Monday, October 10, 2005

Getting down to business

I'm in a spot of trouble. With blogging, that is. I started blogging less than two months ago. Everyday saw a new post, sometimes two. If you'd told me a month ago that I'll run out of steam, I wouldn't have believed it was possible. Now I do.

One reason why I'd been able to spend so much time on blogging is this : No. 1 was busy studying for PMR and we banned him from the computer for the last six weeks. So with the main competition out of the way, I practically had a monopoly on the computer. Tomorrow is the last day of PMR. No. 1 will be back shooting aliens and clobbering funny cartoon characters with a vengeance.

Now here's the numero uno reason : Time meant for serious writing was eaten up by blogging. By serious writing, I mean writing stuff that can earn dollars and cents. As it is my output is already diminishing. On top of that, the novel that I'd been working on has been on the back-burner. I had managed to write almost 70,000 words from March to June this year. July and August were spent dilly-dallying over how to rewrite the crappy first draft. Late August saw my foray into blogging which spelt bad news for the work-in-progress.

Now with Nanowrimo fever heating up, I felt some urgency to rework my novel. I don't intend to sign up for the one-month novel-writing stint. November is not a good month for me as it's school hols. Besides, I don't want to start another new work.

Today I'd been thinking hard about curtailing my blogging. I don't feel like giving it up altogether as I'd come to enjoy the camaraderie that exists among bloggers, some from halfway across the globe. Being a write-from-home mum, I have limited contact with adults from the outside world and blogging has certainly widened my circle of online friends.

I really should spend less time on blogging and manage my time more wisely. I should be writing more instead of blog-hopping and agonizing over my blog. To the prolific bloggers who have kept the words flowing and still manage to do whatever it is that you do in your vocation, you have my respect.

16 comments:

dith said...

You've got to do what you've got to do! Take care!

Bergen said...

Keep going, Lydia Teh. You can't give up now.

Kak Teh said...

lydia, what? what? what? but yes, I understand...and I will gladly cheer you on. Good luck.

Mumsgather said...

Ooh you're caught in a bind! Blogging can definitely be very time-consuming and addictive indeed. But nvm, even if you blog only once in a while, your regular readers will still read you. I've got you on my bloglines rss feedreader now so I'll know whenever you update your blog, no need to check like gila. Hehe.

Ayah said...

Already? After two months? Hummm!

Nadia said...

lydia...yup, understand osso...waa u look so youg laaa..your no 1 is 15??? well anyway, yes blogging is addictive, but i will keep checking you:)...happy writing!!! I'll go bother kak teh :) hehehe

Picatho (百可度) said...

Er! lydia, life's like that. Work is work and blog is blog. See how u balance it. Have a look at my "fresh maxims" on life's balancing. Don't go away!

Lydia Teh said...

Dear all, thanks for the words of encouragement, both funny (Adiejin), serious and complimentary (Nadia, photos can be deceiving, esp studio pix). I'm not quitting yet, maybe slowing down only. I shall try to do a better balancing act and still keep the blog updated. Can't quit cold turkey. Don't write me off yet.

Anonymous said...

aw man!! don't give up now!!! eh, blogging gives you an outlet whereby you can express yourself, you know. if i don't blog, i feel like something's missing!!

and still, i find time to write and destop publish.

keep on going cause your blog is one of my fave blogs to go to.

love,
marsha

Picatho (百可度) said...

Natural will be magically changed, but material will exit for being delicate itself. We find it eventually on the converge of blog and blogger. What can be collected is not only the courage, but also the deep essence, which will evoke your boundless thought. Cheer! Lydia!

Queen Of The House said...

Lydia, I'm sure you'll do a great balancing act. You know I'll keep checking for updates too. :)

5xmom.com said...

You know what they say, once a blogger, always a blogger. It is too late now. There is no turning back. LOL! Anyway, hope you find a balance somewhere.

Lydia Teh said...

Hi all, you guys and gals are the best. Thanks! Will update blog soon.

bibliobibuli said...

it's addictive *sigh*

terribly .. awfully ...

but in compensation you have to recognise that you are making new friends and publicising your writing

i've had a great some exciting work come into me because i blog and it's acted as a shop-window

it's allowed me to clarify my thinking on certain issues and recognise where my interests lie and where my passions are

keeping those fickle readers intersted day after day means you have to stay entertaining - and that's great writing practice

i really value the connectness my blog makes me feel - to friends i know and friends i've not met in rl yet ... to friends across the world ... and to the great sea of continuing discussion about books and writing ...

so do blog but you don't have to be here everyday. we understand.

Lydia Teh said...

Thanks, Sharon. Valid points you made here.

bibliobibuli said...

oh and I forgot to say that you should keep blogging becsue you're awfully good at it ...