order this cute ring from the justlovelythings’ shop :: etsy
It is true.
I {heart} blogs.
It started for me before I began to dream about my own blog. Somewhere in the visiting, the commenting, and the reading, I began to think maybe, just maybe, I could be a blogger, too.
So how did I come up with the vision for 29lincolnavenue? What process did I go through to create a space that felt like me? Now you know, I’m only a preschool blogger, and I don’t have all the answers, but here are few things I found to be helpful:
- It takes time. I spent the better part of a year trying to come up with an idea. I wanted my blog name to be a street address so it would feel like a real place you could come to be encouraged and talk about the stuff of life. I also thought it would be easier to remember. I searched for an image that felt like home, and fell in love with the rocking chairs. But, I didn’t start there. Originally, on my old Blogger blog, I had a black and white photo of my house. This was fine as a starting place.
- Window Shop around. What blogs do you love to land on? What draws you in? Is it the amazing photography? Do they have witty prose? Is their sidebar better than the local mall? I spent a lot of time just looking at other blogs. I bookmarked them in my blog reader and asked myself, “Why do I love being here?” This helped give me a clue for what I wanted to include here. {If you are skimming, please be sure to read #5 about copying}.
- Be ok with the process and the land in between what you want and what you have. Here is a secret about me: I hate process. I have vision. I can complete tasks. But the middle is no place for me! Process drains me dry. But, with blogging, I have found that I have to be ok with what happens between what I want, and what I have. Sometimes, I have to wait, on money, time, and my techie husband to be available to help my vision become a reality. I’m learning to love what I have in the mean time.
- If you love it – others will, too….maybe. Honestly, I love when people say, “I love your blog.” But, the truth is, it is more important for me to love my space. I’m the only one here, everyday. I like the feeling I get when I see it load. It makes me smile. I think, though, if you love it, others will probably, too. Every blog is not for everyone. That is why thousands (or is it millions) start up everyday. Find your tribe. Find your group, and most importantly, love your blog!
- Own it – don’t be a copy cat. I really {heart} Emily’s blog. You know that. I have mentioned her at least 500 times. I also really {heart} Jones Design, The Nester, (in) Courage, and the list goes on and on and on. But I am not them. They are not me. If I copy them, my place here will look thin. You would notice, after a while, that it really isn’t me. How sad would that be? I think it’s fine to draw inspiration from Kat and Sara. But I am Stacey from 29lincolnavenue. And if I own this space, I can’t spend all my time trying to be them. And you know, all of these amazing blogging women I mentioned, did not get where they are by copying anyone. They are unique and I love them for it.
- Creating a special place for your art and your words will be reward enough. So what if you work your blog off and and your following doesn’t grow? What if it really does sound like you and only echoes in this great big cyber world? Truth be told, this may totally happen. You may be your biggest fan. Enjoy that while it lasts. A sage filled blogger reminded me once that the more followers you have, the more responsibility you have. So if it is just you and the crickets, enjoy your quiet. Write your heart out. Because I really believe the secret is this – if you blog it, they will come. Your followers will grow. Slow and steady is just fine with me. Eventually, it won the race and didn’t even break a sweat.
*****
So what about you? How did you create a blog you love to come home to? What or who inspired you? Let’s chat!
{For more of my Preschool Blogging Diary, click here.}
I currently don’t have a blog, but that is something that to hope to have one day. It’s actually on my list of things to do before I die!
One day, maybe. One day.
When the time comes for me to create my own blog, your blog will be on my list of inspirations! 🙂
Thanks Tay, you are too sweet!
It’s been a long and slow process for me. This is my 6th year of blogging and I feel that this year I’ve finally come into my own as a blogger. I feel like I’ve found my voice after years of struggling and imitating other bloggers and trying to be what I thought would make me successful.
Once I stopped trying to do every link-up and write like someone else…I took a step back and evaluated what I wanted and what God had for me in this blogging world.
And, like Ann reminds us, when you blog for an audience of One it gets so.much.easier. And the joy expounds.
Jessica I love what you are saying here! Doing every link up might drive one day traffic to your site, but it does not necessarily build a following! Finding your voice is absolutely key! I’m curious, what did you do to take the step back? Did you take a break? How did you see it all with fresh eyes? Also – did this become your mission statement?
Thanks for sharing!
Stepping back came partly with where I was in life we were moving across the country and I had a 9-month-old then. After we settled in our new home, I started to think should I keep blogging?, what should it look like?, is this something God wants me to do?
I spent some time praying and seeking Him and felt that he did want me to keep with some contingencies: be honest, be real, and share life…don’t sugarcoat things. Out of that came my blogging “mission statement,” so to speak to pursue authentic, passionate, and purposeful living. Having those two things as my anchor remind me why I’m blogging and they push me to live life outside of the internet since they’re also how I want to live.
When I am struggling and writing, I usually will put at the top of the post in the largest font (in draft), “Come to the altar an lay it all bare” as a reminder that I’m not writing to please man, but God.
Jessica thank you so much for sharing this! I love that you gave it to the Lord, and His answer was to give it back with even more purpose and passion! Love this and will be thinking much on it!
I both love . . . and struggle with . . . #5. I just need to put the other voices out of my head when I write and just be me. This is a great list, Stacey!
I do suffer from seeing other great ideas and think, “Oh man, I wish I would have written that!” And sometimes, I think it is fine to mention a post and say, “I was reading over at Shelly’s blog (with link of course) and I was thinking about this conversation. ” Pro-blogger suggests this. It ends up continuing the conversation, pointing your readers to the source, and can be a good kick start for your writing too.
Excited for your time at the cabin! I know it will bless your heart!
Thank you! As a eight week old baby blogger I needed that. You want everything to click day two instead of enjoying the process. With Joy, Carey
You are doing everything right Carey! Welcome to Preschool Blogging and learning as we go!
Thank you Stacey for the encouragement. With Joy, Carey
I love that you use an address for your blog name. One Sunday while I was in one of the big box stores, checking out with four quarts of ooops pink paint, a neighbor asked if I was going to do some painting at “the old block house”. I thought BINGO! Now I have a name.
It’s taking time and I’m learning as I go, but in time I hope to have a blog to be proud of.
Found you through twitter.
Inspiration can come from anywhere! I love that! And I just hopped my way from your blog to your Etsy Store and I’m drooling over the locker baskets! Reminds me of going to the city pool every summer as a kid!
So wonderful to meet you!
My blog is 2 years old this July. And I am definately still in preschool, although just in the last few months am I begin to settle into my home and enjoy visiting my space. There are so many bloggers out there who have given me inspiration. And I still find myself saying “I wish I could right like that”. I know that God has given me my own voice and I just need to allow the Holy Spirit to speak through me. One thing I try and do is build community with those who visit me and leave comments. I have found some wonderful prayer warriors and friends through blogging. You and your blog are definately inspirations to me.
It is almost your blogiversary! I started 2 years ago in August – so we are in Preschool together! I love your idea about building community, that is another great topic to chat about! And by the way, I love your blog name and your header is so cute! Oh, how I love a coffee themed blog!!!
Such great advice! I have hammered some of this out on my own but you have some great points which I am going to chew on. And I just love this place! As I’ve said before you really do make it feel like we have a place at your kitchen table.
Ya know, this is probably good advice for life – not just blog life 🙂
Blessings….
Stacey, I loved reading this post! Just a few days ago, I caught myself thinking, “Why don’t I have more followers? Why aren’t people hitting the infamous “Like” button for my newly created Facebook page? But almost immediately, I had the same thought as you so eloquently wrote above: with a large group of followers, the stress level would shoot straight up! And I’m not exactly ready for that 🙂 I’ll certainly heed your advice and continue writing my heart out…and listening for those crickets!
Carrie
So glad you were encouraged Carrie! Keep writing, He will bring those across your path that need to hear your heart! I really believe that!
This is such a great post, Stacey! I have been blogging for over 3 years (I can’t believe that!), but still consider myself a preschool blogger. When I began it was very much a place to keep my family updated on our happenings, but it seems to have veered away from that over the past year and a half or so. Still, I haven’t found my place. I love to write, but it’s hard. It takes me a long time to get things out of my heart and mind and onto the virtual page. There are multiple posts in my drafts folder, half written, just waiting to be finished so they are “just right.” Sometimes I have to force myself to hit that publish button!
I’m trying harder to enjoy the quiet around my blog. It’s OK if I don’t have many people following because the one thing I told myself when I started this is that it doesn’t matter if people read it or not. Ultimately I want the words I write to be glorifying to my Lord. That may mean that my words go out to only a few and not to the masses. It may mean that they become only words written between Him and me. Whatever the case, I want to be sure I am writing to please my God and not other people.
Thanks for all your encouraging words, Stacey. I always love visiting your “home.”
Oh Meagan I’ve been missing our #mym6 chats!!
Writing is so personal isn’t it? You want to put your heart out there, but then, you think, “Oh, should I have said that?” You will find the right flow to it. And the truth is, when you post something, you never know when someone might read it and it be very timely for them.
So glad you shared here today.
Hello Stacey,
Thanks so much for posting this. I’ve only been blogging since Jan of this year, but have felt so incredibly overwhelmed with all that I am “supposed” to be doing to increase traffic, by linking, commenting, joining directories and forums, adding plugins and widgets, looking to see what successful blogs are doing and then try to do that. Honestly, when I started this, I had no idea it would be so complicated! I thought I would just write and some people would find me and enjoy reading what I wrote. I guess I shouldn’t let myself get caught up in the comparison game, but just write what is on my heart and let God take care of my stats! Thanks for the encouragement!