Why I Blog

Earlier this month, my friend Melissa from Lulu the Baker nominated me to write about why I blog. Many of my friends have participated in this behind-the-scenes blog hop — Tan, Joy, and Carrie, for example– so I was excited to be asked. Read on to learn about my writing process and what’s in store for A Girl Named PJ.

Why do you write?

Writing has always been my creative outlet and how I’m best able to express myself. I wish I could paint or sing or craft or cook, but I’m simply a words-on-paper kind of girl.

In elementary school, I’d spend weekends typing chapters of my Sleepover Friends-inspired novel on our family Apple IIe computer, and since high school, I’ve filled journal after journal trying to make sense of the things happening around me and the thoughts running through my head.

In the beginning, blogging seemed like a natural extension of journaling (plus, I could type a lot faster than I could write by hand). I’ve continued to blog all these years because I like writing for an audience. I thrive on the conversations, the community, and the knowledge that I may be helping somebody through a challenging time just by sharing my experiences.

I also write to make money — and that’s the honest truth. They say that you should do what you love. Well, I love telling stories, I love learning about new things, and I love sharing my discoveries with other people. Getting paid to do those things, either through sponsored posts or contributions to other sites, continues to be a goal of mine.

What are you working on?

In my effort to treat A Girl Named PJ more like a (small) lifestyle publication and less like a personal diary, I’ve been focusing my efforts on creating more thoughtful, informative content. I’ve always been a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants writer and creating editorial calendars has been a struggle for a me, but I’m trying to change that!

I’m also in the process of developing a couple of new weekly series and features. In the last couple of months, a few series I was brainstorming popped up on other people’s blogs, which, I guess, tells me two things:

1. My ideas are on the right track.
2. I need to move faster!

I always seem to get hung up on trying to come up with the perfect name, which seems so silly when I think about it.

Finally, I’m working on new posts for The Neighborhood, and I just became a contributor for one my favorite websites for moms (and dads!). I can’t wait to tell you more about it.

How does your blog differ from other blogs in the genre?

A Girl Named PJ is different than other lifestyle blogs because it’s written in my voice…blah blah blah. Every blog is unique Most blogs are unique because they are a representation of the person behind the computer — her opinions, her aesthetic, her way of life.

Truthfully, trying to differentiate my blog from others has been an ongoing struggle, and I often wonder what I’m able to offer you that you can’t get from other parenting and lifestyle sites. When I figure it out, I’ll let you know!

What is your writing process?

Like most writers I know, my process begins with a healthy dose of procrastination. I tend to work best when I’m right up against a deadline — even a self-imposed deadline.

I can’t sit down at a blank screen with a blank mind and simply start writing. I have to have part of my post, the intro or an outline of my main points, written out in my head first. For better or for worse, the words usually come to me when I’m busy doing something else. (I come up with a lot of copy while washing my hair!)

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So what did you think? Did my answers about my writing habits match your expectations?

Thanks, Melissa, for asking me to participate! Now I’d like to invite two of my blogging friends to the blog hop: Sheri from Donuts, Dresses & Dirt, who has been a confidant and brainstorming buddy since we met at Alt Summit in 2013, and Haeley from Design Improvised, who continually impresses me with her easy family-friendly crafts.

(photos taken by the talented Justin Hackworth at Alt Summit; poster via Etsy)