HAPPY WRITER WITH ENDO

Friday, September 24, 2010

I'm delighted to be attending a writer's conference tomorrow. It's my first one.

This blog and you, my friendos, have been an essential piece of my healing, growth and sanity. And humor preservation.

I've always loved to write. When I was young, usually just my Grandma Rosemary read my stories. Writing for a blog is such a unique form of expression. My meager words can reach across the planet, instantly. I'm still amazed by that. (And worried, because no one loves & appreciates me like my Grandma did).

My question for you, fellow endo blogger, is this. How do you define yourself...a writer who happens to have endo, a blogger who writes about endo, an endo sister who blogs? Or none of the above?


5 comments:

Gwenn said...

I am an artist who has a blog. Since I was diagnosed with endo, I've stopped writing exclusively about my work and started focusing on many more personal things--including our disease.

And I like that. I like how endo helped me to find more of a voice as a blogger!

Happy writer's conference!

Jenn said...

Thanks for your response Gwenn!

I dig that, an artist who has a blog. I was hoping to hear some none-of-the-above responses. :)

And I agree, it feels amazing to have found my blogger voice. It's powerful, finding other endo sisters across the globe & sharing our stories.

Thank you!

Amanda said...

Gwenn beat me to it... I was going to say that see myself as a writer who just happens to have a blog! And as a writer, who just happens to have a blog, I also just happen to write about Endo ;o)

Have a great time at your witer's conference xx

Jenn said...

Thanks Amanda!

I am interested to see if any Endo Sisters out there began writing as a result of their endo.

I'm so happy we have blogging to help us through our endo struggles. And that we have found each other's blogs!

I really appreciate your comments. :)

Jeanne said...

Jenn,

Hmm. My short answer: none of the above. Now, you know me well enough to know that I never give just a short answer! :) So, here's the long one...

I have many roles. There is no easy answer for this. As far as my online identity is concerned, though, I look at myself as a writer who has a blog about many chronic conditions (and who plans someday to write a book). One of those illnesses is endometriosis. I should add that I also now view myself as an activist and advocate (roles that I have expanded in the 2+ years that I have been writing a blog).

When I started my blog, I knew endometriosis would be one of the topics I would write about the most often but that I'd write about more than just endometriosis.

At the same time, I have had endometriosis the longest (28 years) of all the chronic illnesses that I have. So, I think it is natural for me to tend to write about it more than some other conditions.

I have tried to incorporate other topics (besides illness and various causes I believe in). By including posts with music, quotes, uplifting videos, etc... I try to make my blog uplifting, supportive, and inspirational but not always in ways that are specific to a given disease.

Thanks to meeting some very funny bloggers online (like you!), I have also tried to inject humor on occasion to lighten/brighten things up.

Whew! That was long.

I am very excited for you that you're going to a writing conference! That's awesome! I hope you really enjoy it!!

It is wonderful that blogging has been such a positive experience for you and I am very happy to have you join this rich landscape of bloggers who have and write about endometriosis! :)

Jenn, your writing is very appreciated by many people besides your Grandma Rosemary now!!

After over two years, I still am sometimes blown away by the fact that my blog can reach across the planet too. It's a bit mind-boggling at times.

Jeanne