Friday, March 30, 2012

Time for a Blog Post

I admit that lately my mental energy for certain things, including blog writing, has been at a low. So low I had to think about if I even wanted to continue.

I was talking to my mother about it yesterday. She gave blogging a try. She managed a grand total of 3 posts before she needed a break, a permanent break, that is. I thought it would be a no-brainer for her. She used to be editor of the lifestyles page of a newspaper. She wrote a column every week. No problem coming up with things to say, people to interview.

But then it occurred to me that she was approaching it all wrong. Too much journalist in her. Everything had to be a Blog Post, she couldn't just write about what interested her. I said, believe it or not there are plenty of people willing to come around and read about things that you think are "nothing". I read an article about journals in the paper. We are automatically interested in things that people write. If someone took the time to write it then there must be something there that is worth reading. (There are always exceptions to this, of course.) I've certainly spent more than my fair share of time reading blogs and articles that in the end did me little good.

Here in Sweden there is a little phenomenon with some young women bloggers that get an incredible amount of readers, and I have seen their blogs. They don't write about anything. Certainly nothing anyone "needs" to read. Yet the readers come in droves anyways.

Then I came to the next thing. That is people love to read about negative things. We are drawn to it like flies. Many very popular bloggers rely exclusively on negative comments in their writing. The more sarcastic, the better. Even better when the bloggers get in blog fights, then the readership goes through the roof. I used to follow a fiber blog, which has since closed. The blogger used to spend a great deal of her time making fun of her children and sometimes her husband. She even went so far to tell us all that she hated her little daughter's name and refused to use it, always a nickname instead. I never said anything, not my place to judge, but if that child had been a bit sensitive like me, she will be on a therapist's bed at 40 talking about the neurosis she got from this. She managed to collect whole pile of readers and comments in barely any time at all.

Or take politics for example, whatever "side" you find yourself on, who doesn't love to read or listen to people that basically spend all their time attacking the other side. It's safe, it's comfortable to be on the other side of the subject of the negativity. It does us no good as individuals or as a group, but we all (or most of us that aren't saints yet) love it anyways.

Anyways, back to me. I have been blogging for a good number of years now, and I feel that I still haven't managed to hit my stride. It's been very frustrating for me, but who knows maybe I am like my mother, always needing to write a Blog Post. But maybe the things I said to her, that were really just me saying a bunch of stuff that popped into my head without a lot of previous thought, were things I needed to hear too.

I've seen a lot of blogs, read a lot of articles. I enjoy the eye-candy. But the posts that really make me think and remember aren't the ones that have only beautiful pictures, but have something else, some deeper meaning or issue. In other words something I can ponder and find a way to use to help me understand myself and the world better. Negativity is a place I will never go, no matter what readership it costs me. But I do believe it is quite OK to express a negative opinion about something, but not to attack or dwell on it. When all is said and done, I really don't enjoy the superficial, for me it is all about going beyond the surface, layering on the meaning. That's the place that I want to be. If I can find my way there through blogging, then I will have accomplished my aim.

Now, if you have managed to make it this far, what is a blog post without pictures!!!
I'm nearing a finish with the dragonfly project, but I am being sneaky and only giving a little teaser. I want to save the full impact for the grand finish! I will say much more about this when the time comes.

Spring is early this year! Who isn't excited about that?

6 comments:

Alexis said...

"I have been blogging for a good number of years now, and I feel that I still haven't managed to hit my stride."

I think I could have written this post - I've started, hmm, 5? blogs over the past 10 years (holy cow, I had no idea it was that long!) and I feel the same way. I've had personal blogs and business blogs and nothing has really stuck.

I'm not confident enough in my latest blog to say that THIS IS IT, but what's different this time around is taking some pressure off myself. If I don't feel like blogging...I don't do it! Or if I just feel like posting a picture and writing a couple of sentences, that's fine too.

I agree with you 100% about the negativity - I NEVER want to build a readership that way. And I'm glad that your blog won't go that route, either! I really enjoy your posts!

mindmat said...

Thank you for your thoughtful post, Emily, and all the information you generously share with us. I appreciate you just the way you are.

Cynthia Schelzig said...

I love your embroidery and your little book I purchased...thanks so much for making that book. I agree with you about negativity.....as soon as I see this on any blog I click away....I don´t have time for that sort of thing.
I blog when I feel like it....to me it is not written in stone...as far as I know anyway:)....blogging should not be forced or felt that we have to post so and so many times a week, etc. To each their own and if someone happens to like it good and if not... good too. I don´t think any of us should worry or think about how many "followers" we have...I have even considered turning off comments as I´d rather be in the studio making art
and I feel guilty when I cannot answer their comments or comment on their blogs.....I am rambling on here aren´t I...........I will shut up for now:)...keep blogging and do it when and how YOU want....that is all that matters.

Chrissie said...

Emily, I've not commented before, that I remember. I, too, have enjoyed reading your blog. I've been lurking only a few months, but I notice you've got a way of talking that's quite natural. There's a good mix of you and your embroidery, and something extra for those of us who're still finding our way with needle and floss. For me, it was the eye-candy that drew me in and the conversation that kept me. It's so encouraging to know that you think I could do this, too! Of course, the subjects of your needlework are attractive. I also like that you share your mullings with us as you internally debate stitches and colors and textures and shape. I think that blogging is more about connecting than readership, anyway. Facebook has only a kajillion folks participating and how many of them have formed more than superficial connections? You know, something beyond, "LOL"...

You keep blogging. You're doing just fine.

sewphie said...

I love this blog- I used your embroidery slip tutorial recently, thank you so much for posting that. I have been thinking about developing my own blog too as at present I only post about my embroidery but I enjoy reading blogs where you learn a little about the person, however as a fairly reserved person I find it difficult to talk about myself in my posts. Whatever direction your blog takes i'll be reading!

katy gilmore said...

I stumbled on this in some roundabout internet way - your embroidery is so very lovely - and I particularly loved this piece about blogging - just what I needed to read just now! thank you -