2nd Year Bloggiversary

Hey authors! Today, we celebrate two things. Firstly, after six months with only two posts to show for it, I'm finally back. It's been a long time, but I'm pumped and ready to go.

Secondly, and most importantly, it's Lizorae's 2nd birthday! While I've only been active for 1.5 years (my bad, lol), the site has aged and that's all that matters, right?

So here's what this year brought Lizorae and a yearly review.

Let's get to!

Lizorae's Journey Vol II

If last year was about figuring out the ropes and building writing muscle, this year was learning about mental health and writing.

In the middle of May, certain things happened that completely drained me. I decided to take an unannounced hiatus for a week or two to refuel, but life kept throwing more and more stuff that ultimately was more important than the blog.

Since the only profit I make from here so far is the satisfaction of writing, I only work on the blog during my leisure time. But with everything else life had for me, I didn't have the energy or drive to work. Only to binge watch random series I found.

Come the end of July, something happened that really affected my confidence to continue blogging about writing. I had no motivation at all, not even to try to become motivated. For six months, I struggled with whether I wanted to quit completely.

During that time, I only posted two things: a short review and an update. Both were written waaaaaaaaaaay after the deadline. I had three shorts done and scheduled, but posted belatedly. Two of them were posted and reposted several times because I tried to force myself to blog again, but never got around to doing it. The most I did was dot point some random thoughts about the topic.

From August to November, I rarely thought about the blog. When I did, it was a fleeting memory of the good ol' days. Strangely, without the pressure of forcing myself to blog, I found myself wanting to blog as I climbed out of the demotivation slump.

Then comes the same question I had at the start of the slump: am I good enough to continue? My writing muscle had definitely weakened and it was hard to keep thinking of things that I had the capacity to write about.

Gotta be honest with you, I never thought I would fall into the clutches of imposter syndrome. Part of me still wonders whether I'm being a fraud by claiming that. The irony, lol.

Yesterday, from the date I'm writing this, I posted a brand new post that was only late because it took ages to write. It's over 5000 words, way over my previous record. While writing it, I rediscovered the reason I started the blog.

It's not because I'm all knowing and well versed in the writing world. If that was the reason to blog, we might as well all bow out and leave it to the big names. It's because I'm still floundering in the ocean and wanted to share my small nuggets in the hopes that I'll find others who I can share support with.

How good I am doesn't really matter. As long as I'm trying to improve and better my craft, it's okay. I'm still learning to be okay with that, but it's all part of the process.

While I'm still struggling with doubts, my motivation is rising. As a compromise, once I've finished the posts I had planned for six months ago, my focus is probably going to be shifting away from writing tips to reviews.

But who knows. A week's break turned to six months, so anything can change between now and when I get to planning 2022's posts.

Yearly Review

Top Five Posts of 2021

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Thank you, authors! Without you, I wouldn't have started a blog in the first place. Without you, I wouldn't have come out of that slump. You guys are truly the best.

No matter how unworthy you think you are, there's a special place reserved for you. We all have to start somewhere. It's better to start at the bottom and struggle than not start at all.

Until next week, happy authoring and Merry Christmas!

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