many sage folk out there.

Have you learnt anything?

Loads of stuff, above all to just say what you want, if people don’t like what you say they can turn art off and as long as you’re not a nasty blogger full of vitriol and bile then anything goes, I think folk respect truthfulness and can see through the lies.

Has your writing style changed?

I’m not sure, I think I can write my way out of a paper bag nowadays, however it does depend on my getting enough sleep and finding the time to write without annoying Mrs T. I think my writing style is competent, but my goal is to write with rhythm, to carry the reader on and to make the prose effortless to read, I guess that’s everyones goal.

Are you planning to write a novel or are you already published?

I’ve started something, about 40000 words, when I sprained my ligament in my ankle and was off work for a month. But its finding the time, I’d have to leave my blog alone and I think this would impact my muse; even in the early days I would get twitchy if I hadn’t fed the WordPress beast on a daily basis, so departing to continue my big story would need strategic planning and careful discussion with my self, my family and my bank manager if I were to stop work!

What advice would you give to a new blogger?

Keep on keeping on. Write about what interests you and what makes you laugh, life’s so full of shit politically and socially at macro level right now, I’d say keep it personal; I think people care if the lego man I place in a metal plough tooth at the entrance has been removed, stolen, this shit matters.

And please don’t forget to mention some of the highlights along the way – such as the people you’ve met, things you’ve learnt …

2 Highlights are definitely Fandango’s one word challenge and Friday Fictioneers hosted by the wonderful Rochelle, Ive been bastardising children’s fairy tales and stories for about 6 months now, check them out on my blog, theres no index you just have to scroll down and look for them but they are clearly titles. That is one thing I possibly need to do, sort out the format of the blog but there again if I can work it out so can you!