How blogging helped me improve my writing

I can still remember quite vividly the first time I braved the blogging world.

“It’ll push you to make your work better,” my sister, Ate Nikki, said.

So blogging, yeah? For me, ’twas going to take some courage. I thought, people will be reading my writing pieces which, I know, aren’t that good. Yet. But, if I show my works to people, what will they say? How will they react? Will they like it? Or will they even read it at all?

But, I really wanted to become a writer, and I believed that I couldn’t call myself a “legit” writer if I won’t publish my works. I was scared, though. So, what I did instead was I created a blog on Tumblr and used the pseudonym “Penny Pauper” which I got from saying “pen and paper” over and over.

Every day, I would write one or more blog posts. I followed and read other writers’ blogs and learned from them. Some of my posts were totally ignored, but I admit that it was encouraging to see my other works getting some hearts and re-blogs. I thought that, perhaps, I was doing something right.

I tried to see what made some of my posts better than the others, and then I reinforced it. On the side, I would take online writing courses and workshops. Unceasingly, I read books, finishing one then starting another. I’d catch beautifully-constructed sentences or phrases and write them in my large green notebook.

Eventually, I gained a couple of followers. Some seemed to be genuinely amused by my posts. They would comment, regularly press the heart button, and message me. Some were following me because, well, they apparently wanted me to follow them back.

I also joined a couple of websites where writers lurked. I shared my works there, hoping to get feedback so I could improve myself. Slowly, I discovered my writing voice. According to most of my readers, my writing sounded soothing, reassuring, and sincere. 

I, then, decided to create another blog on Blogger. Since almost everyone is on the internet, I wanted my blog to be like a “haven” or somebody’s peaceful place in the virtual world. Finally, I found some good purpose for writing, and that made me feel braver to show my works to a larger audience – this time, including people I knew. I titled the blog, Gentle Words.

I never thought that “Gentle Words” was also going to be the title of my e-book–technically my second book, next to Finding You: A Memoir on Dreams, Detours, and Destiny. Looking at this journey, I can say that, indeed, there are writers that are made. Like all my writing pieces, I also started from scratch.

It has been four years since I started “Gentle Words” and now, I can finally call myself a legitimate writer or author. Indeed, it was all God’s grace–and hard work, of course. But, you know what? Sharing my work was a huge help to me. So, yes, the main point of this piece? Just dive into it. See for yourself what blogging can do for you. GO. Share your works, too!