Writing is an art with good spelling.

Did anyone else ever say it? It doesn't seem likely that its just me. But, so far, it is.

I first used this as my subheader/ tag line for the Canadian Spelling blog. I still have the domain but the site isn't up.

I'm surprised (and not surprised) by how many people use AI for making/ writing anything. Kind of amazing how quickly its becoming common use. Like bottled water and cell phones. Almost overnight "everyone" uses them.

AI is great for mass producing/ marketing but pretty useless for any real information. AI just repeats what it finds and has no sense of what is safe, real, harmful, factual, true etc. Of course nothing original or unique comes from an AI - it can't.

Plus, it doesn't have to care. In writing its a sure sign of someone out to make a buck and not caring what slop they publish. I'd consider AI for making a website, the mechanics of putting a site together, but not for images I add. Those would just be copied from someone else without them knowing. I haven't tried it for a site yet.

I won't use AI for one single word I write. I write for myself, and anyone else who wanders by, but mainly I want to write - me, my voice, my thoughts, my responsibility.

If an AI writes for you - you have no voice and you likely think using an AI is an excuse should something you write be questioned. "I didn't write it, the AI did, I'm blameless". I wonder how long that will work for people using an AI.

Non-fiction writers are not praised and remembered the way fiction writers are. Yet, it is important to have both.

From a grocery list, a technical manual, a journal/ biography, an editorial, self-help/ how-to, text book, legal document, recipe, or a political speech, they write about reality. As do fiction writers in their way. But people would rather read the truth with the idea of it being fiction. Rather than reading about the truth, cold, hard plain, facts. People don't really want to know the truth when it isn't what they want to hear.

So fiction is celebrated and honoured while non-fiction sits on a shelf getting dusty, if noticed at all.

I wonder if fiction could exist without non-fiction? How would fiction writers find all their facts to spin into stories if it weren't for those non-fiction writers keeping track of the world?

What is your blog about? How long have you been blogging? Why did you begin blogging? Is it the same reason that you continue to blog today? How has your blog changed over the time you’ve had it? In six words, sum up your blog.

My site (blog) is about me and my hobbies, interests, thoughts, ideas, rants, all of it. I began blogging, I'd rather call it publishing on the web/ Internet, in 1998, more or less. I don't have any posts older than 2000 now. I didn't think to keep them and I've changed PC's several times since then. Earlier PC's weren't huge on data storage. Also, I didn't have my own PC until later.

My sites are always changing. Too often to get a steady audience. I second guess myself a lot. It's not a good habit.

Six words? - Unapologetically Canadian. Bewitching Vagabond. Dragon Friendly.

Who is your target audience? How often, if at all, do you think about quitting or taking an extended break?

I have been burnt out. I was posting daily to my blog about writing online. I still have those posts, I'm migrating them to this site now. I know I should have a target audience. I don't. I'm not selling anything, this isn't a business. Its far from making a profit and I don't like marketing.

Do your friends and family read your blog? How does this knowledge affect your writing? Do you feel like you can totally be yourself on your blog? Where do you draw the line when it comes to disclosing too much about your life on your blog?

My family do not read my sites. As far as I know. I wouldn't mind if they did. I am almost completely myself when I write online, here or social media. I find people are far more likely to jump down your throat for minor things, or ridiculous misunderstandings which they create themselves. I've been hounded on social media for a comment I made. My comment was pulled all out of proportion. I've seen aggression online and experienced it too.

I used to be more careful about disclosing information online. Ironically, it is a bigger issue now and I'm less cautious. Originally, back in 1996, I wouldn't even give my real name. Or location. Now, we get so many services demanding our identity and information, just to login to a website, like Google, verification must have your phone number, email address, name, and whatever else they store on their servers about you. Later they get hacked and apologize, but they don't stop culling information.