Natalie Ogbourne

Several years ago I heard a report which correlated time spent online with loneliness. That was back in the days when I used my computer only for word processing and the occasional email. Then, slowly, along came Google. Facebook. The fascinating and beautiful world of Pinterest. And blogs.

I won’t dispute the statistics. It’s a lonely world, with loneliness borne from many sources. But, the dire report hasn’t been my experience. I’ve even developed some friendships.

THE INVITATION

One such friend, Lyli, invited me to join a blog hop–an opportunity to introduce you to three of my favorite writers from the blog world and answer some questions about writing. Because I’ve discovered some marvelous hearts in other blog writers, I accepted.

THE INTRODUCTIONS

Shelly Miller: I found Shelly’s blog on a blog link-up. Her love for story and people, for Sabbath and God’s purposes, make her a consistent voice of encouragement in my life. Her words bring me back to the most important things. I appreciate her friendship. Shelly’s blog is Redemption’s Beauty.

Edie Wadsworth: Edie blogs at life{in}grace and her topics are a delightful mix of the serious and the lighthearted. Her words on why marriage is hard pierced my selfish soul and her delicious Best Ever Blueberry Coffee Cake is perfect for a slow Saturday morning. She encourages me regularly, both through the written word and through her voice on her newly launched podcast.

Emily Freeman: Emily consistently encourages me on a variety of topics that matter to me: people, faith, art, and living. She blogs at Chatting at the Sky and is the author of Graceful (which I am reading with my teenage daughter), Grace for the Good Girl, and A Million Little Ways (which I read very quickly and am now reading slowly with my husband).

THE INTERVIEW (It’s me asking…me.)

What am I writing or working on? This summer, aside from blog posts, I’ve been working on chapters of the book that’s been brewing for the last fifteen years–just to see. My goal was to write four chapters during these warm months. So far, I’ve written five, and rewritten them to the point that I won’t die of embarrassment if someone finds them. They still need polish and time to marinate so that the themes can emerge. Someday, it may be a book and whether it ends up to be something just for my family or for the world, I will have learned from the writing of it.

How does my work differ from others of its genre? That’s a tough one. Among other topics, I write about family, travel, and faith, but I doubt anyone would categorize this is as mommy blog, a travel blog, or a religious blog. Along This Road doesn’t have a neat niche, just stories for the journey, and my hope is that readers come away encouraged on theirs.

Why do I write what I do? Except for those times in my life when I have written for assignment, what you see here is what I have always written. I write about what I see in the world and the dots it connects.

How does my writing process work? I’ve dabbled, nearly always, with writing. When I became a mom, I wrestled with guilt over writing because it didn’t add anything to our family. And then, one morning as I walked toward the kitchen on my way to deliver some dirty clothes to the laundry room, I saw my children sitting at the kitchen table working on their writing assignment and it occurred to me that I could join them. Just for a little while every day, I could sit with them and we could all write together. Nine months later, I began a blog to increase my level of discipline. Today most of my writing takes place in the early morning.

According to C.S. Lewis, “Ink is the great cure of all human ills.” Here is my question for you: Do you take advantage of the great cure by the writing of letters, the keeping of a journal, or the recording memories of times past? If your answer is no, it might be worth it to make it a yes.