At three and a half years old, my daughter said to me this week “Mom, I don’t want to be anything when I grow up. I just want to be me.”
I have been struggling with writing this post for a while now. Lately, everywhere I look, I read posts written by people who are trying to tell you what you should do to be considered a worthwhile blogger to read.
Yawn.
I’ve read posts that say if you want to be a review blogger then you shouldn’t talk about yourself too much, then there are others that say you should have mostly personal content. There are ‘experts’ who will tell you that you shouldn’t write too much, then there are others who will tell you that you need to write more.
Please.
If you are new to blogging, just be — wait for it — YOU! You will find your readers. You will find your community. But before you find these things, you need to find yourself first.
I began my first blog in September of 2005, one month after I was married and my husband and I moved 14 hours away from the life we once knew. When our first daughter was born, I closed that blog down to public view and started this website in an effort to remain connected to a world that seemed to be moving on without me. I started with what I knew at that moment — saving money. We were down an income, and I had taken it upon myself to find ways to seriously save money since making it was not an option at the time.
Last year, I took a long look at my website and realized that who I am is a combination of many things, but to remain happy in the blog that I now occupy, I need to make some changes. I am more than this person who saves money, I am also a wife, mom, woman, sister, daughter, website owner, business partner and social media superstar (possibly in my own mind). I am sometimes a delusional domestic goddess and always a fiercely loyal friend. So many people talk about finding your niche. My only caveat to what I will post is that it must be relevant to you, my Canadian readers.
I stepped away from the popular belief that “you need to have a niche”. And designed myself in to a blog that shares ‘all the thoughts in my head, without the voices’. That’s right. I’ve become the person who talks about whatever she wants in the many roles that she stars in. This is not to say that you should not have a niche (some of my favorite blogs have a niche, some of my other favorite blogs don’t). This is meant to say that you need to feel comfortable in your own skin.
If you have ever thought about becoming a blogger, please don’t get discouraged. If you write the way you want to write and you are true to yourself, then you will stand out from everyone else who is just trying to do what they think they should do.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t search out help in regards to blogging. I’m saying that you need a filter. There are some fantastic posts that tell you how to set up a blog, what information and pages you may want to include in your blog, how to copyright your blog and so on. But stop at those posts that suggest you change your personality and your writing style. I’ve been blogging since 2005 and I have yet to finish reading a blog post that suggests that I change who I am and how I should write.
My posts are not done until I am done. I never shorten my content to try to fit in and I never add ‘fluff’ to my content just to get to a certain word count. Not on my own website. What you read in my posts is everything I have to say on that particular subject. I love my website. I adore my community; my readers (both on my blog and those who interact with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, etc) and the companies, brands and PR pros I get to work with.
When I think about my website, I think about this quote “Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self” by Cyril Connolly.
Your readers are out there. Don’t let them down.
Deep breath. Publish.
Okay obviously I needed to ready this TODAY! I have always thought about blogging but stop at I don’t have a niche and what can I offer other people?? This post is sooo encouraging but it would still be a big leap for me to blog and “gulp” just be myself.
Allison recently posted..Around St. Albert April 20 – 26th
Thanks for commenting Allison. It can be tough at times to share and put yourself out there, but when you do, you will realize that there is someone else in the world who feels the same way and needs to hear what you write at that moment in their lives. Kind of like how you needed to read this today.
If my readers come, they come, but I like to write about whatever comes to mind that day, oh and a few recipes now and then.
AlwaysARedhead recently posted..Small town friendliness and politeness
Awesome outlook on it. And I love recipes. Thanks for commenting.
Great Post Sheri! I have also tried to find a specific “niche” but have come to terms with the fact that, like many, I like a lot of different things. This year I decided I was going to try to focus more on content, whatever tickles my fancy, and some of my favourite things without feeling pressure. I agree completely, bloggers should worry less about a niche and do what they want and that they shouldn’t be judged for it either.
Thanks for writing this Sheri; shared it on Twitter. :)
Stacey recently posted..#Friendship Comes in all Forms
Thanks Stacey. I find my website is more fun for me to hang out on when I write what and how I want to write and I let me come through in my posts.
Thank you so much for this post, Sheri. It’s so true. When it comes to my blog, I’m “a little bit country, a little bit rock and roll” as they say. I do reviews, giveaways, I blog about faith, I blog about photography, I blog primarily about my boys, a whole mix of things. I blog about breastfeeding and cloth diapers, I have recently become a brand ambassador. I don’t blog about politics or things that will purposefully get me into hot water – it’s not what I’m about. I think we just need to blog about what WE want…it’s our blogs anyway! I don’t think (for me) there is a “perfect blogger role” and set of rules to follow…I make my own! I’ve always prided myself on having readers I can connect with who actually read my content. Yes, in the blogging world it can be about the numbers sometimes, but it’s so important to blog for us! My blog is also a virtual baby book for my boys, which I love!
Sarah [NurseLovesFarmer.com] recently posted..The Breastfast Club: My Boob Betrayed Me…Tales of Breastfeeding Woes
Thank you Sarah for leaving a comment. Even as I am writing this, I am pondering another change. Its a process, always growing and expanding who I am. I love it.
Gosh you have said this perfectly. I am exactly the same way and what you see is what you get. Sometimes I don’t have as much time for personal posts as I’d like, but hey, that’s okay. Whatever works is what I do. I think that’s what makes blogs so unique – they are all so different!
I agree. Sometimes my posts are all personal, sometimes it is all reviews and always – it is all me. Because this is my site. Here, I represent myself. If I was blogging elsewhere, then part of ‘me’ would probably be left at the door, but here, it is all Sheri, all the time. Thanks for commenting.
Great post. I agree we have to look less at others and just be who we are. It will make for better blogger and a happier blogger.
Julia recently posted..Sponsorship Options – Let’s Get #Nugglemama2BlogHer
Thanks for posting Julia. I love your site (I admit, I need to comment more, or at all *sorry* #drivebyreader) Your site is one I absolutely love to read along with many of the others who have posted here. Thanks for commenting.
I LOVE this post! I’ve always felt that I don’t quite fit in with most bloggers. I do reviews, but I’m not a review blogger. I blog about my personal life, but I’m not completely a personal blog.
I think the best advice is just that, BE YOU! Write what you want. There are no rules! Your readers will love YOU and YOUR writing. :)
RJ recently posted..This is Where I Belong
Thanks for your comment. I appreciate it and it is great for newer bloggers who may be trying to ‘find themselves’ to read.
I think that I read quite a few of those “how to be a good blogger” posts, and I take what I need out of them to become better. I wouldn’t say my blog has a niche … I am part me, part review, part foodie.
Follow your heart and be true to yourself!!
Sara Phillips recently posted..Corndog Casserole #Recipe
Great comment. My post isn’t meant to bash anyone who has a niche. There are awesome niche blogs out there. My point is that if you feel like you can’t be happy in one niche, then it is okay to broaden your topics as far as you want.
I’ve struggled with this in the past but have decided that I don’t want to be put into a niche. I’m blogging for me. Yes, I’m blogging for my readers and to keep them but really, it’s for me.
Jennifer recently posted..AT&T Mobile Safety
Thanks for commenting Jennifer. I completely agree.
Great article! I have found that when I tries to fit a particular niche, I no longer had fun.
This was the same situation for me Leah. Thanks for your comment.
Just as there are a ton of different kinds of blogs, there are different kinds of bloggers. What works for one may not work for another…I think it’s all about finding what you want to accomplish with your blog and going from there. But the biggest thing is definitely to BE YOU! Because regardless of what type of blog you have, if your voice doesn’t shine through, no one will read it.
Jenn @therebelchick recently posted..Making Mom’s Life Easier: Arm & Hammer Laundry Detergent for Sensitive Skin
Well said Jenn. As always, I love when you stop by. We need to catch up.
I think a lot of people struggle with how to get the “success” of blogging too. It’s hard for some people to understand that readers what real stories, real reactions, real reviews and real emotions. Just be you, they will come :)
Melinda @ LookWhatMomFound recently posted..Woven The App Review and Kindle Fire Giveaway
I agree Melinda. Thank you so much for commenting.
I have struggled with this myself lately, but just like you I decided that I was going to write what I thought was the best for MY site. I used to not write very personal things but just last month I wrote about my daughters surgery in detail. I was scared and had second thoughts about if I should let the world know these things but in the end I felt like maybe by writing about her experience it would help someone else. I had read so many horror stories before we went to the hospital and I wanted someone to read about a not so bad experience.
Mellisa recently posted..Menu Plan Monday
I’m glad your experience was a ‘not so bad’ one Mellisa. When I am searching for topics such as the one you describe, I often search out personal posts because those are the ones that seem to offer up the most information instead of the clinical websites that give you the simple ’causes, symptoms, prevention, treatment’ headings. I am glad you shared.
So many times I have had the very same thoughts. I finally went with I blog for me. When I tried to fit into a niche I no longer enjoyed blogging.
Nolie recently posted..Facebook Funnies
I did the same thing. All of the times I tried to go in one direction, I kept getting pulled back in to all of the other directional parts of me.
I completely agree with you… I don’t listen to all those “How to be a good blogger” posts that seem to be everywhere (quite frankly I get very tired of the so-called-big-bloggers telling the blog world what to do…). The whole point of blogging for me is to blog about what I want. And I’ve noticed over time that my focus shifts, but I think it always will because I change, so my blog will too. I blog because I love it, pure and simple.
Jo-Anna recently posted..Summer Road Trip Eye Spy
I change a lot too Jo-Anna. I think as I grow in to different parts of my life and change my goals and perspective that my site will always change too. Great point.
ah, but the real question is, what kind of blogger do you want to be. Sometimes its not about being you, but providing the best content that will be sent out into social media, linked, and send organic traffic…unfortunately, that isnt always what baby P did for the day.
I think what people have to ask themselves is why are they online. Is it for community? Friendship? Sharing a talent, a love, your family? Yes, you can absolutely have a mixed bag of blog, like I do, or you can have a niche site. Niche sites make tons more money and have a more dedicated audience. Again, there is no right or wrong way, but there can be a better way depending on what you dream your outcome to be.
trisha
trisha recently posted..How to make a tutu chandelier
Thanks for commenting Trisha.
It is true that many niche bloggers make more money because they are focused on one thing. However, there are other bloggers who have made a ton of money as well just posting about their daily life.
For me, I can tell if a site throws up a post because that is what is trending in Google or Twitter. If it is trending though, then it will get people the traffic they want. If someone’s sole purpose for their blog is to make money and they suppress who they are, a time will come (or a few times) where they will feel like they need to re-evaluate or re-brand. It happened to me because I wasn’t happy in my skin and no matter the niche I chose, I always missed a part of me.
That being said, I know a FANTASTIC food blogger who was born to do what she does, and she has a wonderful blog. She is in a niche, but that niche is her passion. She still doesn’t post a certain amount of posts with a certain number count though, because it is her site.
My point is that new bloggers shouldn’t feel like they need to post the hot topics of the day. They don’t need to make sure they fit into the mold of doing 1 post per day at 200-350 words with little personal content.
That being said, this is my blog, so I march to the beat of my own drum. If I were to blog for someone else, or on another blog, I am doing it for them and I would conform to what ever they needed for their site.
I’m long winded tonight.