Some of you may have noticed that I haven't posted anything here for over a week.
Weird, right?
I know I'm known for going off the blogging map every now and again, so this is probably no surprise to some of you.
This time I went off the map for a reason that was more than just losing blogging momentum and not wanting to write.
At the beginning of last month (you know, because it's February now), I said that one of my goals for this year was to grow my blog. It sounded really great at the time, and it's always nice to know that there are people out there who care about what you're writing. It's nice to have people who come back every time you hit the "Publish" button. Especially if they leave you a shiny comment. Comments are like gold in this blogging world.. Everybody wants them, but only a select few get lots of them.
Why am I telling you all of this?
Because I started becoming addicted to the stats, the right blog content, the comments (leaving them or getting them). It started getting exhausting.
Weird, right?
I know I'm known for going off the blogging map every now and again, so this is probably no surprise to some of you.
This time I went off the map for a reason that was more than just losing blogging momentum and not wanting to write.
At the beginning of last month (you know, because it's February now), I said that one of my goals for this year was to grow my blog. It sounded really great at the time, and it's always nice to know that there are people out there who care about what you're writing. It's nice to have people who come back every time you hit the "Publish" button. Especially if they leave you a shiny comment. Comments are like gold in this blogging world.. Everybody wants them, but only a select few get lots of them.
Why am I telling you all of this?
Because I started becoming addicted to the stats, the right blog content, the comments (leaving them or getting them). It started getting exhausting.
Not only that, but I kept coming across posts that talked about "blog fatigue". The bloggers were worn out from posting something every day, they were running out of content, their readers were becoming nasty towards them and the content they were posting, or their posts were becoming increasingly more shallow. All of those things scared me. I didn't want to become worn out, and I certainly didn't want people to send me hate mail because they disagreed with something I said.
So, what's happened since my last shallow post about the things I found on pinterest?
I've thought and thought about the way I've treated my blog over the past month. I've thought even more about my motives behind my writing and why I created a blog in the first place.
Why did I start writing?
So, what's happened since my last shallow post about the things I found on pinterest?
I've thought and thought about the way I've treated my blog over the past month. I've thought even more about my motives behind my writing and why I created a blog in the first place.
Why did I start writing?
To write about the things that were on my heart, reflect the love of Christ, and maybe offer someone a word of encouragement when they needed it most.
I saw those things in my writings from 2009, and even 2008 when I started this blog. Who knew that my words could minister to me almost four years later? Not only did they take me back to where I was then, but my 18 year old self touched something deep within me that I had forgotten about.
That is why I write.
I write for me.
And I pray that you leave with something you didn't have when you came.
So what does that say for growing my blog? Well, I don't really care anymore. I want people to be here for the right reasons. I want people to read what I have to say because they care about what is going on in my life, not about that really nice magazine designed room that I'll never have. If new people find my blog then hey, that's great! And if I never gain another blog follower again, that's okay too. The people who are supposed to be here are here, and I'm grateful for the kindness that each of you has shown me. I'm blessed to call you friends. Thanks for sticking in there with me!
I saw those things in my writings from 2009, and even 2008 when I started this blog. Who knew that my words could minister to me almost four years later? Not only did they take me back to where I was then, but my 18 year old self touched something deep within me that I had forgotten about.
That is why I write.
I write for me.
And I pray that you leave with something you didn't have when you came.
So what does that say for growing my blog? Well, I don't really care anymore. I want people to be here for the right reasons. I want people to read what I have to say because they care about what is going on in my life, not about that really nice magazine designed room that I'll never have. If new people find my blog then hey, that's great! And if I never gain another blog follower again, that's okay too. The people who are supposed to be here are here, and I'm grateful for the kindness that each of you has shown me. I'm blessed to call you friends. Thanks for sticking in there with me!
Kaitlyn
"Thanks for stinking in there with me!"
ReplyDeleteLOL I just pictured you saying that.
Keep your head up, by the way. More people read this than you think, and we genuinely care about what's going on in your life. :)
I don't know who you are, but it's funny that you caught that typo. I read and re-read it, and still didn't see it. It's fixed now, but that is funny! And maybe a little appropriate?
DeleteI'm definitely reading, so if you weren't writing for anyone else, you can know at least that you have an audience of one.
ReplyDeleteI thought about blogging a lot when I didn't have the Internet and couldn't do it, and I've just about come to the same conclusion. Writing for yourself is good, which is why I'm a big proponent of journals, but sometimes the things you write in a journal can be helpful to someone else. So why not put it online so that just maybe someone else will see it and gain benefit. Maybe no one will, and that's okay, but the chance is still there.
The other conclusion I came to about why I write is just for discipline's sake. I don't really have any other writing gigs at the moment, so I think it's prudent to get all the practice in that I can. Otherwise I would just constantly be writing only in a journal, never producing anything that makes sense. ;-)
From one blogger to another, keep truckin'!
Good stuff! :-) PS: Your blog is awesome... you definitely have a reader here :-)
ReplyDeleteYou know I read! And you're dealing with something all bloggers do... and should! It's good to re-evaluate and make sure you're in it for the right reasons. (Though to be honest... shallow or not, I enjoyed your recent posting sprint!)
ReplyDeleteI seem to have the opposite problem. I tell myself I don't care about stats (I kind of do), but instead of posting a lot of just anything, I want every post to count and be beautiful and profound. And then I end up crippling myself and not writing anything. Sometimes, a shallow, fun Pinterest post (or just a weird, funny story) can be freeing.
You have the right perspective now.... it's something you do for yourself, because you must. Keep it up! Your friends are reading whatever you want to say. =)
I want to hug you right now.
Delete