Reading time: 5 – 8 minutes
A bit over a week ago, a dear friend posted a comment that really got me thinking. I will be moving certain types of posts to another blog in the somewhat near future and had written a post asking people to let me know what split they’d like best. However, Eleanor’s questions were more basic and much-needed.
El is a dear friend to me. In the relatively short time we’ve known each other, she’s become one of my greatest supporters and a shoulder to lean on when things are getting hard for me.
She’s a great friend, so it didn’t surprise me that her questions hit a core problem for me. I have no clue what I enjoy writing about most…what my passion is beyond a way to simple answer of “helping others”.
While helping others is always a great thing to do, it’s so vague and general as to be a non-answer to the questions of what I want to accomplish with my blogging. I could do an inventory of my strengths and work from that…but would it really help me? Even more important, would it lead me to a path for my blog(s) that will help you? I am not sure at this point, but my brain is leading towards an answer that isn’t yes.
Let’s take a quick look at a few things I am good at, shall we?
- Giving advice to others on various topics such as their relationship and computer things.
- Showing people how to use software that I am familiar with.
- Listening to others problems and helping them see that they have good things going on.
- Seeing the positive things about other people.
- Giving encouragement.
- Typing (sort of…60ish WPM is pretty spiffy I think!)
- Learning, if its something I am interested in
- Standing up for and by my friends
How much of that is marketable? Not a lot, but a few of them could be. Better yet, how much of that translates into blogging material? Not a lot, at least lately.
What is holding me back? Blogging used to excite and inspire me. It used to make me feel good. Now it’s becoming a source of frustration as often as it is a source of joy. I’ve yet to pin point why it’s changed.
Could it have changed because I am looking to turn blogging into a vehicle to make a living? Maybe.
Could it have changed because I’ve changed my topics to ones I am only marginally interested in? Somewhat, but not really true.
Could it be the changes in my life and relationships? That feels pretty true, but it’s not the whole problem.
See, what I mean. I am clueless. I hate being clueless…which is not helping at all! I could just answer El’s questions, but I have no concrete answers. Shall we try that anyway, just for shits and grins?
- My dream post: The post that makes someone else have an “AHA!” moment.
- The posts that excite me: Lately, none. At first, every post did. Ones that make me happy to put out are posts that I believe will be helpful to those reading it.
- The posts that just “fall off my fingers”: Several types of these. The first are rambles like this one where I am just typing a formatted stream of consciousness.
The second are posts that I’ve worked on because I need research, links, etc.
The third are posts where I believe I will strike a chord with readers…give them the coveted “AHA!” moment, a smile, or something else of value.
So how does this help me write more often, write better, etc? I am not sure just yet. This has inspired an idea though..an Ask Gurl series of posts. Gonna think on that one a bit…set up a special e-mail account for it if/when I decide to put it into effect.
So..there we have a rambling post all about me and my trials and tribulations in the blogging world lately. If you’ve read this far, many thanks! I hope talking them out like this will be helpful…usually getting my thoughts out of my head is a good starting place.
Your Turn: What would your answers to El’s questions be? They were (paraphrased):
- What is your Dream Post?
- What posts excite you the most?
- What posts just fall from your fingertips?
I’d love to hear your answers to these questions as I think they are a great spring-board to help each of us focus our writing.
Image Credit: © Grafoo | Dreamstime.com
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About Gurl
Twitter: HeavenandEl
says:
Awww Jen xxx
xx
Thanks for tweeting me. This past week has been so hectic, I’d have missed this otherwise. And the thing that I’ve been doing and had just 6.5K words left? All done
Reading all this, I have ideas, lots of them. You and I need to talk. I’m going to struggle to do it before next Friday (I’m here, it’s just my husband is also here on funny shifts and I’d rather talk to you when it’s quiet!) but how about next Friday we hook up on Skype, have a chat, plug you into my Amazing Ideas Machine and see what comes out the other end?
In the meantime, just keep writing. Tell us what you had for breakfast, write about your hopes and dreams and greatest fears are, write a love letter to your beloved if you like. Do whatever, just write. Trust me
xx
Eleanor Edwards´s last blog ..4 Easy Tricks for Instant Smiles
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Twitter: southrngurl6489
says:
Hey El..
You’re always here for me. I can hardly believe it sometimes…us starting to talk was a seemingly random thing, but its one of the best things I have had happen to me in a very long time. Thank you for that..and for being you.
I will figure out the time difference and meet you on Skype this coming Friday (unless something happens). I’d love to hear your ideas! You always make me think…and I always come away with something I can use or keep inside to push me forward. Until then, I think I am going back to the me who had no idea what a niche was and didn’t care for a bit. I need the writing practice for sure, and it will feel good to not care about who reads, if someone reads, etc. Knowing it will always be there for someone to find if/when they need it is an awesome thing! Talk soon xx
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I think this is a matter of focus Jennifer.
Your focus has shifted from “wow this is fun, look what I can do” to “none of this is marketable and its frustrating, how can I make a living from this?”
Your focus is on the negative right now and that’s why you’re finding it hard to be inspired. You’re looking outside of the problem, life, changes in topics etc to find a solution which is completely natural. But rather to trying to find what’s changed, try and think what it was that attracted you to blogging in the first place? What was it that excited you back then and start doing that again and don’t worry about the rest. Success leaves us clues. You were feeling successful with it all in the beginning so go back to that for a bit and see what happens.
Too often in life we find something we love and try and turn it into a job, rather than simply doing the thing we love and letting people find way to pay us for it.
You might find by shifting your focus back on what used to excite you about blogging, you’ll find clarity in the way you want to move forward.
Drop me any email if you want to chat anything through Jennifer, you’re welcome anytime.
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Twitter: southrngurl6489
says:
Hi Ben,
I think you and Scott might have tapped into the problem. I need to get back to just writing what I want to write and the rest be damned. I know I have a lot left to learn and a ton of growing I can do, and I do need to get some of this to a separate blog just to keep my focus on topic for the most part. Thanks so much for your insights and for the generous offer of help. Know you have an ear here as well..email, tweet..how ever you can find me. If I can help, I will
[Translate]
Jennifer,
I am sorry to hear that it sound like you are losing a little bit of your passion for blogging. There are, of course, always days that you “just do not feel like” writing. But blogging in my opinion is something you should enjoy at least most of the time.
You, ‘sort of’ dismissed it, but maybe you are angsty over trying to monetize things. Writing is much easier when you are doing it about things that you are really passionate about, and though most people like making money in a general way I don’t think it is something that really inspires passion.
Anyway I think two things really “inspire” me to write and are subsequently the posts that I love.
1. Your “AHA” moment. It is great to feel that you make a difference in peoples lives and actually help people.
2. This one is a little selfish, but when I hit on a “turn of a phrase” or a “joke” that is clever I really get excited. I do not always write “funny” but when I say something that I personally think is clever, I really enjoy that.
ooo and I guess there is a third
I almost never do it on SSS but I enjoy a rant every now and then. It feels cathartic to let all your negative emotions go sometimes. It clears room for the positivity to return.
I sincerely hope your passion returns. I want to keep hearing from you.
Regards,
Steve
Steve Scott Site´s last blog ..41 Hot Internet Marketing Niches
[Translate]
Twitter: southrngurl6489
says:
Hey Steve,
It means a lot that you took the time to write this much, and your final statement brought tears to my eyes. Its things like that and helping others that is the WHY I do this blog thing.
Wow..thanks so much for your insights. You could be right, maybe I am looking too much at finding the money these days…considering what my family and I are going through, it really bugs me to not be bringing in more than I am..but that would be a whole nother post at the least. I appreciate the tips and will think them over, see where I can go with them
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