Welcome to Bloggerhood

This post by Elle Hipolito is all about the journey she (and her blog) have taken as they’ve grown and matured together.  It’s a great read and she has some encouraging words for new and experienced bloggers alike. Enjoy!

So, you’ve started a blog. That’s fantastic, and I applaud your initiative! The internet is teeming with advice on how to proceed with blog maintenance, marketing, etc, but I want to share my own experience on this journey called bloggerhood!

Bloggerhood? Yes, it’s akin to parenthood!

My history with blogging looks like any household with multiple children. I’ve had blogs dedicated to specific interests. Some excelled while others sputtered along. Some needed more attention than others. Each had its own room- er, domain. The more I tried to put my foot down and exert control, the more they rebelled. And every time I attempted to put them into one space, it looked like a tornado whipped through. Yikes!

Eventually, I learned to loosen my grip and let go. My blogs matured, ran their course, and departed for the blogging netherworld. They continue on as fond memories in my archives. *wink*

Bloggerhood is a very deliberate process. You can read all the books and guides that are out there, but nothing will fully prepare you for the experience of blog-rearing. The thoughts that you inject into your blog will affect its performance in the world. You need to have an idea of how you want to shape and influence its growth, and you have to guide it as it enters the rocky waters of the interwebs. All the planning and anticipation cannot predict how your blog will behave in social spheres. You just have to be ready and proactive in unexpected situations. Your blog can’t function without you. It needs you every step of the way!

The blog is an extension of the self. I consider the past five years a period of self-discovery, where I transitioned from one medium of expression (photography) into another (blogging), all the while balancing my creative skills and picking up new ones. To be a blogger requires an open, flexible mind, commitment, and organization. My priority is – and always will be – remaining true to myself and maintaining integrity in my content.

I am happily down to one domain (hallelujah!) and writing about topics that aren’t so mainstream (Classics and linguistics). I may not get as many visitors as I did when I wrote about photography and fitness, but for the first time I am excited about my compositions. I am enthusiastic about my independent studies, which I then spin around and share in my unique voice, taking topics that may seem too academic or dry and infusing them with a sense of fun… or so I hope!

So, what’s the point I’m trying to make here? Your blog is your baby. There will be growing pains. It will change. It will give you headaches! Just stick with it. You don’t need to have it all figured out at this very moment. Be patient. Put your heart into it, and your blog will blossom into a beautiful, sincere reflection of you.