Category Archives: Blogging

Not Following the Guidelines

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I love to write.  For years I have kept a journal.  My entries range from routine, boring comments about the weather to reflections of my feelings during a battle with cancer.

A few years ago I entered the world of blogging.  Really having no idea how to have a successful blog, I have read other blogs, articles and books on the subject.

Most have said that you need to “find” your audience, to write for them.  A lot recommended that your blog stick to one idea or theme.  Reading other blogs I have seen many seem to follow that pattern.

  • Blogs writing about travel
  • Blogs writing about mental health
  • Blogs writing about raising children
  • Blogs writing about the Bible

I started out thinking my blog would be sharing stories from the years I was a pastor’s wife.  There were stories that were funny and others that I thought might be inspiring.  I named my blog Grandma’s Ramblings because I also wanted to share stories of my beautiful grandchildren.

But after writing a blog since late 2014 it seems my blogs are all over the place.  My husband and I love to take road trips and I enjoy sharing pictures of those trips.  A Christian who loves Bible studies I also share thoughts from my devotions.  An history nut I love to research and share stories about our country’s history.  Then my family gives me much to write about.  From one blog to another I often have no idea where I am going until I start writing.  I just have this need to write.

Being concerned that I seem to have no “theme” I went back to the tag line I made when I started this blog.

Stories of a lifetime to make you laugh, cry and hopefully walk away encouraged!

That really has been my purpose – just to give someone a good laugh, maybe a challenging thought or words that might encourage.

My idea of success?  It’s encouraging to see the number of those following my blog increasing, but the real success I find is when someone comments that I did make them laugh, cry or be encouraged.

So I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing – and we will see where it all leads.

For those of you who follow my blog – thank you.  For those of you who have shared comments, thanks for your encouragement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To Blog or Not to Blog

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11

I started my blog in 2014 but I was hit and miss – some months not posting at all and never any consistency to my posts until the past few months.

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Throughout my life I have loved to write.  I was a guest columnist for the local newspaper a few years ago and I also submitted a few articles in contests where I either won or was given honorary mention.  As a pastor’s wife I also wrote curriculum for Sunday School classes and children’s’ programs.

For years I have kept a journal writing about local events, family outings and life experiences.  When I had cancer I found writing really was a blessing.

So in 2014 I started a blog.  In my description of the purpose of my blog I wrote:

Stories of a lifetime to make you laugh, cry and hopefully walk away encouraged!

That was my purpose.  I never wanted my blog to be so popular I could attract sponsors.  I certainly applaud those who have been able to do that.  But at my age I just truly wanted to write to make others laugh, cry, be challenged or encouraged.

I kept starting and stopping on the blog because I thought

Who do I think I am that my writing would be of benefit to others?

Of course, by not being consistent I did not attract too many followers.  But moving to another state last fall seemed to shake me out of my lethargy – not only in writing but in other areas of my life where I seemed to have lost my enthusiasm.  It has done the same for my husband as he has returned to his love of painting.

As I have been more consistent I have gained more followers.  Still, I look at some of the blogs that I love and recommend and see the followers they have and I begin to wonder again.

Why am I doing this?  Do I really think I am helping anyone?

But every time I think I will stop blogging I get a comment from someone saying how much my post made them laugh and gave them a good day.  Or, how it encouraged them and was just what they needed.

So I ask myself again.

Why am I doing this?  Am I just wanting to collect a lot of followers?  To consider myself a big success in the blogging world?

Or

Do I really just want to encourage someone, make someone laugh?

Is it all that important that I reach thousands – or that I help two or three?

So I have decided to continue and to be more consistent in my posts.  And whether my followers grow or not, I will take joy in knowing I have helped someone.