When I started my first blog in 2009, I thought I was going to make a living off what I wrote. I thought within a few months, I would have a small following of people who would like and comment on my posts. I thought I would meet people and make friends. I was wrong. I had my first blog for 11 years and it never took off. Towards the end, I had given up on it because I knew that it wasn’t going anywhere, and I felt like I was writing just for the hell of it. Nobody was reading and I felt like writing wasn’t what I was supposed to do with my life, but over the years, I found that if I wanted to make it work, I had to work hard. I had to keep going no matter how hard it was going to be.
Some people are lucky to have a blog that becomes a hit and they have created a life just by writing about what they do every day. I’ve always wanted that. I always wanted to be able to write what was on my mind and have people relate. I wanted to create a safe space for people, but I know that it wasn’t going to be easy, it was going to take a lot of time and affect on my part to get to where I want to be with my blog.
I know I need to do more than write. I need to be able to get my blog out in the world. I need to be able to tell people that my blog exists, but it’s hard when you feel like you’re not getting any feedback. I don’t know who’s reading, I don’t know if people see my blog and click on the link. Sometimes I feel like I’m talking into the wind.
If I knew years ago that my blog was going to be where it was today, I probably would have never started one. I know I tend to talk negatively about my blog and my writing, but writing is the one thing I’m passionate about and it’s the one thing in life I want to be doing for the rest of my life. I want to be successful at it and be able to tell people my stories. I want to leave an impact on people.
I wish there was a handbook on how to have a successful blog. I know there are articles and YouTube videos about how to promote your blog, get more views and gain readers, but it doesn’t always work. From someone whose had more than a decade of experience in blogs, its harder than it looks.
I know I sound like a broken record, but its hard when you want to write for a living and it feels like you're not given the chance. It feels like people aren't taking me seriously. I want to be able to say what I want to say and know I'm reaching out to people in a positive way. I don't want to be left out. I want to be able to shine and show the world what I can do.
I should take my own advice and remind myself that blogging isn't easy.