Who Am I and Why Am I Here? I Write Because…

As I’ve decided to throw my luck in with both Blogging University and Writing 101, I decided to combine the posts and here we are.

I’ll get the biographical stuff out of the way first. My name is Emily and I live in Australia in a beautiful area of Melbourne (who am I kidding it’s all beautiful because it’s Australia and Melbourne has been named the most livable city in the world).

I’m here to learn. It’s important to me to produce the best possible blog that I can for myself and my readers. I joined the esteemed ranks of WordPress at the end of September 2015, and the whole idea was to write mainly for myself, record some memories and really enjoy myself and my writing. So far it’s been thrilling, but stressful and I can’t figure out if that’s a good or bad thing! I think it means I’ve been caring a little too much about what I write, and post. I’ve been wrestling over pieces white-knuckled and pop-eyed very late until the night here, so I asked myself what the original reason for getting a website was…  I adore writing, but I’m unsure of my writing style. Am I funny, sad, serious (God forbid) or practical about my writing? Perhaps all of these things, but one can’t make a website for everything. I don’t think there’s any one good way to write, part of the reason I’m here is to read other people’s blogs because you all have a different writing style, and vastly different things to say. I’ve already read a few of your blogs, and the wonderful diversity came through really well.

What I’ve also realised is that what I write is up to me because it’s my blog, my site and I control what goes on there, so why am I afraid to experiment? When I first started this site, I spent two weeks learning about WordPress, as mainstream as it is, because i’ve forgotten all I learnt at university, I did a year of Information Systems, which comprised of the basics of html, database stuff, and Visual Basic (shudder). I was attempting a Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology), however due to complications of type 1 diabetes I lost my leg below the right knee (Well it was amputated, let’s be honest) so I had to give up uni and learn to live with it. I’m telling you this because I’ve decided to go back to uni and get that degree, although I can’t get recognition for the work I’ve already done but that’s ok, I have time and I know that I need to go over things as it’s been a while.

By now you’ll of course using a pseudonym. I didn’t when I started writing, but as this is an exercise in honesty and making myself write about the things I find most uncomfortable in life I’ve changed everything over to the name of my site, except for my first name which really is Emily. I consider this to be a form of ‘online therapy’ so I will be open about the things that trouble me, so I have to be fairly unapologetic about what I write. If the last month has taught me anything, it’s that I need not be afraid what I write about because people are mostly kind and helpful, as long as you ask for help. My advice to anyone new to blogging would be take risks, play around with your website until you find a theme that suits you and post to your heart’s content, especially on the commons because we’re all here to learn and get the most out of this experience. I’m looking forward to getting to know you, and your blogs.