Today’s my blog-iversary!
Seventeen years ago, I started my original, now defunct-ish blog. It was my first foray into public writing since…well, since my creative writing days in college. Here was my first entry:
So what’s the same? The struggle with perfectionism. The love I have for words. The joy I take in PLAYING with words. My incessant need to revise as I go, wordsmithing for effect time and time again. And again.
And what’s different? There’s a lot less impostor syndrome, mostly because I’ve come to see myself as a part of a writing community. I’ve come to see that belonging as earned, both online and with my students. I’ve allowed myself to take more risks, stretching into genres I’ve long resisted (hello, fiction. I’m looking at YOU).
I’m still working to let go, but I’m better at it. I’m still working to let myself write without the need to keep editing myself. I don’t know where I’ll be in another seventeen years, but I hope I’ll be able to look back on even more growth. I guess that’s why they call it the writing…process?
Soapbox: The Way I see Things 
What a great celebration. I remember starting my blog too… I love the idea of looking back to see what has changed… and what has not!
Congratulations on this incredible milestone! What a great look-back.
Wow! The good thing about the internet is that you could find this original blog post. Congratulations on many years of writing.
What a thoughtful reflection! Seventeen years and still going strong is a testament to your writerly habits!
Congratulations Lanie! I think it’s always fun to go back and read something written awhile ago and see what thoughts come to mind comparing and contrasting to current writing. 🙂
Blogging is a very important part of my life. I started in 2009 and from 2013 on WordPress.
Congratulations 😊
Such a great way to celebrate. I am in year 17 myself and still using the same blog! I probably am still here and certainly still writing thanks to the TWT weekly shares. I am still developing and becoming a writer in this community.