Well, What Did You Expect?

Shelly Bryant tagged me for a meme some time ago, and I’m finally getting around to the post... The question is, what do I expect from this blog? This is a bit different from the general, ‘why do you blog?’ question, which I’ve answered a hundred times... it poses the query in a slightly different light: what do I expect to get out of this blog, on these topics, that I wouldn’t get out of a blog on underwater basket weaving or the many uses of Peruvian shoe leather for someone with a fetish... okay, see that last one might key you in on something... as it did, me – though I consider this my professional writing blog, I obviously don’t treat it as professionally as I should – given the fact that I’m writing middle grade fiction... fine to add the off color silliness if I was a regular adult writer, but it’s probably not a great thing for someone writing for children.

So what, if anything, do I expect from this blog? I’m still pondering this, really. I don’t expect to use it professionally, except as a networking tool to meet other writers and publishing professionals. Obviously, if blogging will be a platform in my novel writing, I’ll need to build another blog that’s solely kid friendly – or at least pg-13. I don’t expect a publisher to come knocking down my door with six figure deals because they fell in love with my silly little blog... that’s not going to happen and I don’t treat my writing here with the same seriousness that I treat my fiction, so it’s really not a goal...

So, what the heck do I expect? Nothing. (see, you read all this drivel for a nothing answer, how’s that for an annoying blogger?) I don’t have any expectations here. What I’ve gained from blogging is another question, and its answer is diverse and ever changing, but mostly it’s a connection to other writers on topics that touch and affect us... But I didn’t expect that, I don’t hold that as an expectation... I don’t earn, or actively seek, money from this blog. I don’t promote this blog, other than being on technorati, which was more to be able to tell who linked me so I could say thanks...

I like a lot of things about blogging, but I don’t hold any expectations for this particular blog. Maybe it’s a learning curve to my author site, whenever I get around to that one. I have ideas for a professional author’s blog and, honestly, not a lot of the content I include here would make it there. Not because I don’t like what I’ve posted but because an author blog would be geared toward my readers, and this one is just me, relaxed, uncensored, and talking a lot about books and writing... okay, sometimes my kids make it into the post and occasionally a moral, because I like that kind of thing.

So there you go – no expectations. I am an aimless blogger. I’m supposed to pass this one on to five other bloggers... oy. I think, Stephen Parish, Mary Witzl, Josephine Damian, JJDebenedictis, and Travis Erwin... If you’d like to pass, I understand, but I’d also love to see what your expectations are.

Okay, fellow bloggers, as I have none, I know I’ve met my expectations... how about you? How does blogging serve you or detract from your writing? Are you an addict or a social blogger... could you stop at just one?