More Change


Like being gay, writing has always been a big part of who I am. In both cases, I was among the last to know what had long been obvious to just about everyone who knew me. Guess maybe I’m a little slow.

“How could Michael Rupured be gay?” said nobody, ever. But I didn’t figure it out until well into my twenty-first year, and except for maybe my mother, was more surprised by the revelation than anyone. I’m not girly or feminine — just gay as hell — you know, in that way straight women love. I terrify most straight men, but that’s more about them than me. I don’t hit on straight guys. Blame a silly desire for mutual affection.

Coming out of the closet as a writer took a lot longer. Sure, I wrote for the day job. But aside from maybe a few highly embellished reports and letters of recommendation, everything I wrote was nonfiction. Writing a journal article or a grant proposal, as much as anything else, is about following directions. Even the most well written is boring and difficult to read for all but a few highly educated people in careers requiring them to crank out more of the same.

I entertained myself over the years filling the pages of more than twenty journals and writing long, chatty letters to family and friends. The idea of writing for the enjoyment of a larger audience never occurred to me. Then, in 2008, I became a blogger.

Even though the audience was small — just a few friends at first — I was hooked. Writing to entertain got under my skin. Over time, through the Crotchety Old Man, the Adventures of Tico & Toodles, and My Glass House, my blog evolved, becoming an ongoing chatty letter to my friends.

Through blogging, I found my voice as a writer and gained the confidence to try writing a book — something I’d always thought impossible. But I’ve been slow to appreciate how much has changed since December when Dreamspinner Press published Until Thanksgiving. I’m not a blogger anymore. I’m an author with a blog.

Figuring out the difference has taken six months. As a blogger, the individual posts are my end product. As an author, the blog is a mechanism for connecting with readers who will hopefully buy the new product — my books. Except I can’t write more books because the time goes to keeping up the blog. Since writing new books is more important than writing new blog posts, something must change.

Writing just two posts a week hasn’t resulted in the time savings I’d expected. Starting in July, the posts on Mondays will be new, but Thursdays I’ll run a guest post or a repeat from the past that nobody read. Who knows, I might even take time off from blogging. I’ve got stories to write.

I’m not abandoning the blog — just accepting that its role in my life has changed. As always, thanks for stopping by. Now if you don’t mind, I’ve got some story edits to work on…


4 responses to “More Change”

  1. Which are you the most passionate about, your writing or your day job? If you love them both, then claim them both. (“I’m a freelance writer and a hospice social worker.”) Otherwise, simply tell people the truth that is in your heart. You are a writer.

    • Thanks for stopping by. Your question about which I’m the most passionate about is a good one. I’m fortunate to be in really two careers that I love. Good thing, because I’m not the kind of person who’ll stick with something I hate! BTW, your comment showed up in my junk folder.