I Love Comments!

I just wanted to share how much I love getting comments. I really, really love it!

When I began blogging in 2006, I did it to record my ideas about unschooling and home learning. I wrote 'articles' which I thought might help people know a little more about what unschooling can look like. The passion was there but I found the commitment really challenging. My writing was stilted and contrived and I found it difficult to maintain. As time went on I found I was more drawn to just keeping my ideas safe in my written journals at home. The blog was put to one side. Then I'd get a flicker of motivation again, usually at the beginning of the new year, and I'd blog some more. Then came the writer's block and I stopped blogging. I also stopped journaling regularly. I don't know what it was, probably a combination of a few things but the day it lifted was so incredibly wonderful.

The day it lifted was in February 2010, when I began Feather & Nest. I decided that I would share all of my life, not just my parenting part. I wanted to be as real and as honest as I could and I wanted a place where I could put everything. I wanted to be as open as I possibly could. This is when I found my voice.

I've done writing courses and so I've known the importance of 'finding your voice' as a writer. I kind of thought I had until I actually found it. I realised then that writing for me isn't about perfecting the written word. If that was true then I'd certainly never feel competent enough to write a single thing. For me, writing is about sharing and communicating and connecting with someone else.

At the time I began Feather & Nest I'd also read my absolute favourite book called The Weight Of Silence. It's written by a talented, talented writer ~ Catherine Therese. Her writing gave me inspiration to be real and honest and sometimes raw. That being funny was OK and even rambling was OK. People connect with people not so much with words. If the written word can connect people to one another then, for me, I've done well. The words may not be perfectly formed but I'm OK with that. It's my style. It's my voice. It's real.

I didn't realise how important it was to me to make this connection with people until I began receiving comments from readers. I think I squealed when I got my first comment. Since that day it's become a morning ritual to check my comments to see if I have any newies. I'm addicted to them. I find them so inspiring and motivating. So, from Feather & Nest I've learnt about voice and audience in a big way. It's so essential and it's so lovely to have found both.

Your comments mean soooooo much to me. This is what I've been trying to say! I've spat it out...finally. So please, please, please leave a comment. It's so lovely that you've taken the time to visit and I'd love to be able to respond to you and thank you for coming over. If you have a blog of your own then please leave your link as I am also addicted to reading other people's blogs so I'll definitely stop by and say hi to you too.

Thanks so much xx