I do it out of curiosity and passion for design, craft, interiors, etc... I used to talk more about other people's work than my own, never really felt like showing what I do, or bits of my personal life, but as things have evolved, and the blog is somehow connected to my business and myself, I decided that I would start mentioning and showing more and more the creative process behind my work, and a bit about my personal life, as Margarita is chocolate creative and vice-versa.
Blogging, has given me the opportunity of meeting very nice people, some of who I have met personally, and other who I have an online friendship and connection, people who live far from me, and have similar views and interests.
A while ago I read this post by Holly from Decor 8, and this morning came across this post by Jen from Made by the Girl, and this one by Get it Girl Style, and wanted to express my views on the subject. I am not a competitive person at all, when studying Fine Art (design), I disliked the competition around so much, that I would go as far as I could from arrogant and mean people. I am not going to lie if I say that I don't expect comments in my posts, as that is how I connect with people out there, I love reading them, and following back to their blogs, making comments etc...So many times I keep leaving comments in some of my favorites blogs, and never never get their comments in return, never mind, I won't stop following them for that reason, as long as they keep posting about things that I like I would keep going back to their blogs, regardless if they think that my blog is not worth a comment!!
I would only blog if I have something to say or show, I don't do it daily as I run a business, that takes almost all my time, plus sometimes I don't have anything interesting to say or show, so if you don't see me around that much, is for these reasons, as said I LOVE blogging and would continue doing as long as I keep enjoying it, I won't put any more pressure on it, (and please excuse my spelling and grammar, I am Spanish, and English is only my second language!
By the way, I would love to hear your thoughts on this matter, why do you blog?
Kisses from sunny Peckham, London
Your English is impeccable!
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoyed reading this; you're right there are thousands of other blogs out there but we all have different voices.
I started to find like-minded people I think, to share and be creative again. I also wanted to gain web presence before opening a small shop which still hasn't materialised. Working on it though!
I've really enjoyed reading this post, as I often ask myself the same thing. I love to blog (and would love to be able to do it for a living) but it is something that I choose to do absolutely regardless of any potential economic gain. I love to write, I love to share my ideas and the ideas I come across on other blogs that I think are particularly noteworthy. Sometimes a certain post, recipe, photograph, idea, project, design, etc. really sticks with me when browsing blogs, and I'd like to imagine that maybe one of my posts has had the same impact on a reader of my own. It's the sharing and virtual sense of connection that really keep me blogging. Though these may not have been my initial reasons for becoming a blogger, they've become the most fundamental things that keep me going with it.
ReplyDeleteI wrote a similar post not long ago. I love making the connections, and it keeps me curious and thinking. Writing daily has been a good brain gym for me too.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you would like to join me for my Expat Linky Blog Party on March 19th? I'd love to see you then, if not sooner ;)
I started blogging as a way to increase exposure of my online shop and update customers on new products etc. but along the way, the focus completely changed without me even realising...
ReplyDeleteNowadays, it is a lot more personal, it's kind of like a notebook where I jot down inspiring things that I find, share my culinary successes and failures and is also an outlet where I can voice my personal feelings. I never write about the shop anymore and I've come to really enjoy not only the writing bit but the preparation that coems before the post (doing research, looking for inspiration in everyday life, taking photographs etc). It's really opened up my mind and boosted my creativity... In fact, you've just inspired me, I think I might write a post about this!!!
Your English sounds great to me! :) Thank you for directing some of your readers to these other posts and glad you could give us all your input on why you blog & so on... :)
ReplyDeleteFor me, i started blogging as a means to be able to introduce others to my business and the things that inspired me along the way. Till this day it remains just about the same. However I don't write about my business so much because i have other interests and id like others to know that. :)
I know what you mean. I'm still relatively new to the blogging world and it gives me such a thrill when someone comments on my blog. I read about 30 a day and they've changed the way I look at my surroundings (mainly because all the interiors blogs have made me want to paint everything I see!). You're doing a great job, keep writing (in your perfect English!)
ReplyDeleteI love to follow your blog. I think you write with simplicity, you share your thoughts on what you do or what you admire as if you were having a conversation.
ReplyDeleteas for my case, I usually say I started blogging for selfish reasons, I wanted it to be a space where I could only see things that I liked... ultimately, as people started to comment more and more, I realized this wasn't only to "save my favorite things" but to share them. and that's when it got interesting!
oh and keep sharing your work... I use the bag I won here every saturday morning when I go to the market!
Thanks for the comments, it is truly interesting to learn the reasons behind blogging and your opinions, which I value very much, and thanks for being loyal followers, and specially for not being put off by my English haha...Now and again I get a few comments critiquing my use of the language, oh well, life is not perfect man!!
ReplyDeleteI saw that post on Decor8 too - very interesting. I'm new to your blog, but really enjoying it. I'm quite selfish with my blog; once you start to guess what people want to read it takes the fun out of writing. But I agree the writing process takes you to all kinds of creative places and u meet the most inspiring people - I love it! x
ReplyDeletePs I think your English is very good. My boyfriend is Italian and gets upset with his English, and I always tell him; "it's better than most English people's Italian!" (and some English people's English, heheh!) :-)
ReplyDeleteI started as I was living in New York and I had just discovered blogging (I had a blog about what I was doing there.) I just started writing about things I liked. Then I tried to make it more about UK based designers to make it more consistent. I started my business later and I've found it to be a good way to promote it - but I don't think readers like too much self-promotion. I think you have the balance just right. Although sometimes I blog quite a lot, sometimes I have no ideas and no time and I don't stress about it at all - recently I've had my a full-time job, my business and blogging on top is just too much - I don't always have time to leave comments. I think it's good not to be competitive - I think people take it WAY too seriously, and I think it's not the most important thing in life. I've gotten lots of creative ideas from blogs, but I have started reading fewer as I need to spend more time being creative rather than reading about it! And your English is perfect! You must continue.
ReplyDeleteI loved this post & reading all the comments here. (And thank you for directing me to the other posts... I don't know how I missed those!)
ReplyDeleteI love my blog and I love blogging. I'm thrilled every time I get a comment or a new follower. There have been a few things written on other (very big) lately that have saddened me... it makes me feel like they want all smaller blogs to go away. Anyway, I don't want to be negative. So, I'll say this. I love blogs written by people who are genuine, who want to make friends & connections, who want to share & inspire. And, there are a lot of bloggers out there that are exactly like that. And that is why I love blogging!
I found you through Holly's blog and just wanted to say that I get what you said here and I can relate. In the end, you are here for the right reasons, and I applaud you. Here here to a post well said!
ReplyDeletePS I love your damask mugs!
I just found your blog, via Decor8, and just have to say that as a writing tutor, I read a LOT of bad grammar, so I know it very well--and yours is definitely not bad. I'm actually really impressed that English is not your first language and yet you're blogging in English.
ReplyDeleteI write a little blog, too, and have been thinking a lot lately about these things. I have almost no readers, but I write it anyway, just because it's an enjoyable process, and it means that my grandmother and cousins and friends who live away from me can know what's going on in my life. For me, it's just a bonus if I write something that other people find interesting.
Hello - bonjour !
ReplyDeleteI am what you could call an occasional blogger. I blog only when i want to share something that made my day brighter or something about what i do and sometimes how I do it.
I too blog in english also I am French. Weirdly enough i don't see myself blogging in French... Can't explain really!
So anyway, muchas gracias for this post that made me feel less weird about not blogging for the blogging' sake.
A bientot,