My Year of Blogging….

The end of April this year marked something significant for me.  Why you may ask?  It was a year ago during that very time that I began a blog.  A whole entire year has passed since I started this journey of mine writing. Feeling that cliche kind of feeling of how it feels like only yesterday I started, proving just how fast time goes by when you look back on it.  I know, I know, such a cliche.  But hey, it’s true.

I wasn’t sure I was going to write an article about my “One Year Anniversary of Blogging”.  I was like, “Hmmm…. Should I?”.  That would explain why I didn’t publish this around the one year mark.

It’s been an interesting year for me as far as being a blog writer.  Every time I would ever talk about anything on the topic pop culture to anyone they would always say to me the same exact thing, “You should start a blog”, then I’d be like, “Who cares what I have to say?”.  After some time I decided to give writing a go because I like to write.  And what’s better than writing about things you really enjoy and can share with others who also might appreciate those same things as well.

I’ve learned a few things along my way throughout this past year when it comes to being a new blogger.  The following are the top 5 things I’ve learned:

1. You will write things that might go unnoticed.

This one is I have to say was particularly hard to deal with at first.  I’ve written 48 articles since starting a blog.  I say articles vs. posts because I tend to write a lot, and I would definitely categorize my writing more along the lines of being that of an article (more on that later).  I put everything I have into my writing, and even after a year I have to admit it still does sting a little when it seems like I’m just not catching on in the blog world in the way I would have hoped I would after a year.

When I write something I hope it’s something that others can relate with and enjoy.  So when I write an article and it seems like it just simply went unnoticed as if I never wrote anything, no lie it kind of hurts a bit.  I put so much in to what I write that yes, I do feel ever so slightly bummed after something I published just didn’t seem to catch others eyes.  It doesn’t make me feel like what I wrote wasn’t worth it, it feels more along the lines of being rejected on a casting call, it that makes any sense.  You get over it at some point, but in the moment it just hurts because you want so badly to be successful at what you’re trying to do.

I try to remind myself that anything in life that is successful takes time (I know, I know, yet another cliche saying).  I have to remind myself ever time I publish a new article that it’s been only just a year, and to not sweat it if others might not have been interested in reading something that I wrote.  I have to remind myself that I have made some progress after a year of blogging, even if that progress is very small in amount.  That small amount of progress is something I have to remind myself of every time I publish an article.

I don’t want this to sound like I only write for the propose of getting likes on an article.  It’s not that at all.  I guess it’s just that when you write something that you really believe in you hope others will want to read what you wrote, that what you wrote struck a cord with simply only your words and what you had to say.

2.  I write, well….. WAY TOO MUCH!  One might say.  Just a guess.

I’ve mentioned prior of how I’ve written 48 articles so far.  There are certain styles of writing.  Articles that are short and to the point.  Then there are articles that are on the long side with many, many words involved.  Most of what I have written this past year would fall under that category of “Wow!  A Short Article This Is Not!”.

More than likely this “writing too much” is a possible reason for why some might ditch reading my articles after the first few paragraphs.  Some probably end up saying something along the lines of the following after seeing how much I’ve written,“Uh, yeah….  Moving on!  This is crazy long!  Next!”.  So you know I kind of get why some might not want to stick around and read everything that this gal had to say.  I get it.  It’s a risk in many ways to write as much as I write simply because there’s that big chance that a lot won’t want to continue and read everything that I have written.

At the end of it even though I am fully aware of that possibility I will continue to write as much as I feel like when I am writing something.  However much I feel like writing is what I will write because it feels more true to myself to do that than to write something that is shorter just for the sake of attracting more eyeballs that might stick around to read what I have written.

3. I’m Not A Technology Kind of Person, Hence Why My Blog Is Still So Plain After A Year.

You’d think after a year of blogging at some point during that year I might have upgraded my site to look more nice, more pretty, more appealing to the eye.  But alas, when it comes to technology I understand it in lamest terms, but overall can get somewhat overwhelmed by understanding the ins and outs of it.

The process of even starting the free WordPress Blog which I’m still now on, was a lot to put together.  So to say the least, I have been putting off figuring out the upgrading process simply because I feel overwhelmed by it.  I don’t know anyone else personally that has had a blog on WordPress to ask for advice on where to begin, or how exactly everything transfers to the new site after the upgrade.

Ugh, it’s just all so confusing.  So confusing that I’ll probably end up going through another year before dealing with it, if ever.  But who knows, maybe I’ll get around to it this year because it would be nice to have a site that has categories for the subjects I write about, all neat and nice together.  My current site is fine, but kind of looks like the case of the many never ending articles.

4. I Am A More Than One Subject Kind Of Writer.

I’m not a Book Blogger, although I have written about books here and there.  I’m not a TV Blogger, although I have written about TV here and there.  I’m not a Theater Blogger, although I have written about Theater here and there.  I’m not a Lifestyle Blogger, although I have written about everyday things in life.  My blog is a mishmosh of things I like.  Which mostly is pop culture, and loving that spring/summertime like weather.  My blog doesn’t fall into a category of this or that, but many things in life.

My blog is probably one that might come across as one that doesn’t know what it wants to be, with me always writing on different topics.  I’ve always liked variety vs. just one thing, so it made sense that that’s my style of writing.

5. My Blog Like Myself Is Very Much A Work In Progress.

I’ve learned a lot during this past year writing.  I’ve learned I really, really love to write.  I love to write about anything that catches my eye, which is usually pop culture.  While I also love to write about simple things in life like missing the summer weather during the winter months (random, but so me).  I am also hoping this year to broaden my writing skills and to write some stories for books and TV.

I started this blog as a way to give myself some much needed confidence.  I feel in many ways lucky to have found something in life that I’m passionate about.  Most of the time I don’t have much to say, but start talking about a TV Show or a Play and just try to get me to stop talking.  It’s a nice feeling when you feel like you really know what it is life in you actually enjoy and what’s worth spending your time on.

My goal with starting a blog is what it has always been.  It’s to one day write for a living.  That’s the dream.  Well, that and winning the lotto to actually be able to live comfortably in the best city in the world, which is of course is NYC.  That day may never arrive, but gosh darn it I really hope it does.  NYC is the center of pop culture, and if I ever get to live there that’s when I feel like my life and career (hopefully writing) will finally get to begin in all the ways I’ve always hope it might.  If I’ve learned anything about myself over the years it’s that doing what interests you makes life go by a lot more fun.

Before I end this article, I just wanted to take a moment to say a very heartfelt thank you to anyone who has ever taken time out of their day to visit this gal’s blog.  A blog which might come across as one that is plain in design, but hopefully interesting in words.  Thank you to those who follow my blog.  Another thank you to anyone who has read, liked or commented on any of my articles.  That really does means a whole lot, and thanks a bunch for continuing to visit my blog site even though it’s “a blog site that is as plain as they come with articles that might seem never ending”.

Advertisement