It would be nice to write a really inspiring post about channeling motivation and overcoming adversity and blah blah hard work dedication blah blah. But I wrote this post last night while drinking my second very generously poured glass of wine and feeling quite thankful for the Tylenol 3 pain relief that was coursing through my body combatting my debilitating period cramps.
So a maybe-too-honest, rambling sort of post it is.
As you might have noticed by now, I tend to write more structured articles like Best Drugstore Dry Shampoos and introspective pieces like An Ode to Quitting. And as much as I love those, I do think it’s good to mix up my writing style once in a while and just breathe a little bit. Breathe = ramble? Perhaps. But oftentimes my favourite bloggers are those who just talk about what’s going on in their lives and don’t always write the perfect-pitch-im-a-serious-writer kind of post.
So here I am, doing the stream-of-consciousness thing, aided by tres copas de vino tinto. I think that’s Spanish for three glasses of red wine (yes I'm already on my third) but I am much too lazy to look it up online. Oh yeah I started Spanish lessons last week which are obviously going muy bien and clearly I have learned the most important phrases for my upcoming trip -- can I have a glass of wine and where is the bathroom? #priorities
Seriously though, I’m enjoying being a student again and actually learning something new during my free time. I felt stagnated at my previous job so this is quite a refreshing change. Plus with our move to the US after Central America, these lessons will hopefully be very useful. When I was younger I learned French from elementary to high school and this foundation has been so helpful as I’m attempting to learn Spanish.
On a different note, this whole blogging thing has been a lot harder than I thought. All the advice I read tells new bloggers to pick a niche and stay with it. Fashion? Too broad. What type of fashion? Travel writer? Lifestyle blogger? “Narrow it down,” they say. What if I want to write about all three? A major faux-pas I suppose.
At the end of the day though, people do what they want to do. Like if I really truly wanted to wake up and work out every day, take advantage of my flexibility, make our house perfectly sparkling clean all the time, be an amazing dinner-making housewife, wouldn’t I be doing it? Instead it’s more like this.
I have no willpower apparently.
But in terms of blogging, why do I feel this trepidation? I have an editorial calendar full of ideas, a list of contacts who I’d like to reach out to, and new photo editing software to master. To be completely forthcoming, I also have some advertising inquiries to respond to and I just don’t know what to say. Do I want to open up my blog up to sponsorship? Am I ready for that yet? That is what big bloggers do, and yes if I’m being completely honest I do want to make it as a blogger. Sometimes I think that a part of my hesitation ironically comes from wanting to excel wholeheartedly in this online blogging and writing world. So what is it that’s holding me back?
I feel like I might be my own biggest obstacle in blogland. Is it possible for me to write thought-provoking posts that connect and engage with readers on a regular basis? Can I keep this up while I’m travelling? Should I wait until I’m settled in the States? Perfectionism can be crippling.
Oy vey this post is getting much heavier than I intended. I’m at a loss of how to wrap this up so I suppose I’ll leave with this -- onwards and upwards.
I’m off to pour myself another glass.
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I think your writing should be whatever you want it to be. Most bloggers worry too much about what other people want instead of just doing what they want. You have to trust that your readers will find you if you just do what you do. I struggle with the depth of my posts. There are big, thought provoking ideas that I get but don't know how to tie into style. So I usually leave them on the table. I admire that you're delving into this area.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the words of advice Alison. You always offer such kind words of encouragement. I guess the hardest part for me is trusting that readers will find me and come back for more, despite not advertising on any sites and essentially starting my blog from scratch. For the record, I love your style posts and I've also thoroughly enjoyed your "deeper" posts, like what you wrote when you turned 40. I think you've done a great job of mixing up lighter posts with heavier topics!
Deletedude, I totally hear you on the 'genre' thing. But for what it's worth, I don't think you need to narrow it down at all if you don't want to. Your readers (like me) don't think of only fashion 24/7, or only cosmetics, we all have a variety of interests and the best thing about writing about them all is that you'll find readers that share a large number of those interests as well. I think that's why I gravitate toward 'lifestyle' blogging as well. It's very open, and I love that.
ReplyDeleteI like this post, and I like the rambling, and I fricking love those GIFs. Keep 'em coming girlfriend.
The more I think about your comment, the more I realize you are right on the money. It's true, people aren't only interested in one topic! When I think about my favourite blogs, you're right, they do touch on a variety of topics which is what keeps them fresh. I hope that my readers stick with me as I navigate through my writing mojo. Thanks so much for your encouragement Erica, it means a lot! [PS I love those gifs too!! hehe... I'll definitely be adding them more -- they're just too much fun]
DeleteHaha I totally get this post. I love the idea of writing about whatever you want - blogging is supposed to be fun! A lot of times I think I could probably get more readers if I stuck with a specific category, but I have way too many interests to do that, you know? Anyway, I like the things you write about, so stick with them!
ReplyDeleteI agree!! I'm trying to follow my heart a bit more and get a bit more personal instead of follow all the blogging "rules" / guidelines you read so much about. I've learned that being earnest is what matters most in connecting with other blogs and writers... and if people don't necessarily enjoy every type of post I write they can just skip over them right? I like that you mix it up on your site and enjoy when you throw in some home decor in there too! (A topic I must live vicariously through others lol)
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