The Littlest Polly recently did a post on how to make your blog better for yourself (and the Red Velvet girls have a whole e-course on the subject) and I thought she was spot-on in recommending that you should always use your own photos and not just regurgitate other things you've seen online. On the other hand, I've lost count of the number of cool things that I've discovered purely because Oh, My Darling reported back on them on her blog.
Of course we would all like more readers, and - even better - more comments on our blogs, because it's human nature to want a little feedback on your efforts once in a while. A touch of reassurance that we are on the right track. That we are not alone. Blogging takes time and it does take effort, and while sometimes it all feels like some hideous popularity contest (do you feel that way sometimes, or is it just me?) perhaps it equates to the buzz you feel when a stranger says they love your outfit, or indeed your hair. You didn't get dressed up that day, or dye your hair, just to impress that person: you did it because you thought it looked good, and who doesn't want to look good? But somehow that external observation makes you feel even better. How much of a kick is it when your partner one days says, "you know I really like that dress on you" - that dress that you've had for ages and never knew they liked? Or even that dress that you just agonsied over spending your hard-earned pennies on?
How about when your boss tells you you've done a good job, or they liked the way you handled that shitty customer? Again, you didn't double-check your numbers or handle that shitty customer with professional courtesy even though you were being irrationally screamed at and what they really deserved was a kick in the teeth...no, you did those things well because you want to do your job well. Buck 65 (who I am unashamedly in love with - he kissed me on the forehead once, but that's another story...) has a song called Craftsmanship, in which he talks you through the process of doing a really good shoe shine. It's all about taking pride in your work and taking the time to do things properly. "You've got to give people a reason to want to come back." But at times, I feel the line between "taking pride in your achievements" and "showing off" is a very fine one indeed.
I started blogging because a couple of friends of mine (Ray Makes Do, Seeds and Stitches, Dreaming of an Aga, Mama Wolf) wrote their own blogs, and I loved reading them. It's a much nicer way of getting to know a person that Facebook or (don't get me started...) Twitter. So, when I moved out of London and away from these friends, I thought it would be a nice way for them to see what I was getting up to. To share my excitement at discovering a great market or wool shop, or buried treasures uncovered in charity shops. These are also the ladies I used to crochet with (Ray taught me how!) so I hope I don't just speak for myself when I say that we like to see what the others have been making, what new Knotty Arts they have conquered lately. I wouldn't write about learning to knit with DPNs on Facebook - do you think my 15-year-old male cousin in Cyprus wants to read about that? Or my old work colleagues? Or my boyfriend's housemate? Or course not! They want to know if I'm having a party they can come to, or if I've posted any photos of us being silly, or if I'm engaged/married/pregnant/"it's complicated" (seriously, who uses that one?!). To me, that's what Facebook is for. It's a different beast. But I wrote a blog post about learning to knit with DPNs. Of course I did!
I guess I've been pondering what sort of blog I have, and which bits people like to read and which bits they don't. Other posts which have resulted in a lot of comments were about Bradford-Upon-Avon and a watch repair shop. The most recent post I did that illicited no comments whatsoever was about my friends' t-shirt designs being sold at ASOS, which I thought was pretty amazing news! It just goes to show that you (I?) really can't predict what other people are going to appreciate.
So, how does all this affect my blog? It might not: I can't stop writing posts because I'm worried that nobody will read/care about them, and since I can't judge which posts are going to be popular and which ones will flop, then I'll just keep writing about whatever nonsense pops into my head (or onto my head: I promise I will show you my amazing new hat very soon!). I enjoy writing, and I've already noticed a certain style/voice emerging from my blogging (although I think it comes out more in my comments on other people's blogs - perhaps the necessity of brevity encourages one to choose one's words more carefully?) which I wasn't expecting. Here I am writing an essay - can't remember the last time I did that. I've got online dictionaries and thesauri bookmarked and I'm the kind of geek who enjoys that sort of thing (see? I just got to look up the plural of 'thesaurus'!).
I've been toying with the idea of sharing some of my (better) outfits with you, because once in a while, I have to admit, I really think I've nailed an outfit. I've avoided outfit posts up till now because of the aforementioned juggling act between "taking pride in your achievements" and "showing off". Nobody likes a show-off, do they? But we all seem to like looking at other people's outfits, and not just online either - I am constantly scrutinizing what people are wearing when I'm out and about, and not just to judge or criticize (although we all do that, too, even just internally - admit it!). I don't read any purely fashion/style blogs. All the outfitty blogs I read also include details about the authors' lives: their work, their families, where they live. My blog is already about those other things, so I don't know if sharing my Bag Lady style is going to help you get to know me any better. But I know that in the blogs I read I do like to have a face to go with the name, and I do believe that your clothes reflect your personality, so maybe I will dip the ocassional toe into these murky waters.
(Obviously, this is not one of those days when I've "nailed an outfit." This is just me, on a normal scruffbag day, pondering blogging.)
As ever, I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Hello Eleni:
ReplyDeleteYou raise some very interesting points here. Although we feel that there are probably many hundreds of different reasons or motivations for why people blog, even in our short time of experiencing the Blogosphere we feel that there are certain themes or trends that can be discerned.
First, we think that to receive comments one must also be a commentator for only by developing that dialogue can anyone feel that one is interested in what the person writes and, de facto, interested in them as people.
Second, one must essentially write for oneself about topics of real interest and, also, topics which do reveal something of the real person behind the blog. As a reader it is not nearly so engaging to feel that one has seen the images somewhere before, or that the blog is commercial rather than personal or that the blogger really has nothing to say.
You, Eleni, can write well and with conviction, are imaginative and have a wide range of interests to engage your readers. This is all absolutely wonderful and to build a readership [if, indeed, that is really what you wish to do] then we would suggest that the only way is through the hard work of commenting on others and establishing a real dialogue which is mutually supportive.
Hello Eleni:
ReplyDeleteWe do hope that there is nothing wrong as our comment written a day ago now seems to have disappeared.
It's good to be honest about blogging and it's wonderful to hear you talk about your motives. Blogging does take time and effort and it sure is nice to get feedback, I agree. I adore this little community we've become part of, just goes to show that when our physical community is absent there is still something in us that needs that support, inspiration and motivation, and we find that here online. Keep the posts coming! X
ReplyDeletethis post is spot on. i totally feel sometimes that yes the blogging world can be a popularity contest and that can be hard to handle as i am not a competitive person so it is hard for me to see others who are flaunt it. but to each their own and if it makes them happy then right on. i think outfit posts are fun and i feel sometimes a bit more connected to the reader and a better glimpse into their daily lives!
ReplyDeletexo,
cb
First I'd like to thank you all for reading that whole post - it was quite the epic! And second, I'd like to thank you for your insights. You are a clever and eloquent lot :)
ReplyDeleteAlso, apologies to the Hattatts, whose first comment was somehow identified as spam! Blogger, it would appear, has no manners.
Hi Eleni,
ReplyDeleteI'm fairly new to your blog, as well as writing my own blog. I do sometimes wonder WHY I want to blog, but never IF I want to. In only a couple of months I've started to order my thoughts differently, structure my time a little more and really appreciate what's happening in my life rather than let it slip by.
Reading through your blog it seems a lovely way of crafting a narrative out of your new city and life, which you might not have appreciated as much if you hadn't tried to work out your thoughts in a coherent way. Your writing style is friendly and inquisitive, so please do keep it up now I've discovered you!
Claire
Dear Eleni. Thank you for your honest and frank post. You raise many interesting points and the Blogosphere certainly provides human beings with a forum for healthy debate. I too have pondered the mechanics, morals and musings of this global community and, as with all things global, there can be no Black and White but rather never ending shades of Grey. Perhaps therein lies the key? Let us a Bloggerlites paint this canvas with beautiful, heartwarming, philosophical and tasty creative colour! My blog is a wonderful creative outlet for me as well a metaphoric life journal. When I go back and read some of my older stories I am filled with gratitude that indeed I have tales to tell, the technology with which to tell them and a world of possible readers. I love your posts... They are you and your life and your thoughts...Just perfect.
ReplyDeleteWell you're getting comments on this one, aren't you? ; )
ReplyDeleteOh, pondering blogging... I could, and frequently do, ponder this all day. I think it largely comes down to what you hope to achieve from blogging. If it's to meet people, make friends and build a community, it's really only a case of finding the right people and they will likely comment on everything, even if it's a bit obscure for them, because they like you. If you want more comments/readers, it's often better to have a very focused blog, a niche if you will, though that niche may take a while to discover. I feel like I want to use my blog to help me into a writing career, and I've found that having a style blog gets me followers/commenters. But sometimes I'd rather post about other things and I find myself having to space these other things out so that there's enough fashion posts in between to keep people visiting. That's quite irritating, but I know that I do it to myself because I do care about the success of the blog.
I think outfit posts only seem like showing off to people who are not in the fashion blogging community (and not all of them). That's one reason why most of my family/friends don't know about the blog... it's a hard jump to make. But I don't think anyone would say The Clothes Horse, for example, is showing off. It's clear that she's being successful in a niche that, for better or worse, a lot of people are interested in, and that she's a smart girl outside of that. Some style bloggers are showing off of course... the ones with many hazy, lingering close-ups of their beautiful faces.. I just remind myself they'll be old some day. ; )
Sorry for the epic reply!
P.S. Also, sometimes you won't get many comments/hits if you post on certain days/times. I never post on Saturday. Saturday is brutal for readers, it's a waste of good content!
Just came across your blog. Really interesting post. I started blogging at the beginning of the year and absolutely love doing it. I must admit that I would love more readers but I mostly do it for myself and have just enjoyed the sort of online diary it provides as well as a real motivator for doing things. My tagline is trying to live a more creative life and the blog really helps me do it. It motivates me to take photos, bake, make, etc. I'm pretty hooked and love it.
ReplyDelete