The A-Z of blogging

I started this A-Z thing on a whim, but I've really enjoyed it. I've read many many other blogs, learning a lot along the way, not just about writing but about place, lifestyle, people. All the things I have to write about. I've visited blogs in Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Canada, Paris, Berlin, all over the UK and all over the States. I've been challenged, stretched and enchanted by poetry, fiction, whimsy, humour, art and opinions. I'll definitely be doing it again.

It's also really made me think about writing. I'm in the transition between being a hobby writer who dips in and out of writing (up to 5 years ago), learning about writing and trying out different styles and forms, (5 years ago until last September) and actually trying to create publishable work. Work being the operative word here. The A-Z has made me look at various aspects of writing, some that I might not have touched on otherwise, while my agent pushes the book into a leaner, more streamlined shape by dropping edits and ideas on me. These translate into big ideas and bigger edits, but the book has slimmed down and I understand the process of editing for publication more.

The A-Z has also helped me look at the last part of my MA. I have to write a fictional piece of text, 15-20k in length associated with a 3000 word rationale, explaining why I do things the way I do them. This blog has helped me focus on why I do something, not just following my intuition or the story. It's taught me a lot about how to take a first draft and turn it into a commercial proposition, with the invaluable help of my agent and other writers. So thank you to everyone that stopped to add your invaluable comments, I have considered and learned from them all.