Back in October (!!!) I shared some of these thoughts over at Tara Dara for her Blogging series.
In reading back over this post, I’ve tweaked a few things – and I’ve added some other ideas. So even if you read this back in October, maybe slog through it again for the new stuff. I’d love to hear what you think!
I’m thrilled to be sharing what I’ve learned since I started blogging – but I don’t feel like any kind of expert.
This is the kind of hobby (or job, if you’re lucky) that is always changing. There are always new things to learn, alsways new things to adjust to and change. So I’ll give you a little of what I’ve learned so far – but know that I’m right in there with you – trying to figure out what I’m doing.
I have been blogging for almost two years – but I debated and considered starting a blog for about 6 months before that. Even though I’d been crafting and sewing for years. I honestly did not think I had enough projects in me to support a blog. I also didn’t think anyone would ever read it – but we can skip going into my insecurity issues for now. :)
After much pressure from my family, and a friend from dfylinks.com, I gave it a go. And I found that being creative is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. Now that I’ve immersed myself in this blog, I find myself having more ideas than I have time to do. Inspiration is everywhere.
So my first little “nugget” of advice is – to just dive in. If you are thinking or dreaming about starting a blog – go for it! As trite as it sounds – you won’t know if you can do it until you write that first post and hit “publish” for the very first time.
(source)
I think this applies to almost anything in life. And it’s a lesson I don’t want to forget. It’s easy for me to say, “I should wait on that, I need more experience, A few more things need to fall into place”. I am trying to be more proactive this year and diving into new things and taking chances!
So back to blogging- once you hit publish, what next? You’re waiting now right? Waiting for those comments, visitors, and that follower widget to have someone’s face in it besides you and any family members you have asked/bribed to join. You’re looking at all the big blogs (and there will ALWAYS be bigger blogs) who have tons of all those things. And they’re all fun. It’s a complete kick to have a comment pop up and have someone you don’t know tell you that what you just posted is awesome.
It’s easy to get caught up in that. If people don’t comment, you can fall into thinking your project isn’t good. When before you posted it you liked and and put it up on your wall or whatever. I know I’ve been guilty of that.
Or you’re looking at your stats and worrying about how many people are coming and how to get more. And FOLLOWERS!! What if you get unfollowed? (And you will. Everyone does. Really.)
The trick for me is remembering that’s not really why I started the blog. (maybe it is why you started – so if that’s true then ignore this. lol )
I started a blog because I wanted to make new things, learn new things, decorate my house, freshen up my closet – and maybe make some new friends. It’s about creating.
(This is a gorgeous printable by Landee See Landee Do)
This has really been drilled into me these last few weeks. I believe all these things – I really do. But I also didn’t realize how often I checked that little Follower widget – until it was gone. I checked it a lot. :) So GFC going away has been a good – though painful – thing for me. It’s been a good reinforcement that I am blogging for the “creating” – and the community – and not the numbers. That’s not saying that numbers are bad – or not an awesome thing. I’m just saying I don’t want it to be all about that for me.
I love this quote. I’m thinking of painting it somewhere or etching it into my desk or something.
Not really. But I do like it a lot.
I had some thoughts on photos here – but I’m going to add that to a different post. Since this is crazy long already!!
So now – you’ve got projects you love, and you’re having a blast! What now?
Find some other bloggers you connect with. Make friends.
One of my favorite things about blogging is the friendships I’ve made. I had no idea when I started blogging that I would meet so many amazing people and make so many friends.
My snarky 16 year old son calls them “blends” (blog+friends). So when I tell a story, I get the standard question, “Is this a real friend or a blend?”.
My response is always “both!”. It’s so important to me to have a group of gals that understand me – and what blogging is all about!
(Because let’s face it, “civilians” as my friend Viv from The V Spot calls them, don’t always get it, do they?)
“What do you mean it took you 12 hours to make and post that book page pennant??”
“Well see, I had to stop and take pictures between every step. Then I had to take 85 shots of the finished item. Then I had to edit and brighten and watermark all the images. Then I had to write a post about it. It’s fun!”
The beauty of a blogging community is, not only do you have new friends, but you have people you can ask questions and go to for support or when you get stuck.
Stuff I’ve asked my friends, “What is a hashtag and is there a secret list of them somewhere I have to use?” and “Did that last project totally stink or what?” and “I have 2 entries on my giveaway. Will you come enter??”. :)
It’s so nice to have a support group.
The other thing I’ve found is that pretty much anyone is willing to help. That’s what makes this community so fun.
So thanks for reading through my ramblings!
So — I’d love to know. (And bonus points to you if you actually read this whole post!)
If you have a blog, what do you wish you knew when you started?
If you don’t have a blog – what do you wish we knew? Is there anything that stands out to you when you’re reading a blog that you love?
(I’m sure there are things you don’t like as well – but let’s keep it positive :)
You’re the real deal Bev. I should care less about numbers and more about loving creating. You never know what people will like or not like, they will surprise you that way, so just be yourself and find some awesome blends along the way. I have. :)
I love this! My favorite part, “And I found that being creative is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. Now that I’ve immersed myself in this blog, I find myself having more ideas than I have time to do. Inspiration is everywhere.”
I remember when I first started my blog my husband asked me ‘what if you run out of things to blog about’.. umm yea if I only had enough time to blog about all of the projects I have on my list!
I read the whole thing! Where’s my bonus points?!! LOL! You totally wrote everything in my mind! love it!
Ellie
Totally agree about exercising your creative muscles!!! I have a list a mile long. It’s easy to get caught up with the numbers, especially when you don’t have many, but you are right, that’s not why most people start blogging.
When I first started, I wish there had been some sort of commenting etiquette I could have referred to. There probably was, but I was unaware of one. I soon worked it out. Great post!
I wish I had of known how much fun it was going to be and I would have started earlier . Great post , thanks !
Hi there
I found your link to this post via Facebook- thanks for your post, it’s great and helpful for those of us new to the scene :) What we share is such an extension of us that it’s hard to not fall into the cycle of checking and waiting. But it’s great to get reminders about what it’s all about. What I wish I knew – gosh, I started so recently, not sure yet. Maybe how time consuming it can be? :) I agree though, the support here is something I didn’t know existed and it’s really nice.
Thanks!
Wished I would have done better with key words. It’s a,sizing how much time s blog can take. Wished I had a better grasp at the beginning to be more streamlined with what was actually on my blog. And so glad I quit worrying about the numbers and more on personal improvementbbb
LOVE your blog! I wish I had known how much work it was going to be. It takes me forever to get posts up ( not for lack of material but time) and I tend to ramble a lot when I think.
What a great post and I lOVED all the quotes but I think my favorite part is about the “blends”. I totally want to use that word—especially when talking to my husband who always says friends with the stupid air quote thingy when talking about my bloggy friends.
-liZ
I am thinking about removing GFC just because. I need to refocus on the why of my blogging…not the other “stuff.” I did one of thee for Tara Dara too- I loved that series. Maybe I will be a copycat and post mine next week!
You are an amazing person creatively and genuinely and I am happy to call you my friend.
Good read! I’m still sort of a newbie (6 month blogger) and love reading veteran bloggers’ stories and advice. The friendship element is real important to me too. I’m finding facebook to be a good source of connections (but I’m spending way too much time on it, ha). That’s how I found your post…when you put info about it on fb.
Shasta
I just wanted to say thank you, especially for the printable! It’s so true! This is a great read. I’ve only been blogging for a bit, and still don’t really know what I’m doing. I always enjoy reading your blog and seeing your amazing creations. You are an inspiration to me. :)
Staci
I’m a fairly new blogger, too, and still have that fear that I put something out there and nobody reads it. I’ve found that I have to limit my time in reading other blogs or else I don’t get my sewing time in, and I don’t get any of my own blog updates written!
Great post! I wish I knew that people are reading even if they are not commenting or following. I do want those securities to go away, but they will always be there. No matter how big or small is your blog :)
Hi Beverly. I did read the whole thing. So here’s my question how do you go about building a blogging community. I have reached out to a few people with very little response. I did finally find one person locally that I believe will be a good connection. But any suggestions. Lesley
I might die when GFC goes away for Blogger. Okay, probably not, but I admit that I *might* scroll down my blog to see those numbers periodically. I don’t particularly care what the number is, I just like to see it get bigger! ;)
I blogged for at least 6 months without stepping outside of my own blog. It was a completely new world to me, and I don’t think I even realized there were “other” bloggers out there. I didn’t read them and didn’t know they existed. I wish I had extroverted myself more in the beginning to find those other blogs. It truly opened new doors for me when I started leaving comments for others and joining link parties. It was so interactive and fun! I can’t believe I’m coming up on my 3rd blogging anniversary this summer!
Although I kind of did know this, and this helped me take the plunge, I didn’t realize HOW supportive the blogging community is! People are more than happy to share ideas, tips, insights…blogging feels like an encouraging, uplifting conversation. I love how non-competitive it is, even when a blog is someone’s business. It’s such a uniquely positive atmosphere!
This post is why I love your blog.
Some great quotes that you found and taken to heart. I love the printable about creating and not caring about anybody else. That’s what I feel like some times. Especially if I get into the numbers and I’m like…what only 5 people viewed that. I try to just write and not care but part of my humanness wants to know I’m not doing it just for me. Love knowing that I’m not alone in starting a blog for creating things!
GREAT post!
I remember reading this post when you first did it, and loving the creative muscle comment. It really rings true.
But now I have more quotes to love…Comparison is the thief of joy, so fantastic to remember!!! And blends – love that!!!
Excellent points – I think when you first start out you are just trying to get noticed, you have a certain goal you want to hit. And then when you hit it, you don’t even realize that you have already made new goals for yourself in your head – and have seen bigger fish in the sea. There will always be someone bigger, better and ‘more creative’ then you. The trick is indeed to be happy with what you are doing, stop comparing, and remember why you started it in the first place. So true.
I think what is hysterical is that we all seem to think that the bigger you get, the more money these people must make, and the more perks they must enjoy. Its all still peanuts. Lol
I think my best tip for someone starting out, besides tagging for SEO search, would be JOIN THOSE LINK PARTIES!!! They may be a pain in the butt, but how else do you expect people to find you?!! People like me LOVE to troll said link parties and Pin like mad, or even do a feature post occasionally. Your hard work will not go unnoticed!
Great post Bev!
i wish someone had told me how much work it actually takes! i’m not an everyday blogger but real life issues are really cramping my style. maybe i need to go back to the beginning and post what i was posting then. Thanks for the advise!
I wish that I knew what was coming for me!!! I just now started networking and connecting with other blogs – I have a bunch of labels on Gmail just so I can organize it all! I also wish I knew about link parties when I first started. That was how a got ‘known’ and built up. Thanks for all the advice – pinning for future reference!
Bev,
I found your site because I was looking for Flamingo quilting patterns. I have stayed because I just love you. I print off all your Anthro knonk-offs but haven’t made any because I really don’t need any jewelry but love your creativity. You have me making kitchen towels instead of quilting because I love your designs. I love your creativity but really love your humor. Keep up the good work. A couple of weeks ago I took myself off of almost all of the blogs I had been following because I felt I was just spending too much time on-line and not enough time doing. But I will always follow you.
Sincerely,
Cathe
Great thoughts and advice. I too, started my blog to chronicle my artwork, and gain inspiration from the crafty blogging community. As I have built my blog, I am guilty of counting the comments and followers sometimes, but I am most happy when I just post my projects for the fun of it.
What do I wish I knew before? If I don’t watch it, this will be as long as your post, LOL. I wish I knew how little I know about the ins and outs of blogging. Hashtags, links, getting things to work on WordPress that Blogger blogs post work there, I am woefully computer ignorant so every post takes me forever. I’m ecstatic I have followers on WordPress * Facebook. I can’t get LinkyTools to set up, nor can I get the promised answer to a question, that’s a disappointment. All the HTML might as well be Greek for my understanding of it. I slowly plug along, learning a little at a time as I go, trying to remember to take pics when I finally get to do something. How’s that for starters? Sounds like I hate doing this, I don’t I just hate that I haven’t learned any of this at a younger age when learning was easier.
Great post! I don’t worry about followers. I have a core group that I adore and if I get some new ones, great. This is why I am not on Facebook. Too much pressure.
i just love this — i am a blend in your life, ey?! i had no idea what i was getting into when blogging either and now it’s turning into a real cool magazine idea.. i just want to create, share, connect & laugh. thanks for sharing from your heart about this lovely blog that you have created and can stand proudly on top of!!!
As a side note, I think photoshop has a shortcut for watermarking photos, though I don’t know off the top of my head. And you can make an “action” to fix the lighting for photos and have it fix multiple at once.
I believe creativity is and always has been 10% talent and 90% hard work.
‘Comparison is the thief of joy’ – so true! I wish I had known how to take photos and edit them properly before starting my blog. I sometimes look back on my past projects and blush because some of the images are awful!
Anyway, I love your blog because 1) Flamingo Toes is like a creativity department store (you know, you enter the store and everything you want is there!), 2) clear instructions – seriously, your tutorials are so easy to follow, and 3) it always makes me smile. Your personality shines through the blog, and also the community is so heart-warming. So… thank you for being here!
I totally agree that you just have to jump in and start. I have only been blogging for 2 months and while I don’t have a huge number of followers, I am finding it highly rewarding. I am exploring writing again – beyond memos and presentations. My blog is focused on my adventures in parenting a child with multiple challenges. The last couple of years have been tough for my son and for us as his parents. Blogging has helped me process a lot of emotions and events and also to focus more on the positive, rather than the negatives. Occasionally, I throw in a recipe or something I have made, just for variety.
If you are looking to start a blog and have a friend or colleague who already has one, don’t be afraid to ask for help or advice. Most people are happy to help.
yes you are absolutely right. blogging is very important because the end user know about something. I admire you because you aware us the importance of blogging.