On Blogging

I confess, I am still a pretty new blog-reader. And an even newer blogger. It's like I discovered this whole new world when I started reading blogs. A world that I had no idea existed but was everything I love about writing and reading and the internet... I am addicted to blog world, without question.

Showin' off my current favorite winter accessories on Instagram. 

That being said... Blogging is hard! I had read other bloggers' posts about the surprising time-commitment and the photography challenges and the struggles with creating content. Despite all that, I thought I would be fine. I used to take photos, good photos, all the time. I've always excelled at writing, and shoot, I craft all the time as is. But let me tell you... Blogging is friggin' hard! Sure, I make crafts, but now I have to think about creating and capturing attractive process photos, planning when to take those photos with good lighting, editing those photos, and laying out a post. I love writing, but really struggled to find my "voice" in the blog-world for some reason, and have felt quite awkward at times in my posts. I used to take photos, but to say I'm rusty is an understatement. I struggle with framing for God's sake, a problem I never remember having ever.

I went into blogging with all these expectations of myself. Post often. Post quality, editorial content focused on particular subjects (crafts, DIY, decor, food). Document with quality photos. Write professionally, but with a relatable voice.

I have not met those standards, in my personal opinion. I've realized, in my still-new blogging career, that not every post needs to be about something. This is my blog! I can post simple life updates. Simple observations. Photos taken on my phone (realistically, the way I take most photos). And really, I like blogs that are more about the author than they are about content. Yeah, I love editorial blogs too, but only if they stay relatively personal in nature. It feels good to feel like you know the author in a sense... To feel connected to the person behind the words.

And so, I am taking some pressure off myself. I am going to try and post more regularly, without feeling like I have to have a new craft to share. Because realistically, I am the kind of girl, the kind of crafter, who often starts a project on a whim, puts it down, and finishes it three months later. Ya know what I mean? ;)

I think I have finally found my voice here. I feel like I can write as me... As I would if I were texting a friend... Without feeling like I have to be too "appropriate" or "professional." I'm just me. I'm the kind of girl who overuses emoticons and sometimes shortens words so that they look the way they sound (going = goin'). Years ago, a friend told me that she can always understand exactly what I mean in my texts because I write them as if I were saying the words in person. To this day I think of that as an enormous compliment, and I want that to be true of my blog posts as well.

In other news, I'm no good at formal "new years resolutions," but I have some ideas for goals for the coming months... Hopefully I'll flesh those out soon and I can post about those. I'm also SICK! Yuck. But at least it's giving me lots of time to cozy up with my yarn and crochet needle. :)

let's connect ---> facebook // instagram // twitter // pinterest // rss