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| yes, I felt like I was running away. |
Today, I revisited my blog going back to the beginning and saw why I had loved it. I wasn't trying to meet a standard or show I had an understanding of writing, genealogy, etc. I was just sharing and having fun. Which unless you are a business and trying to show your professional side, that I believe is what it should be. I am going to start making an effort to go back to my personal blogging and sharing with my family again. I am not a professional and would hope that the blog would not be judged by such standards.
There are memes by Thomas...the Geneablogger Daily Prompts, Amy Crow has a 31 Days of Genealogy, Olive Tree still has a prompt Sharing Memories, Aine of BlueRaspberrySundays posts a prompt on Sundays. You can even find Family History Writing Prompts on Pinterest which is helpful for blogging if you think you are having a challenge with subject matter.
If you are like me, and see your posts have dwindled down over time, go back and see why you started, why you were excited. It is almost like a marriage, you have to work at the relationship to keep it alive. I have seen some move to a different server to perk up their blog; this I am not going to do as I have seen their pain as they went through that process. I am looking to renew my blog relationship not start a new one. I digress. Use the memes again, post fun things as well as great finds.
This has been my thoughts and I am sorry to use your time to help myself find what I have been missing. Hope it helps you.
Fran - I just love blogging and hear what you're saying. Having fun is the most important thing. I think people can "hear" it in your writing.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. Thank you for the comment Alex.
DeleteI love what you wrote. My Blog is my Personal Diary. Flaws and All. Keep Blogging!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement, True.
DeleteWhat a great reminder, I also need to get back to more fun and blogging. Life keeps jumping in the way, not always fun stuff either.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the shout out Fran. Blessings to you and yours.
You have been my longest Blogging friend Carol. Love ya.
DeleteThank you Fran, you are a very special Blogging friend to me as well. Love ya.
DeleteFran, I hear you! I started blogging to tell stories to my Dad who lived 6 hours away after I had taken over his research. It was a way to keep us connected as he lost touch with his world. He no longer understands much of what is said or read to him so I went through a period of malaise and slowed down. Some days it seemed like a chore to keep it alive. Amy's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks was really the only reason I kept going -- and this collaboration. I made commitments to myself to create posts for those projects and I WOULD keep that commitment! But reading what you posted, made me go back and reread my own blog. That brought back memories of the surprise or joy Dad -- my original audience -- found in my work. And I smiled over my blog again! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteSchalene, I have always enjoyed your blog. Glad it helped. :-)
ReplyDeleteFran, I have been concerned by the dwindling number of blog posts from some of my favourite bloggers. This blog is an example: in September there were only 11 posts and in August there were 13. As you say Fran let's "work at the relationship to keep it alive".
ReplyDeleteThankfully each week I find a couple of new bloggers to follow so my RSS feeds are not empty YET!
We need to encourage, and go back to what we do best. Tell the stories. :-)
DeleteI can identify with what you say! I have a hazy list of people to write up and other items for the blog but the only thing that I surely do each week seems to be Sepia Saturday. I need to go start writing again! I've really fallen off of posting here and it's only once every two months.
ReplyDeleteGood for you Kristin. We never give up... never surrender ... we shall over come.
DeleteFran - your post has struck a chord with fellow bloggers, including myself. On my personal blog in September 2nd this year, I asked the question "Is there a life expectancy to a blog?" as I was feeling in a rut. Like you, blogging has given me tremendous pleasure at different levels, .but I felt I was running out of my own material and only responding regularly to Sepia Saturday prompts - even there I was repeating photographs rather a lot. Writing for Sepia Saturday in some ways spoils me, as there is such a great tradition among contributors to comment on each others' posts, that in contrast it can be a bit disheartening when other writing receives little or no acknowledgment. Like Jill I have noticed how the contributors to WGC have faded away. - could that have anything to do with the low number of comments many posts receive, though I appreciate many bloggers are very busy people with limited time. .My conclusion - there is life yet in blogging and I made some summer resolutions to dust down my research, identify more family stories, hone in on my writing skills & make better use of Geneabloggers resources to extend my Reading List. Keep at it, Fran, as you write interesting posts. Thank you for your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteFamily History Fun
Thank you for your response Sue. You always have interesting posts.
DeleteMy blogging has fallen off lately as I deal with my parents' (86 and 87) aging issues and my husband's health issues. As for commenting - I'm less likely to do it when I have to jump though a lot of hoops to do so, but it's even been hard to keep up with reading blogs of late.
DeleteFran,
ReplyDeleteI want to let you know that your blog post is listed in today's Fab Finds post at http://janasgenealogyandfamilyhistory.blogspot.com/2015/10/follow-friday-fab-finds-for-october-23.html
Have a wonderful weekend!
Jana, you know I think you are a lovely Genea friend. :-) Thank you.
DeleteOne reason my posting here has fallen off it that I write so little on my own blog that I feel if I come up with something, I should put it there. I wonder how this would work if it was something we did on our own blog on the designated day and then visited each other there. Like a "World wide Wednesday" or something?
ReplyDeleteInteresting thought. I use my personal blog for doing things about my family, when I try to use it for my work, or helping others, it just doesn't fit. This website lends itself to focusing on things for others, I like that. Maybe it would work for you.
DeleteKristin, we have similar views on the current state of our blogging, and I have some sympathy with your suggestion.
DeleteI think one problem I have is that I don't write how to do it posts, I just write a post such as I would write for my blog.
DeleteBut Kristin when you write about how you came obtained and made your sources to back up your family names, that is a how to do it post. You are an awesome blogger... Love your posts no matter where they are. One thing you might think of is taking a post you made about a family ancestor and then just narrow down to how you got the facts and show how that is done. Just a thought.
DeleteThank you, Fran, for your suggestion to Kirstin about writing "how to" posts. I don't have the knowledge or experience to feature conference discussions, or sophisticated IT applications (as examples), and have struggled to come up with WGC topics, beyond those that feature on my personal blog. Your response was encouraging and helpful.
DeleteFran, there are times when my blog is more of a chore than an exciting event. I am guessing that is true for everyone. I find my blog reflects my research. When I am excited about following a new trail to my family I cannot wait to blog about my research & my discoveries. When my research is stalled or when I am busy with life my blog is more of a chore. Reader comments also inspire me to keep writing so I try to let other bloggers know I enjoy their posts. Fran, keep blogging!
ReplyDeleteHi Fran, lovely to read your blog, I am one of those bloggers whose blogging has faded away. Though sometimes I think you need to take time out when life events family, work take over your time. I hope to return to my blogging soon, refreshed and enjoying my new home.
ReplyDeleteThanks Diane for the feed back. Always nice to find you are not alone. Yes I understand what you are saying. I was driven at first to get my sweethearts stories written down before they faded. Then I let my 6 children and their having children take priority. A new home sounds lovely, for making new memories.
ReplyDeleteI think you really touched on something here. It is about having fun and doing what you love. I looked back at some of my old blog post recently and felt that one of the things I've been missing is the spontaneity of how a blog post would arise from me. Sometimes I would be inspired by a newly found newspaper article or I'd wake up and have a particular ancestor on my mind. That would be how I would start up a new post. I want to get back to doing that more. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Fran.
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