When I started blogging 4 years ago, it was on a whim. I knew I liked to write and my friend Patty was participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). I was absolutely positive I did NOT want to write a novel, however, that month is also NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month). Now that was something I felt I could handle. So I created a Blog called Glass Half Full, and started writing. Looking back at those posts always brings a smile to my face. They were so rough, and the writing was not at all the way I write now.
I suppose practice does create improvements because the more I have blogged, the better my writing has become. Not that I am a brilliant writer now, or ever, but it is better now than it was then.
About a year after I started blogging I was approached by an acquaintance to ask if I wanted to blog together with her. I said sure, and a wonderful friendship grew from our collaboration. We blogged together for a couple of years, and we had a lot of fun. Blogging with another person has its good points and bad points. The good is that there is someone to share the work. The posting, designing, etc. My partner was awesome at finding cute backgrounds and would spend hours designing the look of the blog. The bad part about blogging with someone is that you have to compromise. You don’t have complete control of all the elements of the blog or the content. I am a control freak, and that was a difficult piece of the partnership for me. For a variety of reasons that partnership dissolved, and I was back to blogging on my own.
Now I am at a crossroad. Not sure if I want to continue blogging or not. I have had some successes blogging. I have had a couple of blogs syndicated (meaning I was paid for them). I have run some successful advertising blog campaigns with BlogHer (meaning I was paid for them), but I haven’t had the crazy success blogging that I dreamed about. I dreamed about being the next “Pioneer Woman” or “Bloggess”. Hell, even a small fraction of their success would have been a dream come true.
But dreams are a funny thing. They are just dreams. Hopes. Wishes. These dreams have not come true for me, and I wonder why I should even continue blogging?
I haven’t written in months. There are times when I think of something and then think, “I should write about that”, but so many other things in my life require my attention, that it doesn’t get done. I have an “idea” board next to my desk in my office, and even that has been blank recently.
My mother has criticized my blogging and I will admit that those criticisms have affected my desire to write. A part of me says, “She doesn’t have to read the blog, if it bothers her” and the other part of me wants my mother to be happy.
So I am trying to decide if it is really worth it to keep writing. I don’t receive a lot of monetary compensation, or followers, or notoriety, but on the other hand, it makes me feel good, and there is this very small piece of me that has faith that SOMEONE out there enjoys reading what I write.
Time will tell.
I think you should keep it open, write when you want about what you want and derive from that what joys you will. You said you enjoy it. That’s worth a lot!! The older we get, we realize that some things CAN be for the sole purpose of our own enjoyment or therapy. Having it on a blog allows that enjoyment to seep to others…and at this point, who really cares how far and wide it seeps! And you never know…Some day you could be the talk of the town for something you wrote!!! But not if you stop. Just my opinion.
Thanks Lisa. I have decided to keep writing. I started this for myself, so why not continue something I enjoy?
I think you should continue and do it whenever the mood hits you.
Thanks Madge. I definitely am!
I enjoy your blog!
Thanks! I am glad you read it!!!
Just this morning i discovered your blog and read your post. I am the type of reader that if the title and/or post doesn’t grab me right away – I move on. Lucky you, yours grabbed me. Currently I am now writing my second blog without a partner. I understand your feelings completely. My first blog still exists, but we just couldn’t agree on how to go forward. So it sits. This allowed me to create one all on my own. What a great feeling! I understand how you feel about whether what you write is meaningful enough to be written. In my humble opinion it is. Keep writing about whatever the heck you want to, there is an audience to there for you! Check out my new blog if you have a minute. http://www.adventuresofemptynesters.com
*out there for you!
Thanks Suzanne!! I will definitely check out your blog! I agree about blogging on your own, it really is easier and gives more peace of mind. I hope you keep writing as well!
Blog for US, who enjoy your writing. Please don’t let your Mother’s comment control your actions, in any direction. ( But I sure understand how that happens!)
Thanks Bev! I am going to keep going!!
Hi there Carol. I am in a terrible state- choosing between continuing my blogging or not. Just to give a quick overview my main source of income is web content writing- ghostwriting, research, creating homepages, etc. Until last September I finally concentrate on creating a blog that is geared towards mainstream blogging. I’ve been doing this for over 6 months now ( I just realized that now) and get invited for many events- too many that I can no longer handle. Anyway, I get recognized and noticed by big PR companies and they would often send invitation for their events or send press release materials for me to post on my blog. Now, I am more active in attending prestigious events which have robbed my time for work. I spend so much for my transportation, for dressing up, food and so on just to keep up with my blogging social status. In other words I am about to be broke and jobless. I don’t know if I should continue and wait for projects that compensate or just stop and get back to working. I really enjoy going to different places and meeting new people at events it really brings out things that I just discovered about myself- my potential as a media person. But this is not my reality since I am not making a living out of it. I am so confused and would consider giving up on social media and get back to my own little corner- writing for others and getting paid little. HELP!