One year ago today, I started my website journey! The idea began out of countless desperate internet searches: “How to get a book published.” “Writing tips.” “Steps to getting published.” “Becoming a published writer.” “Tips for aspiring authors.”
Many articles I read pointed towards starting a website or blog: to get your work out there, and show your skill, passion, and dedication, especially if you don’t have a book published in print yet (I didn’t). So I made my account and cluelessly got to work, finally satisfied enough to put my website live a month and a half later in October.
It’s hard to believe it’s only been a year – I’ve learned so much! When I started, I knew nothing about blogs or what to write about (or what people wanted to read) and struggled to figure out how a website could help me with my writing.
As the year progressed, I entered contests, submitted short works all over the place, and got my first pieces published (PUBLISHED!) in Unlocked Daily Readings for Teens.
And an amazing thing began to happen: people started to read what I wrote here. People I’d never met, strangers from around the world.
Suddenly my blog posts became less of an afterthought and grew into a way to share my thoughts. To inspire and encourage. To tell my writing journey, like a sophisticated, highly edited, online journal.
It’s been an incredible year of writing, and I’ve grown so much along the way. I’m thankful to you readers, to friends, family, teachers, and most of all:
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” – Ephesians 3:20-21
One more thing: I couldn’t help but sneak in a theme song for today (my ‘writing playlist’ posts were what started me off on this website’s blog section after all!), and How Far We’ve Come by the group I AM THEY is a perfect fit!
What an amazing year to celebrate. I know this is only the beginning of something amazing!
-Abby
Abby Ciona 