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To Blog Or Not To Blog

To Blog Or Not To Blog

I’m reading a book on blogging. It’s by Robert W. Bly and it’s called Blog Schmog. His thesis is that blogging as a marketing tool works mainly for the few who sell blogging services. For the rest of us, blogging is little more than (I quote) rambling, streams-of-consciousness musings about a particular topic of interest to the author, largely bereft of the kind of practical, pithy tips that e-zines, web sites, and white papers offer. Could that be me? He adds: The problem is that there is already too much content, and we don’t want or need more. I’m not sure my blogs even offer much real content, let alone wisdom, insight, and ideas. According to his research a typical blogger is a guy over sixty with a ponytail or big, bushy beard, hoping the free speech and trendiness of blogging might give them that old 1960s feeling of being revolutionary, countercultural, cool, and hip. Those are his words, not mine. At least that’s (mostly) not me. Then he adds: Bloggers ostensibly want to communicate with others, but their real motive is self-promotion.

Okay, so I have a blog that talks about life story writing but does that make me hope that you, the reader, will check it out and perhaps buy what I offer? Yes, I’d like to sell lots of books to keep my publisher and agent happy. But mainly, my mission is the subject itself: helping people tell and write their life stories. It’s all about strengthening family ties. It’s all about self-calibration – finding out if you’re where you want to be in this crazy life journey. It’s all about leaving behind your legacy – and believe me, there can be no greater gift than that.

You don’t need to buy our book. There are dozens in the market place. I’ve read most of them and many will get you started and hopefully see you to the finish line. No matter which one you select, the real work belongs to you. It’s your story and only you can tell it.

In an earlier blog, I listed life story writing books that are well written and informative. They bear repeating.
Note: I’m not including our book Writing Your Legacy because I don’t know where to place it in my listings. It’s too new and untried.

My Top Five
The Power of Memoir: How to Write Your Healing Story by Linda Joy Myers
Writing Your Life: Putting Your Past on Paper by Lou Willett Stanek
How To Write Your Own Life Story by Lois Daniel
You Don’t Have to Be Famous: How to Write Your Life Story by Steve Zousmer
Courage and Craft: Writing Your Life Into Story by Barbara Abercrombie

Five Honorable Mentions
Shimmering Images: A Handy Little Guide to Writing Memoir by Lisa Dale Norton
Writing Life Stories: How to Make Memories Into Memoir by Bill Roorbach
Writing the Memoir: From Truth to Art by Judith Barrington
Elderwriters: Celebrate Your Life by Sue Barocas
Your Life As Story by Tristine Rainer

Each of these titles can help you explore the idea of writing your own life story. As a legacy to your children and grandchildren, nothing else comes close.

Richard Campbell

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