Monday, March 19, 2018

Some Things About Blogging

I've seen several posts lately about the dos and don'ts of blogging. It's interesting, I guess. See, I read it a little differently--we're all here for different reasons and to achieve different goals. I cannot presume to tell you what to do to write a good blog.

I can tell you what I do and why.

1) I'm very personal and honest about what I'm going through with horses.
I started blogging years ago. I'd just gotten my first horse. I was an adult ammy student with a tight budget and almost no local horse friends. I figured there had to be other people like me, so I googled "horse blog" and started reading. And writing. And here I am.

For the record: this is a completely fabulous idea. I have met so many amazing people and forged some incredible friendships and the impact it has had on my actual life is stunning. Ex: met Roxie's mom through the blog. She sourced ZB for me. WUT. ZB IS BECAUSE OF BLOGGING. (Oh and I wanted a ZB because Karen and Roxie's mom let me ride their horses. And we all knew each other because of blogging.)
and sass

[Talking about the ways online bloggers became amazing real life friends would 1) take forever and 2) be extremely personal so I'll probably leave off on that right now, but just know there are incredible people all around us.]

Because my goal is to connect with other horse people, my style is a little different. I don't give a flying f*** if I'm an influencer. I find brand ambassadors in poor taste. I'm not worried about SEO and metrics and building a brand. I'm here for the people, not the money.

I'm not here to shit on the people who are--more power to them. Just not my jam.

2) I LOVE PICTURES. 
Given the prevalence of readily available media anymore, a picture is probably worth like 53 words, but they still matter. I hate to throw walls of text at people. I have a cute horse and a smart phone and boom. Y'all get more ZB pictures than you know what to do with.
recently i stole a camera

3) I make it easy to comment. 
Real talk: I love comments. Partly because it tells me I'm actually hitting my goal of connecting with other humans, partly because I'm vain.

Here's the thing though: I can only remember like one thing at a time. If I'm reading a post and someone says something I want to comment on, I write that comment in my head, but then the topic changes and I forget the comment because I'm reading and then it changes again and I forget I had a comment, and then I'm on something else entirely and by the time I get to the comments, I don't remember what I was thinking anyways.

Maybe y'all are hella better about that than me. Much respect if so. I try to keep things simple and stick to one topic. Plus I allow anonymous comments. And I'm sorry wordpress people but if you require a wordpress account to post a comment, I can't do it.
my ambition level every day

4) I keep things about my one horse. 
I only have the attention span for one horse, so that's pretty easy. If you want lifestyle advice and breezy socialite thrills, you're probably not going to find that here. I don't art. I barely craft. My skincare routine is take a shower. I blog for horses, so I write about horses and if you don't like horses, this is a very odd place for you to be.

I try to write a blog that I like to read. I'm not much for detailed training wrap ups (except when I am), but I know some people LOVE those and read every detail.

I used to be a really good blogger--I had a solid mix of personal and topical posts and I posted every day and did all the things. Now I'm kind of an average blogger who's doing well if I get two posts out a week. The way I do things isn't the one true only or right way to do them.

It works for me. What works for you?

44 comments:

  1. Personally, I love comments as well & I thrive on media in other blogs, so I try really hard to include media in my own.

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  2. I don't have a blog. Heck, right now I don't even have a horse. But I like to keep up with the blogs I've been reading for years. And I like to comment on them. But if I have to have some sort of account, I can't, because I'm not interested in creating those accounts. So those of you that make it easy to comment, thanks! And bonus points for the blogs that let me use my name instead of being that weird anonymous person.

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    1. It's amazing how something like blogging can connect people across space and time. :-) Thanks for saying hi!

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  3. I love you blog and your voice and YOU (in real life and everything) -- so glad I found you and I've been able to follow along for so many ups and downs:)

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    1. Pretty sure you're the only blogger I know of who actually came to my state without having lived here. MAJOR PROPS.

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  4. Blogging is such a personal journey -- and it's SO DIFFERENT for each person.

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    1. Exactly! We're all in different places in life and who's to say what that place requires right now? ;-) It's how I justify shopping all. the. time.

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  5. I think 2 blogs a week is totally fine. Keeps people engaged and sometimes the more blogs a week the less interesting stuff there is to write about. Am I trying to justify my 1-2 blogging habit? Yes, yes I am

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    1. When I ran 5 posts a week, I tended to be schedule two weeks in advance. ;-) Content begets content. Plus that sort of padding meant I could spend a little more time working through harder entries.

      But yeah there were definitely filler days.

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  6. One of the things that first attracted my attention to your blog was your humor. I also really loved how real you kept things. I hate it when blogs feel commercial. So keep doing you and I’ll keep reading

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  7. All of this is so true. Just to comment on one thing specifically: I have a post in my head that I may or may not write about how being a ME brand ambassador made me feel and why I won't do it again for them or any company. Short version: even though I totally believe in the company, I felt like a shill, and it wasn't worth the free stuff. I've actually turned down several free items for review since then since I want to go back to being an AA in a couple years, and I will only review products I bought personally and truly love (or hate. Gotta keep it real.)

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    1. I've gotten free stuff here and there and it can be nice I guess but yeah. If I post a review, I want people to know that it's actually my opinion on a thing I actually bought.

      Also to be better at getting free stuff, I'd have to try harder and put in a lot more effort and like. No. Pass. I need a nap.

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  8. "Here's the thing though: I can only remember like one thing at a time. If I'm reading a post and someone says something I want to comment on, I write that comment in my head, but then the topic changes and I forget the comment because I'm reading and then it changes again and I forget I had a comment, and then I'm on something else entirely and by the time I get to the comments, I don't remember what I was thinking anyways." This happens to me every time!!

    And yeah, I'm definitely here for the people and the hive mind when I'm seeking it. Added bonus of the past few years is finding more than enough training exercise ideas to last me a lifetime. I struggle to come up with enough on my own sometimes and thanks to blogging and social media am never at a loss of things to play around with - I love that.

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    1. Definitely. So many people who have attacked so many problems in so many different ways.

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  9. Two blogs a week is overachieving.

    I also suck at commenting, for basically the same reason. I write because it entertains me, and I have neither the talent nor the discipline to monetize or even write consistently. I have made a lot of cool friends through blogging, and that makes it totes worthwhile.

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  10. Love this!
    I like to read about people's horses. I don't mind reading about their other stuff too, but definitely prefer a good story to being sold something. I do like reading a good non-sponsored review of something a blogger really likes though.
    I also really appreciate bloggers like you who keep it real. Horses aren't all sunshine and rainbows, and I like to know that others are going through the same poop I might be.

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    1. I'm actually concerned about the amount of rainbows around here recently. Except it's about ZB. She's amazing.

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  11. I think one of the best things about blogging is that everyone has a different style and different approach. Imagine how boring it would be if everyone just did the same type of thing in the same type of format. We'd read 2 or 3 and be done. Everybody has stuff they like reading/doing and stuff they don't, and that's what makes it interesting.

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  12. I really like this post and I’m blogging for similar reasons. Journaling for myself and being involved in this community. I do things differently that a lot of people (Pony Dressage) so I don’t expect my blog to be everyone’s jam and that’s ok because mainly I do it for myself.

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    1. If I was a tiny person, I'd so have a pony. They are super cool.

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  13. I pretty much am like you- I blog for me. I find it a great way to track what progress (or lack) with my horse. I didn't realize that I would meet people who became friends.

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  14. lol i've seen some of those recent posts about the "do's and don't's of equestrian blogging" and... yea they just make me laugh.

    for me as a reader, the most engaging element in a blog is a really candid, sincere and authentic voice from the writer. in whatever way shape or form that needs to come. someone who is trying to write for the masses, or for the money, or for the sponsorships or whatever, often ends up sacrificing some of that authenticity imo. not always, but often.

    my perspective as a writer myself? yea, i blog for me. i want to write about the things i'm passionate about, the topics i care about, the events and happenings that mean a lot to me. and to share those thoughts and feeling and ideas with a like minded community who will hopefully respond by engaging with me in the comments section too.

    also tho, pretty pony pictures <3

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    1. Totally agree. The voice matters so much. I love how easily it transfers to real life too--the people who seems super kickass and like we should be friends, are. It's great.

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  15. I love your blog, and your ZB joy brings me joy every post. Please don't ever stop!

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    1. Omg ZB is incredible. Any fan of ZB is a friend of mine, haha.

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  16. ditto love your blog and is one of the few i check daily just in case ;) and i only blog 3 days a week sometime 2. And i am sure i could do once a week and no one would care :) LOL! I am pretty sure i dont do it by the rules! HA :) but love your blog you are one of the first blogs i started reading!

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    1. I appreciate your enthusiasm. :-) I do try to be pretty regular with posting but life happens. You know.

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  17. I really enjoy your content. I blog just for the sake of tracking my progress with my horse and hopefully sharing something once in a while that makes someone laugh, or feel inspired, or to even teach someone else something. It's definitely not a professional pursuit (although sometimes I wish it was my profession!)

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    1. I have a lot of respect for the people who are creative and motivated enough to make a chunk of their living off of it. ;-) Those people are not me.

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  18. I think that is definitely one of the amazing benefits of being a blogger and reading other blogs - you find so many people just like you and it's amazing the friendships that can form.

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  19. You know for years your blog was a part of my daily morning routine...I’m just in it for the unfolding of the story, the ponies and the people. I can appreciate how you’ve evolved and agree, there’s no one right way. Although I’ve definitely moved away from super detailed training recap blog styles.

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    1. You keep teasing us with your new guy tho. He seems cool. ;-)

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    2. He is wayyyyy cool and improving by leaps and bounds. I really resonate with your ZB journey in the sense of having a horse that is not only game to learn but also physically able to learn. I just have zero time to blog these days...2 legged babies have taken over my life!

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  20. Sometimes when I comment I'm like "ah shit I overdid it. TOO MUCH" so I'm glad you love comments lol. I'm like oddly really into personal development and the more I learn the more I'm valuing authenticity, so having bloggers like you as an example that aren't afraid to make a big change and do not what's "the most popular," but what has read as best for you, is really inspiring (and still full of humor :))

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    1. Ha I love comments. Drop by anytime. :-)

      Personal development is definitely an interesting topic. I didn't set out to make this blog about that, but it's definitely a common thread. Glad you're reading along.

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  21. Long-time reader here. Have always loved your blog, for your humor and real-ness to it. Cannot believe it led to a friendship and internet strangers get together!! <3

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  22. Your blog has been and remains one of my favorites. You write in a very relatable way. Thanks for sharing your secret sauce ;)

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  23. One of the best things I have found with the blogs, besides actual factual friendships is help when we need it when we hit a wall in our training. We have ALL been there and sometimes we don't even realize we are in it, until another blogger posts something that hits us right between the eyes with a Clue-By-Four. The blogging pool has a plethora of information. Keep it going girl!

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