I have some questions for you all. I need some advice from the blogging world out there.
I need to know, How do you do it?
I've had this wee little blog for almost 5 years now, but this is the very first time I've been blogging consistently. I used to blog just randomly as I took pictures, or as events happen. I've really enjoyed blogging more consistently and the connection to the blogging community that I've slowly begun to establish, so I need your help, and your experiences.
How do you come up with things to blog about on those days where it feels like you have nothing to say?
And how in the world do you remember to take pictures of things?
I went to an event this weekend where 6 of us friends from high school got together and I did not take a single picture. I brought my camera and it stayed in my purse the entire time. I literally didn't remember until almost everyone was gone.
And how do you not feel like an idiot taking pictures of everything?
How do you handle the issue of privacy on your blog?
I've really struggled, wanting to write freely, but feeling slightly confined since my blog is well known to my friends and family(Hi guys!). Do you write freely even though there is no anonymity to your blog? Or do you keep your blog private from people in your real life? Or do you just not write about personal things on your blog? Or do you just post those vaguely vague posts where no one has almost any idea what you're talking about other than something is obviously bothering you?
I view this blog almost like a journal and want to write freely, but I don't want my loved ones to view my posts I am back biting or passive agressive when my issues involve them. I don't want my blog to just be about the happy things in life, because real people struggle, and I want to include those struggles on my blog.
So I want your advice on all things blogging and the decisions you've made about your blog, and how they've worked out for you.
And if you have lost of advice to give, please feel free to e-mail me at samnhal@gmail.com
I'm excited to hear what you all have to say.
I need to know, How do you do it?
I've had this wee little blog for almost 5 years now, but this is the very first time I've been blogging consistently. I used to blog just randomly as I took pictures, or as events happen. I've really enjoyed blogging more consistently and the connection to the blogging community that I've slowly begun to establish, so I need your help, and your experiences.
How do you come up with things to blog about on those days where it feels like you have nothing to say?
And how in the world do you remember to take pictures of things?
I went to an event this weekend where 6 of us friends from high school got together and I did not take a single picture. I brought my camera and it stayed in my purse the entire time. I literally didn't remember until almost everyone was gone.
And how do you not feel like an idiot taking pictures of everything?
How do you handle the issue of privacy on your blog?
I've really struggled, wanting to write freely, but feeling slightly confined since my blog is well known to my friends and family(Hi guys!). Do you write freely even though there is no anonymity to your blog? Or do you keep your blog private from people in your real life? Or do you just not write about personal things on your blog? Or do you just post those vaguely vague posts where no one has almost any idea what you're talking about other than something is obviously bothering you?
I view this blog almost like a journal and want to write freely, but I don't want my loved ones to view my posts I am back biting or passive agressive when my issues involve them. I don't want my blog to just be about the happy things in life, because real people struggle, and I want to include those struggles on my blog.
So I want your advice on all things blogging and the decisions you've made about your blog, and how they've worked out for you.
And if you have lost of advice to give, please feel free to e-mail me at samnhal@gmail.com
I'm excited to hear what you all have to say.
11 comments:
How do you come up with things to blog about on those days where it feels like you have nothing to say? If I don't feel like writing then I don't.
And how in the world do you remember to take pictures of things? I put limits. Since Devin travels so much, I tend not to take a camera out when we are out just because I want to focus on us.
And how do you not feel like an idiot taking pictures of everything? I'm not sure if it goes away haha :)
How do you handle the issue of privacy on your blog? When I write, I think of anyone who could possibly read a post and then I adjust.
As far as what to post, you'll probably notice I have a schedule: Mondays are for my weekend update (usually), Tuesdays are Tell-All, Wednesdays are my organization project, and the rest of the days are split between thoughts going on, upcoming events, books I've read, goals I'm trying to keep myself accountable for, etc. I personally like having a schedule to things because it makes it easy to know what to post. It does take out some of the spontaneity though, so sometimes if I feel too confined by it, I just will post something else.
As far as the privacy thing--I haven't ever really thought about it, other than the fact that I never post students' names or anything that could identify them because I'm worried they'll find the blog and it will create a problem. Other than that, I figure that my family and friends love me for me, regardless of my flaws and imperfections.
But I also don't post 100% of my feelings on the blog, either--that's what my written journal is for.
My blog was created to connect my family to Gracie, because we would be moving around a lot.
It turned in to a public journal for me. I never give away intimate details of my life (outside of one specific post that talked about our paychecks). OUtside of my faith, which is something that ought to be shared. I try very hard to keep Daniel out of most things and don't ever talk about the ins and outs of our relationship. Sure I willl talk about what works for us as a couple, but you will never see my blog about a fight we had, or our private lives. There are some things that should remain private, and I do my best to keep to that.
There are certain struggles I have with family that I KNOW follow my blog-and I know how you struggle. There are things I'd like to write about to get validation for how I am feeling--but I know the family members who read the blog would get SUPER upset and it's just not worth the drama it would create. So I don't knwo that I can help there--if you get good advice--please pass it along.
As far as what do I do when I don't have anything to say that day--Anytime I have a good idea for a blog, something I want to say or share, I write down the title in blogger and save it. Then, when a day comes that I have nothing to say--I go to my drafts and pick which one I feel like writing about. If none strike my fancy--I will either post pictures of Gracie (if a post isn't already planned) or a recipe. :) OORRR get guest posts :)
I remember to take pictures of things because I am a mom and I like to document everything and anything in Gracie's life because I am a total creeper.
I've been blogging for less than a year so I'm probably not in the best position to help you... I never remember to take photos (and that stinks)but I've started brainstorming my ideas. So when I feel like I have a lot of ideas coming I write them all down and start on my posts early so that when I'm eventually looking for something later I have things waiting for me.
I've also stopped being so specific as far as what I'm blogging about. When I started I really wanted to use it as inspiration to craft and make things but it just wasn't realistic for me to do that all the time so I started adding in new things that I like or inspiration based on things I'm doing in life. I've found that I have a lot more to write about now!
Jenn
With Luck Blog
Angel helps me a lot with coming up for ideas for blog posts. He loves it. He just randomly tells me, "You should blog about ....". I also tend to write down ideas whenever I think of them. I've never yet run out of things to say. Just time to write all the posts I wish I could write!
Pretty much everyone who knows me also knows that I blog, because I'm blogging largely for the reason that I want to pursue a writing career. If I want to talk about, use pictures of anyone--I just make sure to ask them first to make sure they're okay with it if I talk about them on the internet and so far, everyone in my family and such has been excited to be included on my blog. But then....I also don't write about the frustrations of life. I don't write about beauty school much because I know some of the teachers read my blog and I don't want to make school any worse on myself than it already is. As for privacy/safety, I keep my last name and location strictly off the blog....and if I wonder about whether or not something is a good idea to post, I just ask Angel if he thinks it's safe. :P
I only blog when I feel up to it. If that means going a week without a post, so be it.
My family doesn't know about my blog. It would be fine for me to tell them, but for the reason you mentioned, I don't. I like the freedom of being semi-anonymous.
I've always been a major picture taker! It's innate...I sort of envy your ability to NOT take pictures, because sometimes taking too many takes you out of the actual moment. But it can be a fun part of the night where your friends are included. Photo shoot time!
Hmm...where to begin. We should have an email chat sesh about this.
So the whole taking pictures of everything...in the beginning it's weird...but then you get used to it :-) Honestly, I forget to take pictures of things, and then later I'm thinking Ohhh noo!!
I think the best piece of blogging advice is that you just have to live life. And then blog about that life you're living in the most interesting way possible. Go do fun things...keep reading great things...talk to new people...be inspired by other blogs...stuff like that.
As far as privacy...I never post about something before I actually do it. Like, we went on a staycation last weekend, but I didn't post "so excited for my staycation".
Another great thing about blogging is that you can change up the way you do things. It's fun to do that every now and then. Just think of the main reason you want to blog and stick with that!
I also like Torrie's ^ comment. EAch day gets a different theme. So if on Tuesdays you're doing a craft...you'll have to do your homework...that makes things kinda more fun I think!
I have two blogs, one to keep in touch with family and friends which I keep private, and one as my writing place/contribution to the world/craftyness home. I took a page from some of the blogs I follow and gave my hubby and kiddo nicknames to keep our privacy.
And about worrying about upsetting family, I have found that I like to wait until things are over, till I have time to process them, see what the conclusion of the situation is, how I feel about it, and what I've learned about it before I write or talk about it openly. I also like to be specific enough to give people the idea, but also general enough that other people can identify with it.
Hopefully that helps!
I have a notebook and I just make notes of things that I want to blog about. My blog is different than yours though since it's a fitness style blog I can blog about things such as body image, ways i stay hydrated and so on. When I am blogging I kind of plan out my week of what I am going to blog and make a note of it so I have some sort of direction of where I am going with it.
The way I look at my blog is basically, it's my blog and I know that some of the things that I post are going to upset some people or offend people and I just do it anyway. I feel like the "real" blogs are better to read than the cookie cutter blogs.
Good luck! I love your blog.
If I have a specific problem, I try to think of how I could make it general so it speaks to other people too - and so no one thinks I'm passive aggressively complaining for the world to see. I am a very honest person, and I just put it out there without getting super personal.
I keep a notebook with me, and a Blog Notes on my iphone. I jot things down. Sometimes something never materializes, and sometimes it does!
If I see a post someone else did that I want to do too, I usually say hey I'm going to do something similar, and then I link back to them.
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