Monday, November 26, 2012

blog on



Before I started my blog, around a year and a half ago, I was sceptical about blogging and social media fullstop. I wasn't on facebook or twitter (I am yet to tweet! I have stage fright) and couldn't really see what the appeal was. Who wants to spend more hours at the computer than they already do for paid work, especially when working as a freelance writer? hmmm. Turns out I do. I still consider myself a baby blogger with a lot to learn. I love reading how other bloggers go about their blog and being the analytical, reflective gal I am, I like to reflect on the how and why I do things. So I hope today's little break from food gets a conversation started about the art and mystery of making a blog successful - whatever successful means to you.

Why I started my blog...

Having been a writer my whole life, the creative freedom of self-publishing has tremendous appeal. I don't have to fit into publication guidelines or 'sell' my story idea to an editor. That feels as good as a holiday!

When I began, I thought "I'll give it a go for six months to see if I like it" before I get 'serious' about it. By serious I mean posting regularly, spending time (and a bit of money on advertising and design) to grow my audience and in the long term monetizing my blog so I can earn some income. My biggest reason and motivation to blog, beyond creative freedom and business aspirations, is because I want people to eat well. I want everyone to have the high energy and great health that eating a diet with no or minimal processed foods gives you. I especially want that for children. But what I want and what the momentum of big food companies and advertising wants is two different things, so it appears I have my work cut out for me. I am up for the challenge and have decided social media is a fantastic way to reach people and share stories.

How I blog...

I started my blog with the title 'word for word' thinking a broad title would allow me to cover a range of topics. Fairly soon I thought "what am I doing?! food is my 'thing' always has been and looks like it always will be" so The Wholefood Mama was born. Added to this realisation, everything I read about 'problogging' recommended deciding on a niche. Wholefood and family is still a broad niche but it is a good start and I feel like I have found the happy place where I can write about what I love and not get bored. Writing my blog definitely doesn't feel like work which means my motivation to continue is high.

To get some more tips about the 'how' I attended a beginners blogging course at the Council of Adult Education in Melbourne taught by Lady Melbourne , and scoured through Darren Rowse's Problogger site and this year bought a Virtual Pass to his Problogger training day. I would also recommend Darren's 31 days to building a better blog workbook, if like me you have young children to look after, a house to keep organised and a business to run I would re-title it to '3 months to a better blog' because I have not managed to find time to work through a task a day.

The midnight hour...

Finding time to blog means I stay up late. Like midnight late. I fantasise about having my posts planned out, dedicating a day or an afternoon to writing them and then scheduling them to be posted but I think that has only happened once in a year and half of blogging! The flow of family life is unpredictable. The flow of freelance writing work is unpredictable. So, I blog when the house is sleeping. The quiet is bliss and even the tiredness I feel the next day has a certain bliss to it because it is there from doing something I wanted to do.

On design...

Looking at other blogs is a great way to pick up ideas of what you do and don't like about certain designs. It also a great way to feel 'blog awe' which can translate to 'their blog is so beautiful/stylish...insert word of choice...how do they do it?!' Well I have learnt some things about this the expensive way. The first thing I would say before you spend any money on blog design is make sure that blogging is something that you really want to do. Once you are dedicated then you can consider if you want to work with a designer and spend some money. I started with having a logo designed by Melbourne based graphic designer Fiona McKerrill. Love my logo thanks Fiona. Then I went a step further and decided to switch from Blogger to a professionally designed Wordpress site because that seemed to be what all the 'probloggers' were saying is the way to go as Wordpress has more flexibility etc; Therein was my first mistake.

I didn't really have a need to switch. The Blogger platform was already capable of all I wanted to do which basically is write and post photos. Bloggers who have inspired me from the beginning such as Allison Tait, Jodi Wilson, Joanna Goddard, are doing very nicely on their blogspot blogs. Why? not because of any fancy design work (they have all paid attention to their visual design but nothing over the top) but because they deliver what their audiences have come to expect from them and they do it consistently. The switch to wordpress for me was short lived. I didn't enjoy the process of working with the 'back end' of wordpress and was inundated with spam in the comments. Not wanting to deter people from wordpress but this was my experience. So, I cut my losses and reverted back to my simple blogspot space that I have put together with my limited design knowledge and for now while I am building my audience (& design budget) I am happy.

That my friends is where I will leave my blogging story thus far, (for fear of boring you!) I hope this post was helpful or interesting and would love to hear where you are at with your blogging ways, whether you just read them, want to start one or are a big time blogger (surprise me if you are reading!) leave a comment or a tip.

If you are still hungry for more read Allison Tait's  top 10 tips for writing your best blog
...update: just found another good link on Fat Mum Slim...Finding readers: how to get the people to your blog

15 comments:

  1. Thanks for the links and tips. I feel like I write a blog that no one reads sometimes - but I enjoy it, so that gives me the drive to keep it going. I understand your passion to teach others about good food. I work with kids and it makes me furious to see what is put in their lunch boxes day after day....100 % pure processed, sugar-filled rubbish. It's not even food for goodness sake!!!!!!!! Arghhhh- hopping off the soap box now :)

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    1. Your blog is truly lovely. On Friday I will be linking to your brownie recipe thank you for sharing it. You are welcome to stand on your soap box any time here. It is converting the unconverted that is the task! Happy blogging x

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    2. Oh wow...my first link up!!!!! Thanks Nikki :)

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  2. It's so interesting to read how others get into blogging or get to where they are currently in blogging.. For me, I actually maintain two blogs, one on blogger and one on wordpress. I have to say, as far as design elements go, blogger is a lot easier to customise even with a limited knowledge of html coding. I use wordpress for my creative writing because that means I retain ownership/authorship of what I publish there. I think there are plusses and minuses of both - but whatever you do: blogging has taught me the importance of simple, clean design for sure. x

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    1. Thanks for sharing your experience with blogger and wordpress I think it is interesting to hear how others manage their blogs too. I wasn't aware about the ownership issue until today when both you and a friend who was visiting raised it - interesting! More food for thought. Pardon the pun! By the way you win the prize for the speediest comments ever. No sooner have I posted a post and there's your comment :) thanks for reading and for commenting, most blogs have way more readers than they do people who comment.

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  3. Oh what a funny time to read your post! I have only recently started blogging, tweeting and instagramming and even commenting on blogs after being a voyeur of the social media world for a long time.

    I guess my decision to blog was one that developed over time. Being that this is my first year as a WAHM, I felt as though I needed to communicate more. I was also feeling a little weird looking in on everyone's lives for such a long time and not taking part. Finally, I feel as though I have some stuff to say and share and even if three people read it, so be it!

    I wrote a post (On Blogging) last week. It was something of a stream of consciousness on my experience as a blog reader and how it translated into my blog and how I want it to grow. I'm still no closer to a conclusion on what I want my blog to be, so for now I will keep on muddling along. I'll keep on commenting on blogs (even though sometimes I feel invisible or odd when I do), I'll keep on writing and sharing via FB and Twitter and maybe at some point, I will have a few followers (I think I have 20 now!) and even make a few lasting friendships with other bloggy folk!

    I hope your life is travelling sweetly, Luna. :)

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    1. Thanks so much for your comments Luna and for being a regular reader here. 'Muddling along' as you put it is often a good way to go because things happen organically. If everything is planned out and strategised it can lose some of the originality I think. I will pop on over to your blog and read your blogging post. Happy blogging to you x

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    2. No worries Nikki! I love you space as it feels very welcoming and honest. I think letting my blog grow organically is the best way to go.

      Thanks for reading my post too. x

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  4. Oh Nikki I was nodding in agreement reading this... I was struggling to write a job application today, and was moaning about having to be all articulate, professional and selling my 'amazing' interpersonal skills, blah blah and you expressed it so well..it really is so freeing writing because you want to and nurturing that creativity in a freer way. I'm digging it! This is a post I'm going to keep coming back to..to explore the links and your ideas more.

    You've definitely started a conversation. I had a little yearning to blog for AGES..I adore words, in all forms, and the idea that I could write something and just put it out there was scary but appealing. I love the immediacy and intimacy of blogs...I know I'm not the only one who loves sticky beaking around other peoples lives..I've always been fascinated by how people live, their homes, their day to days and dare I say people's diaries and innermost thoughts (not that I'd poke around unwanted... I've got my fix following Brain pickings and reading Anais Nin's diaries).

    I can't remember what it was that planted the initial seed for my wanting to blog, and what it was that I thought I was going to blog about...but I've learnt that the best thing to do is just start. All the dreaming and planning in the world aint going to make something happening. So pushed a little my a good friend of mine I took the plunge and I'm paddling around in the shadows, finding my feet in musings about food, being in the moment, health, and whatever it is that inspires me. I got ideas buzzing around in my head! and that is so much fun!

    really appreciate the practical info about blogging, because I'm a little lazy on all that stuff, so much reading and learning! and there's a real strength in making connections with people who are interested in similar stuff such as good health...it's a community and that's always good from where i sit. happy blogging days x

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    1. I totally agree with you Natalie that the important thing to do is just start. Once you make a start you can refine things as you go but with a blank 'page' there isn't much to refine! I am really enjoying your blog and will enjoy watching it grow. And yes great to meet like minded folk interested in keeping good health. Happy blogging to you too x

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  5. very interesting and thanks for all the links! Now I know why you emailed me when I followed you :) it worked though, made me want to look at your blog more. Anyway, I spend all day at work writing technical reports etc, and its nice to just be able to write what ever I want on my blog, also I thought there was a lack of good information about the kind of stuff we like to do, like home tanning a steer hide! I try not to worry about the numbers, but I'd love to make some money out of it one day, so it doesn't hurt to have lots of readers when I figure out how to monetise...

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    1. Hi Liz, your blog is fantastic because it is providing great, useful information. Thanks for the seeds and kefir by the way! I just received it this week because we haven't been to Melbourne for a while to clear our mail box. I'll let you know how I go with the kefir. It is also great that given you write all day that you bother to keep a blog, I understand though a blog is a good creative outlet from work writing. Happy blogging! x

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  6. This post was exactly what I needed! I have not been blogging for long and mainly started to keep track of my memories...I want to remember this time in my family's life. I too aspire to be a 'planned' post writer, but it has only happened once (and only then because I found it hard writing that post and didn't want to chicken out!). I never thought anyone would ever read my blog, but people do and I have had lovely feedback. It is so nice to share with people my thoughts and the experiences I am having with my family right now.

    You have inspired my to finally put a little effort into my design, I keep meaning to but am yet to find the time...perhaps I'll make it now!

    Much love
    Audrey xox

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  7. Hi Nikki! I hear you when you say you stay up late to blog. I was reading this at midnight last night because it was the only time I could find more than 10 minutes of uninterrupted time! It is thus that I am still only dreaming about blogging. Snatching moments like this one to read your blog and others that inspire me. I am wanting to create one, perhaps a private one, to keep family close and as a memoir. Thinking about it inspires beauty in my day ... as that is what I would want to record.
    Thank you for more inspiration - to just start!
    Love to you Nikki X

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    1. Lovely Ruthie! hello. Your comment did make me smile. For lots of reasons! Because I love hearing from you but also because I am sure your days are very busy now with babies on the go. When the season is right for you to blog it will happen and you will do a very beautiful job of it I know. Just to start, that indeed is the key! Much love to you. Talk soon xx

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Thanks for your comments. I read every one!

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