Back To Blogging Basics

I started blogging in high school as a way to vent my frustrations, detoxify from drama, and slightly relieve some of my depression.

For a while blogging was mostly me writing to myself — kind of like when I used to write in journals. I didn’t expect anyone else to read it, though I knew it wasn’t impossible that someone would come across it at some point. Admittedly though, I rambled a lot back then on my blog posts (not unlike what I’m doing now).

As I got into my 20s, I realized the blogging world had become less focused on teen angst and more business-like.

People were using blogs as a way to make money, to promote their products and services. Blogging became a profession, not just a hobby. And I think that’s when I started to write for the wrong reasons.

I became obsessed with becoming one of those full-time bloggers and influencers. They made it look so easy — even though I now know how much work goes into it — and I wanted nothing more than to be one of them. So that’s exactly what I tried to do.

I took tons of training and bought programs and courses to learn how to be a better blogger professionally; I attended conferences and watched webinars that taught me how hard I would have to work to run a successful, profitable blog. And by the end of it, I still wasn’t making shit.

It didn’t make sense to me.

Their action plans and advice seemed to work for everyone else. I had followed it all to a T — so why did none of it work for me? I’d joined the groups, downloaded the apps, scheduled my content, incorporated affiliate links, and yet nothing was happening.

It wasn’t until recently that it finally clicked: everything I was being told to do to become successful was out of character for me.

Sure, these formulas and schedules worked for other bloggers. But I’m not like them. I don’t have a picture perfect home or the money to do awesome DIY projects worth sharing. My family doesn’t do cute outings or dress in photogenic outfits. It’s uncommon for me to cook dinner more than a couple times a week, let alone find or share recipes of my favorite dishes.

My life is nothing like these other bloggers’. So why am I trying so hard to be like them?

If I’m being honest, I am so fucking tired of trying to fit this mold of what people expect a (mom) blogger to be. And for that matter, I kind of hate being called a “mommy blogger” in general. So if it’s okay with all of you reading this, I’d like to start over.

I want to go back to my “roots” as not just a blogger, but a writer.

Writing generic bullshit just to get clicks on Pinterest is exhausting. Yeah, I want to share content that people want to read. And I want to write about things that are helpful to others. But I also want to write in my voice and about real things going on in my life. I don’t want to write about the same things you’ll read on other blogs, using watered down language out of fear that using the word “fuck” will offend people and make them stop reading my posts.

My heart hasn’t been in it the past six months or so. And I’m sure it’s been obvious from my lack of new content.

I think a huge part of that (aside from poor time management) is due to me not being honest about who I am and what my life is like. With that said, I hope reverting back to my natural writing style will make blogging fun for me again.

Screw making money by blogging; I’m just here for the connection, and I hope you’ll stick around.