Back in 2008, blogging was the new thing on the block. Well, maybe not all that new to many, but totally new to me. Blogs, a term that came from the original weblog that a blogger back in 1990s posted as “we blog.” And boy, did “we” ever as individuals started keeping online journals and companies decided blogging was a great way to market their products or share about their companies. Writers jumped onboard to find readers for their books. Informational blogs about doing this or that popped up everywhere. Preachers and other Christians used blogs as a way to spread the Gospel. Some people started making money with ads on popular blogs. Not me, I just hoped to make reading friends and I have.
Back in 2008, I had three new books published. I needed those reading friends. The publisher wanted me to have an internet presence. I have been journaling since I was a young teen and started writing a journal to “Nemo.” Nemo means no one in Latin. Seemed perfect for my journal. I never expected or wanted anyone to read my musings back then.
I still have that journal, but I’m sure I’d cringe if I reread the entries. But at the time, it was perfect for a wanna be writer. I could wax poetic. I could complain about the day’s injustices. All freshman kids are beset with injustices in high school, aren’t they? I could plan all the wonderful stories I might write. I could talk about the boy I just met and a few years later married. But all that was hidden away in my desk drawer.
Once I had those new books published in the internet age, it was time to share about my stories right out loud and not just for Nemo in my hidden away notebooks. So, I took the plunge and wrote my first post on what I called “One Writer’s Journal” on January 8, 2008. Here’s the first paragraph.
Hi, everybody. I’m just a country girl who’s been writing forever. I hope to share some of what I’ve learned about writing over the years and some about being a country girl through and through.
At the time I had published 16 or so books, but most had been before the internet changed so much about sharing about books. I had three books published in the Christian fiction market with the first one, Scent of Lilacs published in 2005. In February 2008, the third Heart of Hollyhill book, Summer of Joy, was being released. I took the plunge and opened up my writing life and as it turned out through the years, much more, by writing a post for my One Writer’s Journal blog one or two times a week.
I even started another one a few years later for Jocie, my young main character in the Hollyhill books. She reported faithfully from Hollyhill for a few years and still posts now and then. She even shared a novel “she” wrote in installments on her posts called Bailey’s Bug. That was fun and you can still read the whole story right here on my website. It is sort of a dog and cat story something like that very famous book Incredible Journey. Jocie’s book was fun to write, but never made it to fame and fortune.
Anyway, back to blogging. This post is #1,838. As you can imagine, I have covered a lot of this and that through these 16 years. At the beginning, I doubt if I had a dozen readers, if that many. I may not have all that many readers now, but I very much appreciate you if you are one of them. And thank you for every comment. We’ve had fun with games here. You’ve been patient with me sharing about my books. I’ve emjoyed doing book giveaways, and I’ve loved the stories you’ve shared with me and allowed me to share forward. Thank you for being reading friends.
Last month, I looked back through my posts and pulled out a few random favorites to make an online booklet. My intention, which I haven’t done yet, is to have it as a gift to new signees to my newsletter. I might get that done this summer. I might even add some more posts and print a few of the booklets. Could be, if I get very industrious, I’ll add even more and perhaps figure out how to put them up on Amazon. No time for that right now with a book to write. But I did enjoy making the booklet, and if you’d like to read a few of my favorite posts pulled out of the 1,800+, here’s a link to “One Writer’s Journal – A Few of Ann’s Favorites.
What kind of posts have you enjoyed on my One Writer’s Journal? What would you like to see more of here?
Comments 8
I have not read a post of yours that I did not like. I have enjoyed learning about your life and animals, your walks in nature, your family, and your books.
I am being honest when I say sometimes I do not respond to them because they touch a place in my heart that I cannot share from my own life. This is not often but when I do not respond, this is usually the reason why.
I love your books, and I have truly enjoyed meeting you and your husband. I will keep reading your posts and your books . Thanks for taking me journeys and meeting some very interesting people Ann!
Author
Always fun to hear from you, Pamela. Your comments, when you make them, are always encouraging to me. Thank you for reading my books AND my posts. Maybe we will cross paths again sometime.
I like that your posts cover a variety of topics. The ones about your books and family are my favorites. I also enjoy the photos of wildflowers you find on your rambles with your dogs and really just about everything.
Author
That’s great to know, Pam. Thank you for checking out my posts. I’m glad you enjoy the photos I spot on my walks with my furry buddies.
I enjoy all your posts. I love the variety of scenes from your family, remembering things and people in your past, nature and flowers, dog companions, gardening, farming, cows, rocky streams, spring wildflowers and all about your books, past, present, and coming next. I like the games and contests, you always keep guessing. I would say just keep on with what you’re doing, it’s always fun!
Author
When I read your list, Connie, I’m thinking that wow, I do post a lot of different things. 🙂 I’m glad you are willing to go wherever my wandering journal pen or fingers on my keyboard takes me. It’s good to have readers although I wrote journals for many years without expecting or wanting readers. But these posts on One Writer’s Journal are different. I do expect and hope for readers and when I have them, writing the posts is more fun. Thank you for being one of my readers.
I just love reading your blog. I think the fun part is not knowing what kind of post you’ll offer each time. I love getting peeks into new books and characters and anticipating reading the story. I absolutely love your first Sunday devotions. And the contests are fun too, especially the mystery photo contests. But I really love how your blog allows your readers/fans to come together as a little community here. It’s like a book club of Ann Gabhart readers.
Author
I love that, Lavon. “A Book Club of Ann’s Readers.” I do like that some of you do comment often and read others’ comments too. Communities are good even when they are via the internet.
Thank you so much for checking out my posts here, Lavon. I appreciate your comments, because comments make the posts more fun. I’ll have another of those mystery photo games in May. But they do stretch my imagination to come up with them. Exercise for my imagination is good.