Playing With Numbers = Playing With Fire
When I first started the blog A Book, A Girl, A Journey, I had this vision in my head --a vision of mass numbers.
You see, I started blogging for a couple of reasons. A few years ago I was following this blog called Twilight Guy. It was a hilarious teenage boy who was reading twilight and blogging about it, chapter by chapter. He had thousands of followers who loved his posts, and he was also getting his middle grade series published. He didn't talk about his book much, but he did mention it. When the book went on pre-order it made the best selling list the first day.
I told myself that if I had that one I great idea that I knew could be an awesome novel, I would start a blog of my own. So that's what I did. Rest assured, that pipe dream of being on a bestseller list when the book is still on pre-order has been pulled back to reality, in fact, I really did not expect that to happen with A Book, A Girl, A Journey. However ...
The second reason I started blogging was becasue a high school friend of mine was running a very successful craft blog called Honey Bear Lane. I looked at her as an average person like me who had over 2,000 followers. I figured if she could do it, I could do it.
My blogging experience started out well, and I was focused completely on numbers. I hate to say it, but I was one of the new bloggers going to around to other blogs and saying "What a cute blog you have! Come find me at www....." shameful, I know.
About three months into the blogging experience, I realized something. I was following a whole bunch of blogs I wasn't interested in. In fact, I wasn't following a single writing or reading blog. Every blog I found was through my successful blogging friend. Every blog was about crafts, or clothing, or motherhood, and I wasn't making any connections becasue I wanted to talk about writing.
It took me a few more months and some writer friends to figure out the truth. Playing with numbers = Playing with fire. If all you want is numbers that's not hard to do, but if what you want is people who come to your blog faithfully, than you need to make friendships.
If all have you have is numbers you can expect your blog to crash and burn. But if you make real friendships and relationships you can expect your blog to flourish. And seriously, who doesn't want friendship? I know it's just about the only thing that's kept me sane this past year.
So I guess I'll end this post with a thank you to everyone who has become my friend, regardless of whether or not we have met in person. Thank you for being awesome and always coming back to hear my mindless dribble. Thank you for being there for me.
Why did you start blogging?
You see, I started blogging for a couple of reasons. A few years ago I was following this blog called Twilight Guy. It was a hilarious teenage boy who was reading twilight and blogging about it, chapter by chapter. He had thousands of followers who loved his posts, and he was also getting his middle grade series published. He didn't talk about his book much, but he did mention it. When the book went on pre-order it made the best selling list the first day.
I told myself that if I had that one I great idea that I knew could be an awesome novel, I would start a blog of my own. So that's what I did. Rest assured, that pipe dream of being on a bestseller list when the book is still on pre-order has been pulled back to reality, in fact, I really did not expect that to happen with A Book, A Girl, A Journey. However ...
The second reason I started blogging was becasue a high school friend of mine was running a very successful craft blog called Honey Bear Lane. I looked at her as an average person like me who had over 2,000 followers. I figured if she could do it, I could do it.
My blogging experience started out well, and I was focused completely on numbers. I hate to say it, but I was one of the new bloggers going to around to other blogs and saying "What a cute blog you have! Come find me at www....." shameful, I know.
About three months into the blogging experience, I realized something. I was following a whole bunch of blogs I wasn't interested in. In fact, I wasn't following a single writing or reading blog. Every blog I found was through my successful blogging friend. Every blog was about crafts, or clothing, or motherhood, and I wasn't making any connections becasue I wanted to talk about writing.
It took me a few more months and some writer friends to figure out the truth. Playing with numbers = Playing with fire. If all you want is numbers that's not hard to do, but if what you want is people who come to your blog faithfully, than you need to make friendships.
If all have you have is numbers you can expect your blog to crash and burn. But if you make real friendships and relationships you can expect your blog to flourish. And seriously, who doesn't want friendship? I know it's just about the only thing that's kept me sane this past year.
So I guess I'll end this post with a thank you to everyone who has become my friend, regardless of whether or not we have met in person. Thank you for being awesome and always coming back to hear my mindless dribble. Thank you for being there for me.
Why did you start blogging?
Comments
The main reason I started a blog was because I thought I ought to. So, it was trial and error to begin with, but I'm enjoying it now. And I've found some great friends and some great support along the way.
I'm the other way around, though - all the blogs I follow are about writing (plus a couple of fitness ones) and I'm thinking of branching out. Do people want a writer-follower though?
Writers and subject matter experts really started blogging a ton. And I had done some work for a semi-govt. information/scientific company. So I started to write about the funny wacky side of science.
I ended up doing that for about 5 and a half years. I had a HUGE following and it even led to a syndicated podcast.
But I got burned out, and I wanted so bad to be a real writer. So I started a whole new blog to focus on my writing.
I try not to worry about numbers, either, although it was nice to hit 100 followers. What's even better is when people come back to my blog regularly. I've already made so many great online friends!
Great post!
I think it really does help to have friends you know you can count on--that they'll come by your blog and visit, that they'll never unfollow you on a whim, and that they'll always have your back. As long as you have this support system, the numbers don't matter at all.
<3
I love the relationships. I just wish I had more time to pursue all of them.
I started blogging so I could figure this whole publishing a book thing out and I have made friends with the BEST people.
I can't stay I started out with numbers in mind. It was more of a "if an agent wants to look me up" insurance thing. :)
I started blogging to meet more writers and to learn more about writing. There sure is a lot of great bloggers out there :)
Perhaps that's not the best tactic for building a writing platform, but I originally started a blog for myself and while I treasure the people I've met, I still want to blog about what interests me.
Hope that doesn't come across as too narcissistic . . .
The Golden Eagle
The Eagle's Aerial Perspective
Anyway, you followed my blog a long time ago, and I'm finally getting around to being a good blogger and following and commenting on other's blogs.
-Jackson