I think I’m in this writing thing, or maybe I should say blogging thing, for the long haul. I’ve been at it for over 2 years now, and while I don’t have a ton of followers, I continue to gain them.
I have no intention of monetizing this blog. First off, I don’t have the time or energy for this. Or the interest. It just wouldn’t feel right to me. That’s not to say that I don’t fervently hope that at some point in the not-too-distant future, someone somewhere will stumble across this blog and be like “this woman needs to have her own column in our online magazine” or, “We need to make this woman a part of our writing team”, or “I need to be this woman’s agent because she’s going to write a bestseller some day”.
I think over time, I’ve honed in on the primary (but most certainly not only) topics I want to write about: food, music, travel, and pop culture. But I really want to write more posts about politics; however, experience has taught me that this does not result in many likes or comments; nor does it garner me new followers. On the flip side, however, if I were to flash forward 20 years into the future, do I want my spawn’s spawn or their spawn to uncover my writings and be disgusted by the fact that with all the turmoil and injustice that occurred on a daily basis due to the Trump presidency, I chose to write about frivolous things like my favorite playlists or the travel experiences/dreams I had, as opposed to using my voice to rail against the forces of evil? I wouldn’t want to be perceived in the future as being complicit in these tumultuous times.
This is such a huge conundrum for me as a human being and a writer. Perhaps I’m overthinking it. I am such a champ at that.
What I am most certainly not a champ at is the whole tech side of blogging. I joined another Facebook bloggers group a few months ago, which I haven’t been engaged in at all. Because the members are clearly in a different league than I. They are far more ambitious and I don’t understand their language. I feel like if I were to decide to become a fully participating member of this group, translating their lingo would eat up so much of my time and energy that I’d be tempted to throw my hands up and quit blogging altogether. So I don’t even know where to begin. What questions to ask of them or how to phrase them.
If only I had an intern for a few hours a week to do the behind-the-scenes techy stuff for me. I could pay them with home baked goodies and free wi-fi. Pimp Radar out for free puppy cuddles.
Then there’s the fiction I have been working on. Or, more to the point, wrote a bit of but got distracted by life and kind of forgot about. Will I ever actually share it? If I do, how might it be received? If it’s well-received, do I have it within me to continue the story and create something really special, entertaining, funny, relatable, and financially rewarding for me and Hubs down the road so we can have the most awesome early retirement life ever?
These are my honest-to-God struggles these days when it comes to this blogging thing.
How about you, my fellow bloggers? How are you all rolling “write” now? This curious mind would love to know.
Pollyanna's Path 
That’s got to be one of my favorite GIFs of all time. Love me some Tenth Doctor.
I’m with you on the blogging thing. I mean, it would be amazing to make money writing about whatever catches my fancy, but I’m no influencer. I’m not going to hashtag the hell out of my every post, or insert links and giveaways into everything. I’m also not going to come up with a bunch of crazy hacks or parenting tips or whatever just to get attention. I post recipes because I like to play in the kitchen, and sometimes the results taste good. (Occasionally, and much less frequently, they even look good. But I’m not standing on the kitchen table to get the perfect shot of them. I just cleaned that tablecloth.)
I also really enjoy creative writing; I have 4 WIPs going right now. But I’ve been working a minimum of 12 hours a day 5 days a week; I’ve not had time to run with any of them, and won’t for the foreseeable future. So the writing groups are kind of wasted on me now, too. I dash out a few words in my blog or on one of my novels when I get a free moment; that’s about all I am up to.
I feel more guilty about not working on my novels than my blog, to be honest. I like blogging, but it’s really just a way to keep my writer hat on during busy periods. I’m not and will never be a capital B Blogger. And if I’m *really* honest, I prefer blogs like yours to Blogs. So you just keep doing you, and I’ll keep reading!
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Thank you for your comments, Nicole! I have no idea what “Tenth Doctor” is but my best guess is it has something to do with “Doctor Who”. Ha ha! I’m glad I’m not the only one who struggles with this writing/blogging thing. The whole “influencer” thing where people are making money is so weird to me. You are working 12 hours a day, 5 days a week? I’m surprised that you have any time whatsoever for writing or blogging. When the heck do you sleep?
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Boy, this really resonates with me! So often I’ll read something or see a bit of news and I think I should write about it – the words will flow through my mind and it’s gold, gold I say! But if I attempt to write anything serious it just comes out … blech. Like Nicole, I figure I’m not meant to be a Big B Blogger.
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Seems like I am in very good company. I’m going to keep blogging as long as I enjoy it and feel it’s bringing some positivity out there into the universe. I feel like I’ve really got nothing to lose so I’m going to keep on keepin’ on. Thanks for your comments, lady!
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I think what I love most about writing is that I never stop learning and that matters to me. In the spirit of that, what exactly is a Big B Blogger? I don’t know if I’d like to be one or not…I guess first, I’d just like to know what it is. Also, writing gives me purpose in life. So, there’s that. I have several projects in the works. I wish I knew more about the industry side of writing and how to get my foot in the door as they say. Any suggestions that are doable that don’t cost thousands of dollars but also aren’t a waste of time? Mona
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I am with you 100% Miss Mona! I think the Big B Blogger thing is referring to people like the “Blogess”. I like the idea of learning the techy side but yes, I am not willing to pay big bucks for it. Perhaps there’s a “blogging for dummies” book out there? They make those books for everything else, right? Thanks for your comments đŸ™‚
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