Recently I came across a post by a very well-known blogger on this platform that sent my aspirations to the pits of hell, for lack of a less intense description. I'm not going to call any names, or insert any links to the post because I'm not trying to start an argument, or create any internet "beef" with a "big blogger". That's simply not what I'm about. I just want to make my feelings known on the topic.
However, the overall premise of her post was that unless you're a blogger constantly offering or teaching something to your audience people "just don't care." At least, that's what I took from it.
Maybe reading it was as heartbreaking as it was because I don't believe I supply very much to my audience. I'm not a beauty blogger and I cannot teach you a thing about winged eyeliner or having perfect skin or hair. I'm not a DIY or craft blogger. To be honest I don't have the talent or patience to teach you how to build your own home from the ground up in five easy steps. I don't know code or HTML and cannot design you an amazing blogger template. That is not me, that is not what I can do, does this mean people just don't care about me or my blog? I don't believe that. I don't believe that one bit.
When I come across blogs like Scarphelia, Samantha Heather, A Wash With Wonder, Style the Natives, Wildflower of Prague or so many others I may not remember right now that are full of amazing stories, emotions, photos and thoughts I can't describe to you how at home I feel. I care, and I care a whole lot.
But maybe the point comes out of all our everlasting fears of failure. Personally, it's my biggest fear. Nothing petrifies more than the idea that I could be a massive failure. Or that I will fail at everyhing and spend my eightieth year of life basking in unfulfilled dreams and misery. Yes, these are the things that keep me up at night. And I guess we don't have very much to gauge our success as a blogger besides our numbers and comments. I'm sure at some point or another we've all googled, "How to be a blogger," "How to make money blogging.", "How to get traffic to my blog."
I've had all these thoughts for a while and have genuinely struggled to articulate them for so very long. I didn't know where to start, and here I am unsure where to end.
Blogging can't just be about that. It can't just be about page views and all that, which it has taken me so very long to come to terms with. I may never pass a million views on this blog, but I want every post I put out there, every words, every picture, every sentiment and every story to be something I'm proud of. Something genuine. Something I'm happy that I've written and happy that you've read. I want to believe that though I didn't teach you how to look like Christina Aguilera or teach you how build your dream car from paperclips that I still gave you something. Whether that be encouragement, a smile, or just food for your thoughts.
But hey, whether I agree with what she said or not, I guess she's got the numbers that I don't.