I’ve been thinking about why I blog and if I should change why I blog, or at least change the way I blog. (And no, I don’t mean blog more or less frequently.)

I know some writer friends who blog actually type up their blog in a Word document before they post it to their actual blog. Those who do that tend to have less typing errors and a lot less rambling than I do. AGK even plans blogs in advance. I’m more of a "wingin’ it" type of blogger. I blog right into the box at www.typepad.com, type up whatever it is I’m thinking and when I’m done, I hit publish and there it is for all the world to see.

That was OK with me because of why I blogged. In the past, I blogged as a "warm up" for my real writing and as a way to keep connected with my family that lives all over the U.S. I’m horrible at phone calls and I never know when anyone is home and no one in my family knows when I’m home, so with one blog I could tell my mom and all my brothers and sisters and assorted cousins, aunts and uncles about what’s going on. That’s a good thing.

However, it also meant that lots of people read "my shitty first draft," as Anne Lamott would say.

So. I started thinking about who might be reading my blog. I’m not worried about family and friends, butmy  students might be reading this blog, along with other people who realize I teach English. There’s that old saying "those who can’t, teach." And I’ve decided that I don’t want to prove that theory. I want to be able to do and still teach. (Yes, I want my cake and I want to eat it too.)

So, that’s the kinds of things I"m thinking about when I think about changing how I blog. Maybe, just maybe, I should be putting more thought into my blogs. Editing for those pesky errors. Refining it and putting out there something a lot nicer than my SFD (Lamott again).

Some of you may be groaning, thinking "The girl never blogs now, if she actually has to THINK about it, she’ll never post a blog again."  I hear you. However, part of the reason why I’m not blogging so often is because I am spending a lot less time on the Internet thanks to all the driving that I’m doing. So. There are lots of times where I have access to a computer (or paper and pen), but not the Internet where I could write something and then later edit it and post it. (Again, it sounds good, right?)

I just have to rethink of the way I blog. Or if I don’t change, I need a disclaimer saying everything contained in here is unedited and that I use this forum as a warm-up to the real writing, and have you ever read/met Lamott and understand her whole concept of SFD? Yeah, that.

One more thing to tell my blogging friends. Remember the requirement in your English class to keep a journal? I’m making my students do that too, however, it is an electronic journal. Whodathunk? That’s right, my students are blogging for grades. For most of them, it was an entirely new concept and a few were worried a bit about how complicated it can be. Others immediately started messing with templates and adding photos. And guess what? The best part is that they are reading and commenting on each others blogs.

In requiring students blog, I didn’t mean to make anyone nervous about it. I am going to have to change how I present it — devote an entire class period to it and not do it on the first day, for instance. But I like that it is helping form a community within the classroom. It also lets the students see what they are thinking about the reading, the writing process, etc. My goal was that the students could find future  essay materials in their blogs. It happened today for the first time! That means my idea works.

One more thing before I go about my own writing style. It has undergone a significant change since last January. I can tell just by the physical appearance of my writing. For instance, I’m writing longer paragraphs. As I was writing this blog, I kept having to make myself break off into a new paragraph, and even then I think my paragraphs are longer than they might have been before. (Not necessarily a good thing for online, but part of my retraining to not always write like a journalist.)

Which brings me to one more thing, so I guess I meant two more things earlier… Apparently I write like a journalist. There’s something about my style that clearly shouts journalist. In my literature class, as we discuss authors, different terms are used in describing a journalist’s writing than someone who writes strictly novels. And I wonder, do I really write like a journalist or do people just think that because they know I’m a journalist? In a blind study would it stick out? The world wants to know. Or at least I do.

I know I said one more thing and then two more things, but this really really is the last thing. Every since Heather Cook had her blog redesigned, I’ve been drooling. And Shelley was making fun of my snowmen last week, but I didn’t retaliate by asking the current status of her Christmas porch lights. I was thinking that I want to revamp my blog, and when I do, I want to (I think) go with "Thanks for Playing" as the name. I was thinking of the images that would go with that idea… Not sure what I want to do. I like that quote Shelley always uses about juggling too, but a juggling photo doesn’t really go with "Thanks for Playing…" Input welcome.

So, this may be my last rambling blog. Or maybe not. If nothing else, I have some thinking to do… Thanks for playing.