Why I Blog
I wrote in my Introduction post about how my blog first came about, and it's later change of name and purpose. There's a story too, behind why I returned properly to my blog, and started writing regularly....
Over the summer, I entered a short story competition run by Barrington Green. Let's just call it a late night whim, an urge to write about Polly. I hadn't entered a short story competition before, or any writing competition for that matter, but a couple of glasses of wine (for inspiration, naturally!) later, I sat and wrote about our beautiful daughter.
I was totally blown away, when a short time later, I was contacted by the competition organisers to say I'd been chosen as a Runner Up in their competition. I was... terrified. This position in the competition meant that my story about Polly would be displayed on their website. For other people to read. Naively, (yes, yes, it was a competition so there was always a chance this might happen, but anyway....) I hadn't for one moment contemplated part of my soul, my story, becoming "public property", and I just didn't know how to feel about that.
I'm pleased to say that I needn't have worried. The comments I received in response to my story, from friends, family members and strangers alike, were overwhelming. And hugely supportive.
It took a little time for me to digest these events, and work out what to "do" with them. I realised that not only did I find it an unexpectedly therapeutic release to write about Polly, but that I also loved being able to share her too.
It was at that point that I finally turned back to my blog.
I may "talk" about Polly a lot in here; equally I may not "talk" about her much at all. But if this makes any sense, knowing that I can talk about her in this way, and that when I write about her I am, each time, sharing a little bit of my beautiful girl, is all I need.
If you wish, you can read my competition entry HERE. (It's the one called "Polly").
