There are times when I wonder why I keep trying.
Trying to make a go of my etsy shop.
Trying to attract readers to my blog.
Life itself can be trying.
A friend of mine just passed away, our wedding anniversaries were just days apart and we used to go out and celebrate together, but then time and distance separated us. It was different, easier when we lived in the same city. In the past 10 years I've lost touch with a number of people...some relatives...some friends. How and why are varied stories and much too long to go into.
I've learned that most people don't seem to really want to read a blog. They want to be razzle-dazzled with photos, slide shows, YouTube, games etc., etc. But words? No not words ! Words, no matter how long you labor over them, no matter how dear to your heart and soul they are...people don't have time for them. If you can't tweet them in 140 characters or less, forget it.
I've learned that most people don't seem to really want to read a blog. They want to be razzle-dazzled with photos, slide shows, YouTube, games etc., etc. But words? No not words ! Words, no matter how long you labor over them, no matter how dear to your heart and soul they are...people don't have time for them. If you can't tweet them in 140 characters or less, forget it.
Guess I need to reassess my blog. Why is it that so many others get so many comments and mine so few ? Must I always be doing something, are all the blog readers out there only interested in giveaways? Has the land of Blog-dom turned totally commercialised ?
After reading through this I came to the conclusion that, if nothing else, I'm not a quitter, I've continued to muddle through even though I've yet to taste the sweetness of success. Maybe someday? The bottom line, the morale of this is to not give up but to hold fast to your dream, even when it seems completely unobtainable. Hope and dreams should never be allowed to die. :)
After reading through this I came to the conclusion that, if nothing else, I'm not a quitter, I've continued to muddle through even though I've yet to taste the sweetness of success. Maybe someday? The bottom line, the morale of this is to not give up but to hold fast to your dream, even when it seems completely unobtainable. Hope and dreams should never be allowed to die. :)
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The question you did not address is why do you blog: Do you blog because you enjoy it? Do you blog because you enjoy writing? Do you blog because you want recognition? Do you blog because you want to drive jewelry sales? Do you blog because you want everyone to know about your etsy shop? Do you blog because you like sharing what you do? Do you blog to keep family and friends informed?
ReplyDeleteI enjoy writing (can you tell by the length of this comment?) I enjoy sharing. I would like to drive sales to my etsy shop if I had one that was actually stocked. I blog to drive my production- but that hasn't been working out to well for the past few months.
The other issue is why do people read blogs? I read political blogs to stay informed. I follow cooking blogs to find things I want to cook. I follow decorating blogs for inspiration, particularly with regard to color. I follow jewelry blogs for inspiration. I DO NOT follow any blogs for contests and don't even enter everyone that I see. I do not read every jewelry and decorating blog that I follow; some are not well written, some are well written but not of interest to me. I read most, not all, of your posts, and I do not comment on every one of them. (As is true with a lot of blogs I follow.)
Finally, you have to define success which necessarily derives from why you blog. Is it the number of comments? The number of sales? The number of followers? The number of views? The number of links? The number of times family or friends who know you independently from your blog tell you how nice something you blogged about is? Or perhaps it is the person who is interviewing you for a job who states how impressed they are with your writing.
One final practical thought. I don't think blogger stats pick up the number of people who views through an RSS feed. (I certainly hope not since I have less than 10 views on each of my past two posts.)
KJ - You've touched on some very good points and some very difficult ones to answer. First of all I love to write, when I was in my 20's I dreamed of becoming an author. Several years and a ton of rejection slips later, I gave up on that dream and set my sights on just raising a family and being a happy, crafting housewife and mother.
ReplyDeleteNow my children are all grown with families and lives of their own and I have tried to return to my own passions; writing, arts and crafts. To me each one is important and an intrinsical part of my life and who I am. But I also crave validation, maybe that in itself invalidates my passion, I really can't say. I suppose I could be just as happy and content to craft without selling and to blog without having any followers or readers.
The ONE reason I pulled up this particular old draft and posted it was that when I wrote it several years ago I felt disillusioned and defeated. I could have given in and given up. But the moral was that I did not give up and this is the message I wanted to pass on to so many others. If it's something you truly love, truly have passion for don't give in even if logic tells you that you're wasting your time. So now, several years later I am still blogging and still trying to make a go of my etsy shop and selling my creations. Will I ever be rich or famous ? I doubt it, do I enjoy what I do ... undoubtedly, yes. Do I dislike the promotion and hype that goes with having an online shop and/or blog ... oh absolutely, as self-promotion is just so not my thing ! I suppose that is the big reason I'm not raking in sales in my etsy shops or gathering followers like ticks on a mangy stray dog. lol None-the-less I keep muddling on and probably will continue to do so until my health (or my 70 year old hubby's health) requires me to cease.
Thank you so much KJ for bringing up so many good points and suggestions and I hope that my post and your comments will allow others to reevaluate their own situations and perhaps encourage them to continue on without feeling like they haven't measured up to those shops that make hundreds of sales a day or the blogs with thousands of followers and pages of comments. We are each measured by different yardsticks and that is what makes life so unique and wonderful.
WOW! That was fascinating reading, both post and comments, some great points to consider :)
ReplyDeleteI think we do have to decide what our true motivations for doing these things like Etsy and Blogger are.
My frustration has always been with Etsy and the lack of consistent exposure. Blogger, on the other hand, I really do for myself and I have found that I have made some great friends over the past few years :)
Nice to see you back :)
Have a lovely Holiday season with your family, regards, your Blogger Buddy T. :)
I actually meant to comment on your perseverance. It is a necessary characteristic for success (and a bit of luck.) I am not one to give up, which is why, despite my current lack of production I still try to post on my blog.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the provocative post, and response, which made me think. Which, in my book, makes you a success.
Thanks KJ - by the way I adore your blog, it is truly well written, full of great ideas and topics and a joy to visit. :)
ReplyDeleteIt can be really frustrating trying to get noticed, especially in a world where everyone else is trying to do the same thing! I think persistence is the name of the game when it comes to anything we're passionate about.
ReplyDeleteLooking at your 500 followers, it's clear to me that you're doing well in blogging. Your persistence is paying off! If you still want to do better, though, I'd suggest participating in design challenges, blog hops, and blog communities. I'm a member of Artists in Blogland, and we need more jewelry people! Seriously! For the Love of Blogs is another great place.
What an insightful post. It's funny that I read it tonight after a day of trying to write posts and feeling very uninspired.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reading blogs. I don't need contests or lots of pictures, I prefer to read blog for inspiration and to learn something.
When I started my blog it was because I wanted to make sales in my Etsy shop, but after about 6 months of posting I realized I loved blogging. I enjoy sharing inspiration and tips that I am learning on my own creative journey.
Don't give up on your blog. I enjoy your posts, and your jewelry is beautiful. Hold on to your dream and success will follow.
Valerie
Everyday Inspired