Blogging Conundrum - Total Mom Garden?
Before I begin this post, I have a question for my five remaining readers: what are your feelings about my posts about gardening?
I ask because I’m not sure what to do here. I haven’t been blogging much for months now, but certainly when I do there is a high frequency of posts about plants, gardening, vegetables, etc. And I’m just not sure that anyone who reads this blog is really into that. And of course I know it’s “my blog” and I can do what I want, but those posts really don’t fit under my blog title or its previous theme either.
I suppose I have to figure out what I’m doing with this blog anyway. And I have great friends who are bestowing me with blog awards and tagging me in memes in an attempt to get me involved again. But I go back and forth between thinking this blog is just kind of done, then feeling it might just be a low-phase, to thinking I want to start a whole new blog about gardening and CSAs and vegetable gardening with pre-schoolers, which I’ll be doing with Sam and Robby’s school this spring. But I feel like most gardening blogs are written by people who actually know what they are doing and are there as a resource for others who are like me. I can’t say mine would be much a resource to anyone.
Nor is there much reason to think I would post any more often than I already am. So then I’d have two poorly attended blogs . . . I’ve just had an aversion to sitting in front of screens lately. It’s not just the blog; I haven’t been watching TV either. Oh, except for when Michael Pollan was on Oprah last week - that was awesome.
Does anyone have any advice about this? Do you care to see gardening and food-related posts on this blog? Or do you agree that they don’t really fit? Does it even matter?
For now I think I’ll hold on my post about indoor winter gardening and see what the response is on this. Hey, for someone who rarely posts, having the option of turning one post into two is a pretty good deal.
Hey Beth,
I like the Total Mom Garden title and I if that’s the name it doesn’t mean you have to be “a resource” (although you would be my main resource - no pressure), it can just be your experience. Just like most parenting blogs aren’t resources. I also think that if the name is TMG you can still post pics of the kids. Maybe you could put a tab on this blog - so it’s like two blogs in one???
Well you don’t have the total mom hair cut anymore. You should write about what you are doing and interested in at the moment, and right now that is gardening (with and without the boys).
I would love to read about your gardening experiences with Sam, Robbie, and the children from nursery school, as well as posts about your own garden, CSA, etc. I definitely don’t think you need to be an expert. In fact, I would rather read and learn from someone who is not an expert. Less intimidating. It also makes readers who don’t have a clue about these things ~ like me
~ feel like it may actually be doable. I say ~ Go For It!
Beth, one of my goals this spring is to REALLY take my gardening and outdoor living seriously. I am the laziest. And part of the plan was rereading some of your posts and looking forward to the up & coming season of posts. No pressure
But seriously, if you want to pack it up (blogging), you know I understand. If you stick around, know I will be reading and trying out your tips!!!
Well you know I have been in and out of the blogging community, and have had my own bloggity crisis, and the conclusion I’ve reached is that you need to write for you. Life will change, kids demands, time, and your own interests will change, and that’s ok, blog when you want to, and don’t when you don’t. We’ll just keep you on our readers so we can pop by when you do.
I have a terribly black thumb but was just last week thinking of trying to grow something with my kiddos. Just one easy thing, like mint. (Though I have killed mint in the past.) But, anyway, gardening posts on this blog would be interesting to me. As a new reader to your blog, though, I have come back to it because I like your mommy humor. I would miss that aspect if you changed your focus completely. (Especially when my mint dies and I give up on gardening … again.) But, I agree with Nicole’s comment above about blogging for you. Do what you gotta do to keep the creative juices flowing, you know?
[...] you all for responding to that last post - I really appreciate your input. It was nice to finally think through some of what has been on my [...]
I always like reading what you write, whatever the topic. After all, when friends are chatting, they don’t only have to stick to one kind of discussion. Plus, your title is TOTAL MOM Haircut, so whatever you want to write about is part of the Total Mom. I think it would be a shame to stop, no matter how frequently or infrequently you want to write. Your blog is going to be such a great thing for your family to have as the boys grow older.
i check in here every so often, but gardening/green/real food type posts appeal to me (for what it’s worth:) i like those “types” of blogs…but write whatever you want!
mine doesn’t have a clear, obvious niche…faith, green, mommy…it varies day to day, and while i may never build a huge audience, i’m journaling my life and passions, and that matters to me.
oh man, beth.
i am asking myself the same questions right now. trade gardening for sewing/crafting.
i think you should write about what you are into. what you are passionate about or just what’s really going on in your world. who cares about themes or fitting in w/ titles of blogs or whatever.
i would love to do more gardening and frankly, i’m way more interested in your journey than reading what any expert has to say. i’d be all ears.
I’m sorry it has taken me so long to chime in here. Kind of goes along with this post I guess. When I think back to a time when I wrote several posts in a week and kept up with all my favorite blogs… I wonder how I did it. My time seems to be so limited these days and I’m not sure why. I questioned whether there is a point to continuing - if anyone would even care if I stopped. I decided that I do enjoy my blog and others when I have the time. So I’m going to weather this time and hope that I’ll have more time in the future.
As for your blog, I’m pretty sure you know that I love it and you and am happy to hear about whatever you feel like writing whether it’s about what you’re listening too right now, kids stuff, marriage stuff, gardening stuff. It’s all good. You inspire me to be a better gardener! So my vote is keep going! Write when you can.
I know I’m late to this party but I thought I’d chime in and say that I think you made the right decision. My blog is about me and whatever is interesting to me at the given time, and my focus has certainly meandered over the years, but that’s okay because it’s my journey, my memoir, my life — whatever you want to call it. Your readers will wax and wane, depending on your topics, but your true friends will stick around no matter what you’re writing about. I, for one, am excited about hearing more about gardening b/c I haven’t got a CLUE where to begin, but I’d like to grow SOMEthing.
I know I don’t comment often but I always enjoy visiting your blog!
Jo-Lynne,
I think you may have inspired a series here, sort of a How To Get Started type of thing. I feel like a few people have said they just don’t know where to begin, they just want to grow SOMETHING! Do you have specific issues/challenges that come to mind when you think about taking on the task of growing? I mean, I have a few ideas about how I think people can get started, but I’d want to make sure I address what the things that make it feel difficult. let me know if anything comes ot mind that you’d specifically want to read about and would be truly helpful:)