Nov
11
2011
Logy’s First Anniversary

Would you have preferred a clock?


Becoming a Writer

I attended a blogging workshop before starting Logy Express. First thing, the instructor asked for a show of hands, “How many of you are writers?” She might as well have asked me to explain quantum mechanics, I was so stymied by this question.

I envy children, who answer these types of questions with an enthusiastic “Yes!” because they haven’t developed self-consciousness about talent yet. Most everyone immediately raised their hands while I considered my response options. If I raised my hand, did that indicate writing was my profession (it isn’t), or that I claimed to have writing talent? I decided I was not a “writer.” Which was good, because by the time I’d finished thinking about it, I had missed the opportunity to say yes.

The instructor looked perplexed, “OK, how many of you aren’t writers?”

I raised my hand along with one other guy. She sighed tiredly.

The guy planned to start a visual arts blog, so he would share pictures rather than text. Sharing text was apparently all the instructor had meant by “writing.”

Oops.

She clarified that I planned on typing words into a computer and then clicking “publish.” Voila! I was a writer (and a moron).

Year One of Logy Express

I had trouble articulating my goals when I started writing. The workshop instructor suggested we have goals and offered several examples:

  • Reach a million followers
  • Land a book deal
  • Get paid to write about cupcake tasting (OK, so I made that one up).

Since I’d only been informed I was a writer a few minutes earlier, the calibration of these goals seemed a touch off. I had a vague sense of wanting to find my voice and connect with people. Not necessarily a million people, but definitely more than my husband and my Mom.  

The internet is vast and it is challenging and time-consuming to carve out space in it, so much that I’ve asked myself several times this year if it’s worth the energy. I’d read tips like: “be patient,” “be yourself,” “don’t publish posts with typos.” So it was easy for me to get frustrated when I read posts elsewhere with mistakes and only fair to middlin’ (as my Dad would say) content that got  dozens of comments like: “Brilliant,” “You’re so funny,” “You should write a book!”

I would feel like I could write a post that’s the equivalent of juggling knives while defeating a fire-breathing dragon and discovering the cure for cancer, while simultaneously fellating Dave and riding a unicycle backwards and still only get a few hits. And at most one or two comments from people who would never visit again saying “Great post, stopped by from the unicycling fellatio group.”

Luckily writing a blog means reading blogs and I’ve found many bloggers who amuse and inspire me. I’ve gained more clarity about what I want and had the excitement of having a post featured by WordPress that resonated with some people. I am so grateful for everyone who has stopped by this year and offered their thoughts and experiences. I’m not always quick to respond to comments but I voraciously read and value each one (well, maybe not the token unicycling fellatio group comments).

I hope you all stick around for a while. I’ll keep the fridge stocked with cold beverages for you. I also plan on sprucing up the place very soon. I think Logy Express deserves to look prettier.

As one of my new favorite bloggers said about what I’m writing here: “I’m just getting going and I’d like to be going faster.”

If anyone has suggestions for things you would like me to write about, please let me know. And I would consider it a great anniversary present if you’d stop by on Facebook and Twitter as well as hanging out here.

Like Be the first one who likes this post!

, , , ,

21 Responses to “Logy’s First Anniversary”

  1. Margaret
    Friday, November 11, 2011 at 11:08 pm #

    Thanks for making me laugh out loud.

    • logyexpress
      Tuesday, November 15, 2011 at 11:38 pm #

      Thanks for letting me know! Thanks for helping me with writing ideas.

  2. cinquecentoproject
    Saturday, November 12, 2011 at 2:33 am #

    Happy Anniversary!

    Brilliant post! (tongue in cheek – hee hee) – It is a great post, that was an example of how sarcasm can so easily fail in writing, I was mimicking the comments you talked about on other blogs. Anyway, I can’t wait to read more and more and see how you pretty up the lovely green motif here.

    Cheers!

    • logyexpress
      Tuesday, November 15, 2011 at 11:40 pm #

      Ha! I say “great post” a lot too, because it’s hard to come up with a ton of different compliments. But I usually try to say a little something more too!

      Thanks for reading, Jill! I appreciate the company in here.

  3. Tracy
    Saturday, November 12, 2011 at 11:06 am #

    You’re awesome…and you’re definitely a writer!

    • logyexpress
      Tuesday, November 15, 2011 at 11:43 pm #

      Thanks, Tracy!

      This whole “am I a writer thing” reminds me of that scene in Pretty Woman where Richard Gere tells Julia Roberts it took him ten thousand dollars in therapy to say he was “very angry with his father.”

      It took me a year of writing to say I’m a writer.

  4. Lance
    Sunday, November 13, 2011 at 9:54 am #

    Happy Anniversary, writer.

    I like your blog a lot. This post is symbolic of why. Can’t wait to see the second year.

    • logyexpress
      Tuesday, November 15, 2011 at 11:44 pm #

      Thanks, Lance! I really appreciate this. Let’s both keep it going!

  5. JT
    Sunday, November 13, 2011 at 6:17 pm #

    Happy Blogoversary!
    Sorry about the typo 😉

    • logyexpress
      Tuesday, November 15, 2011 at 11:46 pm #

      Thanks, JT! I’m pretty anal, but I’m sure there have been typos or mistakes that have slipped by my crazy editing compulsion. At least once, b/c someone was kind enough to tell me in comments.

  6. margaretalmon
    Sunday, November 13, 2011 at 8:49 pm #

    Very cool that the first year is done, and you have plans for the future.

    • logyexpress
      Tuesday, November 15, 2011 at 11:47 pm #

      Thanks, Margaret! At this point, I have no shortage of ideas, only time. Need to become a more efficient writer!

  7. Katie
    Tuesday, November 15, 2011 at 11:20 pm #

    Happy Anniversary, friend!!! You’re definitely a writer, and a great one at that. Here’s to another great year of great writing 🙂

    • logyexpress
      Tuesday, November 15, 2011 at 11:50 pm #

      Thanks, Katie. That means a lot to me. I love reading your blog.

  8. Mary Ann
    Wednesday, November 16, 2011 at 7:04 pm #

    Congratulations on having a blog for a year! That is quite an accomplishment. Thanks for the laugh too!

    • logyexpress
      Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 6:23 pm #

      Thanks, Mary Ann! For some reason I had to rescue your comment from the spam folder. Glad I checked it.

  9. Kristine Duffey
    Sunday, November 20, 2011 at 11:48 am #

    Happy Anniversary and congratulations! Yep, it seems many of us are feeling our way around and learning what’s interesting as we write. Good luck on year 2!

    • logyexpress
      Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at 12:19 am #

      Thanks, Kristine! I feel lucky in that I have lots of ideas for things to write about, so hopefully I’ll find more time to write in year 2.

  10. besidealife
    Sunday, November 27, 2011 at 11:32 am #

    Happy Anniversary! Yours is one of the first blogs I started following after becoming a blogger myself. Thanks for the inspiration!

    Bring on year 2!!!

    • logyexpress
      Wednesday, November 30, 2011 at 12:57 am #

      Thanks for the kind words, Cindy! I’m glad I found your blog (or that you found mine and thus I found yours, or whatever…).

  11. besidealife
    Wednesday, November 30, 2011 at 5:33 pm #

    “Whatever” works 😉

Leave a Reply to logyexpress Click here to cancel reply.

Your Email address will be kept private.