First Posts

First posts are the most difficult to write. At least, that’s what my opinion is.

I’ve had several blogs in the past at various blog hosting sites. With each one, deciding on what to write and what voice to use in that first piece has always been mind-wrenching for me. Do I introduce myself? Do I give a general description of what I was to convey in the blog as time goes on? Or would it be better if I just start with an article as if I’ve had this blog for a while?

I’ve done the first post in all the ways I mentioned above. After mulling over these questions for a while, I’ve decided to tell you about why I’ve chosen to readdress my readers here at WordPress as if I was starting a new blog. So try to think of this as a first post. Seeing it’s the beginning of a new year, you should be able to think of this as at least a new post of a new year. Right?

This blog has been dormant for three months. In the past, it’s been all about writing. In fact, my entire existence in the blogosphere was overwhelmed with the writing craft. My intention was to use the blog as a sort of journal in hopes of finding spontaneous help for my Works-in-Progress and my skills in the field. It didn’t turn out as well as I had anticipated. Still, during the time I’ve had this blog [roughly five years], I have learned some valuable information about writing and the online writing community.

But as I stated, my blog was overrun with text about writing, its struggles, and my ineptitude in the endeavor of writing. Because I can’t consider myself an expert in this field [not by a long shot], my blog had become prosaic at best. The blog had become so acutely focused on the craft, I could almost see the knots of tangles forming, sending my blog into a deep black hole of boredom. I went back and read a few of the posts other day and almost put myself to sleep. Sure, I could rework them and I might just do that, but not right now.

WordPress.Com has been my favorite blogging host/platform for many years. They have beautiful themes, some that are free and most of them flexible in design. I don’t think I’ve even had a technical issue with the site in all that time, although if I did, it must have been solved easily because I don’t remember it. Most of the bloggers I know are either at WordPress.Com or are using the company’s software at another site. No, I didn’t pay for any of the bells or whistles like some have done. I haven’t felt the need to.

Recently, WordPress.Com has changed. The newer themes don’t have the flexibility the older ones have. They are trying to con me into paying for what I have gotten for free for all these years. The navigation throughout the site was exasperating at first. What was wrong with the way they used to have it?

I went in search of another free blog hosting site. It felt, for a while, I had found a home at Bloggers but ended up having multitudes of problems with themes, layouts, and Feedburner. I also took a peek at LiveJournal and Dreamwidth. Talk about restrictive!

I went back to WordPress and strolled through all the free themes they had that I could get to. Yes, that’s right. There are themes I am not allowed to use because of when I signed up for my blog. From what I understand [which may be very little], all members of WordPress.Com are having to put up with this. Anyway, I settled on an old theme, which is what you are observing right now.

My passion is still writing so expect the topic to be visited regularly. But, believe me, it won’t be the only one. I am hoping that some readers gracing this blog will give me some ideas for articles. Will you be one of them?

><

Anyway…

~ Happy New Year! ~

[Yes, I know I’m a little late.]

If you’re not following this blog, I hope you will consider it. [You can subscribe up above in the sidebar.]