I think I'm going to talk a little more about writing here, in this space where I write. I've noticed I've been doing lots of cutesy kid posts and I think it's just something I fall back on when I get stuck because I've been doing this blog for so long. It's totally knee-jerk. I realize I'm in a rut. You know what else I noticed? I was a looking at a list of the top parent bloggers, or mommy bloggers, or some crap like that and I didn't recognize anyone! OK, maybe a couple of people I recognized but they were way down at the bottoms of the list in terms of popularity. It was shocking. Both that they were so low and that I didn't recognize anyone. I used to be familiar with everyone in the top parent blogging sphere.
And that kind of made me think about lifecycles. What's the standard lifecycle for a blog? There's probably some market research for that somewhere. I used to have a pretty good following, not huge but enough. But a lot of my audience has left the blogging world over the years, or changed direction, or we just drifted. I still feel like people come to visit but my comments are way down from what they were a couple years ago, and honestly, my energy has changed direction and lagged as well. Out of curiousity I visited some of the big name bloggers I knew back in the day. I mean, these people were hot, they were always in the top tiers of favorite bloggers lists, and they used to get comments galore on every single post! You know what? A lot of them… their comments were way down, too. Now they probably still get a ton of hits but comments are kind of telling, you know? At least, I used to think so. But then again, I am so obviously out of the loop of which blogs are A list anymore my opinion shouldn't count for much. Doh!
So I've been wondering about the standard run of a blog. I know there's a cap for the whole "mommy blogging" thing; that it's typically considered for moms of young children. Once you're out of poop stories you're shit out of luck. (I'm sorry, I couldn't resist.) I wonder if there are caps for other blog genres? Do food blogs get a good five years? Craft blogs, 10? Humor blogs go on forever, but that's only if people think you're funny. (Apparently it doesn't count when you're the only one who thinks you're funny. Damn.) Have the long-time bloggers changed focus every so often to keep things fresh?
So… in just some small measure to shake things up I'm going to try to talk about more. I don't want to completely change focus (not that I ever had a focus), I just want to expand. Maybe I'll stop saying "so" so damn much. Not that I expect wild popularity or anything I'm just trying to do something new, accomplish something different. I'm filled with a constant frustration and I want it to stop. (I have no idea how much of this is just my mid-life crisis-rearing head. It's plaguing me, damnit.) I mean, I think I do some interesting things…
I'm still taking drum lessons.
I really, really love writing over at Culture Brats! I've been taking it as opportunity to go to more music shows, see more art, more pop culture, immerse myself in stuff I already love. And the best part? Getting to talk to people about it.
I joined our local poetry society and finally got to a reading. (BTW, speaking of lifecycles, somebody said at the poetry reading that the average life cycle of a poet is 15 years. Then they totally start repeating themselves. Well, shit.)
I'm still doing miscellaneous crafting and I'm been planning, vaguely, maybe just dreaming of, opening an Etsy shop for a year. I am dying for one of those personal silk screening printers.
Gardening is coming up so, yeah, you're all going to get another picture of tomatoes and/or jam. Sorry, some ruts you just can't break. (jump out of? plow?)
And, of course, I've got about a hundred writing projects started. Poetry, short stories, novels, children's books.
I also should get around to finishing that 30 Days thing, huh? (Wait, wasn't that my last attempt to break the mold?)
So… do I talk about these things or does that just sound like the same old shit?
– wg
okay okay such pressure – i’ll comment vs lurking!! since you’re crafting again – need to fix my niece’s necklace – clasp is broken – may i bring it over? š
I love this post–this is definitely what blogging is, to me! Sure, I’d like to be a blogging superstar–but like you, I realize that’s not what blogging is for! A blog, to me, is a journal/diary, though for public viewing. It’s a medium for nonfiction writing. And the best writers don’t write for others, but for themselves.
The success of a blog, for me, is measured by the happiness it brings the blogger–not its popularity. Of course, if you don’t get as many readers (especially those who comment) as you’d like, it’s discouraging. But I’d rather have ten readers, while writing whatever and however I want, than a million readers by writing whatever and however they want me to. The goal of writing, for me, is self-fulfillment–popularity is just dessert. And obviously you write for self-fulfillment too, which is why your blog is so enjoyable, not just for mothers, but for anyone who appreciates good writing!
I really enjoy your blog. I am a mom, too, and I sometimes mention my kid in my blog, but I wouldn’t consider myself a mommy blogger. My kid is 17 and we are way past most of the stuff that you find in the typical mommy blogs. I prefer to hear about all that other stuff that’s going on in your life. š
TA – Of course, bring it by.
Scott – Thanks! Yeah, I’ve always been a believer in writing whatever I feel like rather than the formula of blogging. And there are formulas.
Le’Ann – Thanks! I like yours too. I need to get around and visit/comment myself more often. Are you going to Blogher this year?