IT HAS BEEN BARELY OVER A YEAR SINCE I STARTED BLOGGING AND
BEING WELL INTO THE NEW YEAR, I WANTED TO SHARE SOME OBSERVATIONS RE:
THE BLOG-O-SPHERE !
I AM NO EXPERT, NOW WILL I 'NAME NAMES',
BUT THIS IS WHAT I HAVE NOTICED THIS FIRST YEAR....
WHEN I STARTED, THERE WERE THE BIGGIES, THE MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROADIES AND THE NEWBIES ( like Me... )
I WAS IMMEDIATELY DRAWN TO THE BIG GIRLS. THEY SEEMED TO HAVE THEIR SH@T TOGETHER.
I WAS ALSO DRAWN TO THE NEWBIE, AS WE WERE ALL STRUGGLING TO GET OUR BLOGS NOTICED.
THE BLOGS THAT REALLY GOT MY ATTENTION WERE THE UNIQUE ONES. ESPECIALLY A BLOG THAT WAS CONSISTENT, QUIRKY AND HAD A STRONG SENSE OF PERSONAL STYLE. THUS, MOST OF THE BIGGIES ( who rarely , if ever, visited me anyway ... ) KINDA JUST FELL AWAY.
NOT THAT THEY WERE 'BAD' OR ANYTHING, I JUST LEFT BECAUSE I FELT A SENSE OF DISCONNECT.
TOO MANY ADS, TOO MANY CONTESTS, TOO MUCH ....
HOWEVER, THERE WERE A HANDFUL OF BLOGS THAT WERE GROWING SO FAST MY HEAD WAS SPINNING! WHAT DID THEY HAVE THAT I DIDN'T ???
WE STARTED AROUND THE SAME TIME, WORE SIMILAR CLOTHES ......
I FELL IN LINE, MARCHED TO THEIR TUNE, COPIED THEIR LOOKS ;)
I HIT WEARDROBE, CHICTOPIA, AND EVEN BLOGGED IN A MAGAZINE....
SO WHY WASN'T I A BIG-TIMER ???
WHEN IT HIT ME !
WHEN I FINALLY FELT I HAD CREATED A "SUCCESSFUL" BLOG, ( WHICH IN NO WAY IS COUNTED BY FOLLOWERS NOR COMMENTS PER POST, THOUGH THAT IS A HUGE PART OF IT...) BUT I FELT I WAS BEGINNING TO ACHIEVE MY GOALS ( DOING SOMETHING I LOVED AND FEELING PROUD OF IT )
WAS WHEN I SMILED A REAL SMILE. NOT A FORCED SMILE .
THAT SIMPLE.
WHEN I STOPPED BEING SO DAMN VAGUE THAT I AM 46 !!!
WHEN I STOPPED PUTTING ON FULL-BLOWN WAR PAINT ,( which was a chore for me ) - now I rarely wear make-up anymore ... (disclaimer: lipstick is always a must, otherwise i look kinda dead)
AND WHEN I ADMITTED THAT I AM A REAL PERSON WHO CAN LAUGH AT MYSELF OR CRY ~
( depending on the day ;) .
WHEN MY PHOTOS STOPPED BEING EXACTLY 1/4 " AT THE TOP BY 1/2 " ON THE SIDES.
( though don't get me wrong, I appreciate a good photo, it's my thing ;)
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY: LISTENING , INSTEAD OF SHOUTING, "LOOK AT ME!"
SEEMS SO VERY SIMPLE, HUH ?
I DO STILL VISIT A COUPLE BIG GIRLS, BUT I DO IT TO SEE THEIR COOL OUTFITS , THEIR UNIQUE PHOTOS AND THERE IS ONE IN PARTICULAR THAT MAKES ME LAUGH OUT LOUD. ( who doesn't need a good dose of humor ? )
NO, I DON'T SEE MYSELF AS A BIG-TIMER,
NOR DO I NEED TO BE ANYMORE ....
BEING "FRINGY" IS GREAT AND ALLOWS ME TO EXPERIMENT, MAKE LASTING FRIENDSHIPS,
AND LEARN TO TRUST IN MYSELF :)
MAKE ME THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND GET ME ALL EXCITED TO GO OUTSIDE IN THE FREEZING COLD TO POP OFF MY LATEST ENSEMBLE ;)
I LIKE BLOGS WHERE I FEEL A KINDRED SPIRIT. NOT BECAUSE WE DRESS THE SAME- I HAVE A MIRROR ( or two ;) FOR THAT, BUT PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTING TO ME. WHO OFFER THE STUFF I NEED TO ENRICH MY CREATIVITY- MY SOUL....
WHO ARE HONEST and ORIGINAL. ( I think I was a Brit in my former life ....)
MAYBE THAT'S A BIT SELFISH ;) ~ BY THE BY :
WHEN DID IT HIT YOU ?
ATTIRE: VINTAGE ELEPHANT EAR PANTS ( MINE , VERY OLD )
CROPPED SWEATER: THRIFTED ~ BOOTS: THRIFTED
MEN'S HAT: THRIFTED ~ SUEDE BAG: THRIFTED
COPPER PENDANT: THRIFTED ~ RING: CLAIRE'S
SCARF; TARGET? OR WORLD MKT. OLDER...
32 comments:
Great post. When I started my blog I followed the biggies too, but soon felt that disconnect you talk about. Now I follow blogs because I like them and that's all... and if people want to follow me because they like me, then great but I won't lose any sleep if they don't. The world is a massive place, the blogosphere is a massive place and there will be people who like your writing and people who don't. I think it's always important to be true to yourself, and your blog seems to do that. Which is great.
Just tweeted your post, damn it. You're getting so good http://tinyurl.com/2b28ybs
Hm, well if it is about grinning a real grin into a camera on a tripod, I'm not quite there yet.
In truth, Reva, you were a guidepost to me in the beginning!
Thank you, It's so nice to hear some one's point of view on blogging.
This would be bang on relevant to the friend friday discussion over at Modly Chic! You should stick this post on there!
I really enjoyed reading your post!
Your attitude towards other bloggers is really positive and it inspires me!
Wow, this is such a great post! I still follow a couple biggies, but don't always read them and hardly ever comment on them because of the same disconnect you've described. I think they do have interesting stuff to offer, but I like smaller blogs because you really get to know the blogger, or coming from a smaller blog myself, we get to know a lot of our readers. Thanks for sharing this perspective!
Wow, now I am confused...I thought you were one of the biggies!! So now I am sitting here wondering: WHO ARE THE BIGGIES?? I went to a thrift store over the holidays and asked myself, WHAT WOULD REVA LOOK FOR??
I desire that my blog inform, inspire, and is enjoyed...if that happens, then I smile!
Your posts hit on some things that have been on my mind concerning blogging. What makes some take off and others kind of flounder? The biggies are obviously big for a reason; but often when they get big, they lose what made them that way to begin with. What exactly defines success? Sponsors? Follower? Comments? Paula (Fashion over Fifty) and I were chatting on FB and I mentioned that sometimes blogging reminds me of when my sons used to collect Pokemon cards. They'd get so excited about getting certain cards and how many they had, but in the end; what did it really amount to? Same thing with followers and comments, etc.....we can amass follower; but what does it really amount to? Is it really going to get you sponsors? And is that what we're really in it for? AAGGGHHHHH!!!!! The questions! The questions!!! Your pants are adorable by the way and I'm definitely looking for that lipstick! ~Serene
Very nice post. I thought you were responding to the Friend Friday question this week. You gotta it going on...answering questions that you didn't even know were being asked this Friday.
is it ok to just type "ditto"?
cuz, ditto. luv u reva
(see that, wrote it in all lowercase)
To serene...POKEMON cards! I bet we bought the same ones for our kids. hahahaha
When I started visiting fashion blogs, I thought the big girls were always the pretty young bloggers with endless budgets. But a lot of those blogs actually bore me. I mostly follow bloggers I can relate to in some way. To me, YOU ARE one of the big bloggers. I'll be 44 soon, and you are a huge inspiration to me with your creativity, style and beauty. I'll never be as cool as you, but at least I can aim for your confident attitude.
I've been reading blogs since they've existed and somehow just this year discovered fashion blogs. I've subscribed and unsubscribed to about 100 and I'm still figuring out my favourites. I know that whenever Google Reader's "sort by magic" feeds me a little REVA I always smile. Thanks for what you do. (No I don't blog and they can't make me.)
I think you are fantastic, and a thrill to read exactly for the reasons you give. You are you, and it comes though loud and clear.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
I love this and totally agree! You have to be true to yourself always and you have that down, which makes your blog a joy to read!
So true, Reva! I started out following everyone and got more and more discerning about which blogs I read. I've stopped following people just because they ask me to and just read what I want to, people who inspire, educate or just make me smile.
I'd love for us to meet so much. xxx
This is a great post. I think we are all initially drawn to the biggies, but eventually settle in and find the ones we relate to. I think I felt good about my blog when I decided on what aspects were most important to me and stopped trying to do it all.
I am only a mediocre web designer so I just have to accept that the coding on my blog will never be amazing. The pictures is where it is at for me. I keep trying harder to make them better and find more interesting places to take them. It's help me to come out of my comfort zone some too.
I clicked on through FBFF and was happy to read what you wrote. You have such a distinct style and I'm so happy to read that you have hit your stride!
I think here is great value in being a "fringe" blogger. If everyone just tried to fit the mold of the bigger blogger, it would be a boring community!
The Auspicious Life
This is such a great post, and exactly what I needed to hear. I've been blogging for about 8 months now and feel pretty much the same way about the biggie blogs as well as the seemingly "overnight successes" that started around the same time as me. For 2011, I'm just focusing on enjoying my blog, connecting with my readers and putting out useful, engaging content. I've also shy'd away from revealing my age, but I will proclaim it boldly when I turn dirty thirty this October, lol!
Kendra
http://closetconfections.com
great outlook. while i think it's healthy to grow and change, we also need to stay true to who we are.
i like the pants here...
rockoomph.blogspot.com
I'm so happy I read this because I've thought of similar things, like why isn't my blog taking off when theirs is? Is it how I look, weigh, etc? Anyway screw all the worries and just do, is my new philosophy, if I don't post for a week does it matter? No. Because the people who appreciate me will understand. Anyway, loved this post!
Lauren
Sparrow & Urchin
Thanx for being true to yourself and showing us all. I believe in blogging from my heart. Oftentimes I don't have pics of myself and know I should do more but for now I'll just keep doing what I'm doing and see how it goes this year.
Thanx again, CamilleA
I'll skim through big blogs, but unless I have some sort of connection to the blogger or I feel engaged by the content somehow I won't comment.
Wow, great post! It genuinely made me happy to read it! And I know what your talking about becuase I'm a DEFINITE newbie at the moment, thanks!
- www.itsanewkate.blogspot.com
I loooove this post so much. This is the first time I've ever come to your blog and I think that I might stay and look around.
Blogging should be a fun thing to do, something to do with joy.
GIRLFRIEND!!!!! Congrats on getting featured in this weeks IFB ala mode! Most deserved, and I'm sure it is the first of many!I'm so proud of you, Reva! xo. -Bella Q
http://thecitizenrosebud.com
Thanks so much everyone!!!!
I am overwhelmed :)
( in a good way ! )
xXXx
Reva
I'm so glad I found your blog on IFB, you're awesome! Love your style... fantastic. :) x
Hey, Reva, it's about time I signed on as a follower - I appreciate that you've been commenting on my blog for a little while. :)
Like you, I have struggled with wanting to be BIG but I also wanted to have quality interractions with my readers - it's really all about the little community you build for yourself here in the Blogosphere.
Anyway, count me as a fan, a fellow-40+ blogger (43), and friend.
S.
First of all Reva, I can't believe you are 46! You have such a youthful aura about you--
I'm still a newbie (6 months) and am dismayed a bit at all of the above--why am I not measuring up? Serene and I discuss our blogging philosophies -- it hasn't hit me yet. Paula
i started off on xanga and moved to blogspot not knowing it was going to be the next big thing. i started at the same time as quite a few of the "big" blogs and never understood their success. especially since their sense of style was the same as everyone else i knew. that is, until they started receiving free stuff. which is still don't understand. however, i continue to blog because i like it and, after some time, it has become an enjoyable hobby. nothing more, nothing less. i love your outlook, though. you made me smile.
Reva, this is such a great post! I feel I'm a newbie b/c I only decided to take blogging more seriously back in September. You're content here is inspirational, thanks!
xx.
Judy
p.s Love your pants in this post!
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