I have endeavoured to do a yearly review of my blogging adventures, loosely around my blogversary (blogs have birthdays, don't you know). So have a gander at my One, Two, Three, and Four years of blogging. This post is my 'Five' years of blogging review, six months overdue.
Why do you blog?
Inspired/Re-inspired by my twitter chum Maria Barrett after a late night twitter conversation, in which she was asking bloggers to explain in a tweet 'Why do you blog?'.
I think it is a great question to reflect on and I am always fascinated by why people blog. Well not why all people blog, because some of them are bloody boring/offensive and/or spam. I suppose a more pertinent question for me is 'Why do you still blog?'.
If you have been around the blog block for a while, I am sure you have had to step over the dead bodies of many a neglected blog, left to die as their once eager blog owners have wandered off to pastures new. The must be a reason why some lets their blog die, whilst others like myself ramble on; Although I am not sure it's an achievement, but it's something.
So in a broken kind of nutshell: Why I still blog...
- The people that I have met through blogging are particularly awesome, if you check out my One, Two, Three and Four year blogging posts, you will see that I am still friends with many of the same dudes after all these years. I wish I could namecheck them all, but there too many of the beasts! I have also picked up new beasts along the way too and love them (no favouritism here). I consider my tweeps over on twitter as part of this merry bunch too, as I have been twittering for nearly as long as I have been blogging. I like the fact that the friends I have made via this blog and twitter, don't just live in my computer. Some I have met in real life, some have let me stay in their homes and some have become real friends.
- Opportunities aplenty - Not only has it been awesome to share my doodling business as it grows, I have also have the good fortune to take part in some very cool things this to come this year, all through blogging. One is being an International judge at a Halloween ball, in Salem Massachusetts at the Hawthorne Hotel and the other is an all inclusive 5 night stay in a Inn in New Hampshire, Sunset Hill House (with access all areas FB and Blog coverage). All thanks to my friendship with the Distracted Wanderer, I will be over the pond for a few weeks this Autumn/Fall. Will be writing lots more about this!
- The Doodologist- My doodling/quirky crafty creative business would not be around without the world of blog. It has grown from a random little idea, as I added doodles to various blog posts, to a tangible beast (with help from the Prince's Trust). I got to share ideas and find doodle clients, all because of my cool little blog world. Helping some charities out along the way One doodle at a time . Got plenty of things to mention about all things 'The Doodologist' in the coming weeks.
- Randomivity- At the very beginning of my blogging adventure I was told to find a niche and stick to it, that way you will build up a solid audience and take over the world (or google
wankingsrankings). Well pooh to that, as I have been all over the place with my blogging. I started frantically posting several times a day, then slowed down to daily, then weekly and erm then monthly. Topic wise I have been consistent at being inconsistent, blogging about my one legged mother, counselling studies, hiking and more recently about my doodling business. That is why I would always say that I was a 'personal' blogger as this blog reflects the random parts that make up my personality. Over the years I have thought about abandoning this blog, starting afresh or just letting it die, but I am glad that I haven't. It is nice to have a place to dump my thoughts and share them with anyone that cares to have a read.
Competition time:
Without the blog there wouldn't be a business, so I think I will do a Doodologist inspired competition. I hate to inflate my FB page with false likes, so hopefully if you do go over and 'like' the page it is because you like my doodlings. Not that I am adverse to millions of likes and quickening my taking over the world, one doodle at a time. So head over and like/follow to be in with a chance.
FB page: The Doodologist
Twitter: @TheDoodologist (and personal twitter @crpitt )
Competition Part:
Once you have liked/followed on FB/Twitter, leave a comment on this post indicating that you would like to take part. That is it :) None competition related comments more than welcome too! I would love to know why you blog (if you do).
The Prizes:
Prize 1:
An A4 doodle of your choice, it can be literally of anything, from an illustrated name to a pet/family doodle portrait or whatever is lurking in the dark recesses of your mind.
A personalised magical/magical key, it can be personalised with your name, used for a wedding gift, birthday gift, house gift, christening gift etc etc .
How will the winners be chosen?
On May the 4th, at 10pm BST (British Summer Time), I will assign all the participating comments a number, the numbers will then go in a hat (or random number generator) and the winner will be announced.
Don't worry if you don't win this time! There will be another 'The Doodologist' themed competition in June/July to celebrate my first year in business, just got to work out a few things and decide what the prize is going to be.
In mumborg related news, she came home today and is loving the newly improved wheelchair friendlier home. Thanks as always for those that ask how she is, it means a lot and has done over the years.
Posts
I would love to take part in the contest. Your doodles have a lot of character and I would absolutely love one for my site. I am rooting for Prize #1. Prize #2 would also be cool. :)
ReplyDeleteAs to your question I blog because it is a good way to express myself. It forces me to write on a regular basis and for a guy that easily gets lost in video games or other things that constant fire under my butt is a huge help.
I also really love interacting with people. I've been a people person for quite a while now and sadly my day job doesn't give me a lot of opportunities to utilize that aspect of my personality.
However, due to the beauty of online I can socialize with tons of people all over the world and it is just so incredibly neat slowly getting to know everyone.
Sure, they are still mostly strangers but reading a post or seeing artwork created by someone lets me see just a little part of them for a few seconds.
Since I'm totally crazy about humanity I love sharing those brief moments more than almost anything else in the world. The world is full of so much wonder and it is so nice to find so many interesting people online.
(I just ignore all of the jerks)
Hey Andrew, thanks for such a great comment!
DeleteYour motivation to blog is definitely something that I agree with. I also lack the people interaction that I need and blogging/twittering etc provides me with some invaluable feedback. I especially the love the 'worlwide' nature of it all, which means if I am up super early/or late, there is always someone out there :)
So right about all the cool interesting people out there! I ignore all the jerks too, they don't interest me one bit.
Really enjoyed your comment :)
"...twitter conversation" - I have never tweeted my words or thoughts but I sure have posted them on my blog. I know why it started but that reason is long gone (my about stuff gives you the boring story). But I discovered a few things blogging. One, these virtual friends are very real and in some ways you get to know them better than a real life friend who only meets them once in awhile. Two, getting feedback on creative stuff I write is just cool, fun, (insert some Brit. slang here). I have not visited here too often but I remember the mumborg and a few doodle posts. I'm very glad you are keeping it alive. Keep on keeping on
ReplyDeleteHey Bill, I don't think twitter is for everyone, just something that I fell into doing, especially once I realised that I wasn't blogging as frequently, but still liked a small audience for my randomivity.
DeleteTotally agree on both your points! Virtual friends are indeed real, I would like to think I could have a coffee or a pint with anyone that reads this weblog :) and I LOVE getting feedback, it has been invaluable over the years. I think I use the word 'cool' more than Americans, 'brill' would work though :)
You visit plenty :) Thanks for commenting :)
Unfortunately all your links only have "like and follow" buttons as I would have preferred "adore and stalk obsessively." Anyway, I pressed them all and now would like to dive into the hat. My main reason for blogging, tweeting, and face booking is the connection to all the wonderful people met over the years. Since they are global, there would be no real way to stay in touch without the social media world.
ReplyDeleteJamie, you are too kind!! Really hope that we can in the real world too, that would be awesome :)
DeleteI love Jamie's idea of "adore and stalk obsessively" buttons - why doesn't Facebook get with the program and change things up a bit to allow for my expressionism other than a mere "like"?? That said, has it really only been five years since you started blogging? I began my own blog in July of 2006 - late July - so will be hitting my 6 year blogiversary this summer and I could have sworn that you and I had brought our blogs home from the delivery room at the same time - so to speak. However, having a memory that closely resembles a blog of Swiss cheese these days, it's generally faulty and remembers things incorrectly - if it remembers things at all!
ReplyDeleteAnyhow ... blah, blah, blah ... I myself started out writing a blog for two reasons: 1) I always wanted to be a writer and this way I could be (more-or-less) and 2) it was therapeutic and occasionally became a good way to get out those things that I needed to say and had no one to say them to. Not that lately I've done any deeply personal posts in a long time and have become almost as sporadic as you when it comes to updating things!
The main thing that I have gotten out of blogging though is most definitely the chance to "meet" and connect with so many wonderful people out there - yourself included. People who have become true friends and have given me lots of wonderful opportunities and encouragement and love along the way. These are folks I never would have met had I not sat down on July 25th, 2006 and started "Are We There Yet??" - something I'm very glad that I've done! Now, speaking of which, I need to think about updating over there as I've not written a post in over a week - again! I believe I've punched all of the proper buttons in your realm of social networking but don't worry about throwing me into the drawing - I'll have you do something in person when I see you in the fall (though the magical keys are most cool!)
Christ Linda, you bloody rambler hehe :)
DeleteAs mentioned on FB, it is more like 5.5 years now, with the sixth year of blog happening when I should be stateside, so maybe I should start writing that post now!
I think it would be cool to write down all the things that have happened just because of blogging and all the people that you have met, it would be quite the list now!
Definitely agree that is therapeutic and I am happy that I still have a place to dump my thoughts, no matter how random or personal, whatever I write, people seem to just go with the flow. (or how sporadically I write!).
Roll on the fall!
Happy # 5, Claire. I agree with all the others that it's meeting people, making friends, that makes this whole zany business worthwhile.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear your mom's back home and happy with the new arrangement. I think about you and her all the time.
Absolutely NP :)
DeleteI think about yourself a lot too and your many snippets of wisdom.
Maybe meet up for a coffee in the fall, I should be heading your way?
Claire, I just saw this. What's your itinerary for the fall? I live in upstate NY.
DeleteHey NP, will be booking my flights next month, so will have a better idea then!
DeleteHey dude congrats on your 5.5 years of blogging. My blog is 5 years old but has ben gathering dust and cobwebs for the past 12 months or so. The thing I loved about blogging was the meeting of folk from all over the planet and they have remained friends virtually and for real .... please count me in for the competition and we must have that night out sipping woo woos :)
ReplyDeleteThose cobwebs will soon blow off dude! And you are most certainly one of the people I mean in my post. At first I thought it was only Americans that blogged, so was chuffed to discover that some cool local people did too! Definitely need those woo woos :)
DeleteI wish that I had known you were in Salem a few months ago, because we could have met up and had some coffee or lunch.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that I stumbled upon your blog and have seen you progress in your passion. It sort of inspires me to keep taking photos, because you never know.
I'll go head over to one of the many options and enter the contest.
-Matt
Not been yet Matt, I will be over this fall and in Boston too, would love to meet up :) :)
DeleteHave loved seeing your photography progress so much!
I request entry into said competition. Also, well done on 5+ years!
ReplyDeleteEntry granted and mucho thanks :)
DeleteCongrats on 5 years, thats no small achievement!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to take part in your competition, although I feel cheeky since I've not been by in ages!
Why do I blog? Good question.
Sometimes I blog to get things straight in my head, that tends to be the personal and mental health stuff. Sometimes I blog as a way of revising for uni, by trying to teach others what I have learned. And sometimes I blog because I like a bit of soapboxing, be it sharing experiences I have had or ranting about something. And sometimes I just want to be completely random (See my Can You See The Real Me blog)
I have met some wonderful people through blogging and by extension twitter (yourself included) and I cannot imagine my life without the mad-o-sphere community! :-)
Hello,
DeleteNo word of a lie, but these five years have flown by, can't quite believe it.
Don't feel cheeky at all! Just glad that you popped by and have taken the time to leave a comment :)
I think we have a similar though process when it comes to blogging and when I was doing my counselling studies there was a definite need to share the stuff that I was learning, as a way of making sense of it for myself. Instead of separating the blogging experience, I kept the random stuff here as well :)
Thanks!! Life would certainly be boring without the mad-o-sphere :)
Already liking you on FB, already following you on @crpitt - which leaves following you on the doodleboodle - which I have done.
ReplyDeleteSo that leaves me to think about 'a doodle of your choice' and I know what I would choose and it would be - - - a random number generator as pictured by you.
Best
D.
Thanks David! Appreciate the liking and the following :)
DeleteOhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I love the doodle idea, how fun!
Hello sweetie, well this is an interesting question for me as somebody who has allowed their blog to die (The Birds In The Meadow has barely been updated these last two years) and yet... I can't quite bring myself to delete it, and am considering writing again. Initially I wrote it for two reasons. In part it helped me get over my agrophobia, as in order to have anything to write about I had to leave the house regularly, and through writing I realised how much I loved being outdoors again. Plus the small group of online friends became an important social boost to me during times I was failing to leave the house.(There, bet you never knew I was a recovering agrophobic, did you? No you didn't, cause I never mentioned it online before ;) Secondly because I really needed an outlet for expressing my feelings about the natural world. In "real life" I live in London and probably seem to be quite an urbanite to my friends here. But there is a really important part of me that wasn't being expressed in that everyday life. My blog was a part of myself that did not manifest in the outside world. I stopped writing because once I was pretty much recovered it all seemed a bit redundant, but I'm feeling the urge to write again now. Not sure why, but I am! Ok, sorry for going on about myself here but you just opened a real can of worms :) I'm already a liker and obsessive stalker of the Doodologist so I don't know if I qualify but I'd love to be entered in the competition :) Glad to read that your mum is newly installed again and enjoying a wheelchair friendly home, the building work must have seemed never ending but soooo worth it now xxx
ReplyDeleteHello! Glad you thought it was an interesting question, as I certainly did. I always really enjoyed 'Birds in the Meadow', probably because I had similar feelings myself at the time. I had increasingly become a self imposed hermit and it was/is hard to break that. I think that is why I was sharing all my hiking adventures, to remind myself that I like being outdoors.
DeleteSo glad that you are recovering now! and that blogging helped. I don't think everyone gets the therapeutic value of blogging and how close you can be with online friends that you have never met. I know it was an alien concept for me at first, but I really love some of the people that live in my computer.
Would love to see you blogging again, so I am kind of glad that I opened that can of worms :)
You most certainly qualify!
It is great having mum back home and the building work was worth it for sure!
Count me in to your Competition! I have a great feeling about it, Found half a box of Cinnamon grahams in the back of my cupboard today, today is definitly a luck day!
ReplyDeleteMay the 4th be with you.
P.S grats on 5.5 years its a real achievement!
Oh finding the cinnamon grahams must be a sign! well a sign of something :) :)
DeleteThanks for popping by and commenting :)
Delete
Oh yeah, count me in! I am not sure how I found your blog, but at the time you were doing a lot of hiking and posting really beautiful photos of places that drew me in. Then, your studies drew me in because of my interest in things psychological! In the interim, your British wit and all around charm have made me a true believer in all things Claire!
ReplyDeleteI started blogging as a form of healing after a death. It took many a twist and turn and has been dormant since January, when I vowed to become more faithful to blogging.... rIght.
I truly hope you keep up the blog and doodles!
Hey Gracie! I am not 100% sure how either, I am sure it was from one of the other dudes blog and then somehow wandered over here :)
DeleteAwww! Thank you, I know this blog has certainly been a mixed bag of things, so it is nice to know that people have enjoyed following along :)
Blog if you need to! But there shouldn't be any pressure to blog, as that makes it no fun at all! I don't think I will be stopping any time soon. Although I think I will stick to my random blog schedule.
I'm not sure I should be allowed to enter the competition given we've already been talking about doodling recently, so I'll leave that decision up to you. However, I will say that I continue to read & throughly enjoy your blog because it throbs with a genuine warmth, honesty & humanity. Which, in an age of self-obsessed journalese posts, is incredibly refreshing. And you're funny. Or, is witty a better way to put it? Drily witty. Oh, & you have a pretty decent music taste too.
ReplyDeleteOf course you shall be added to the pot! Much obliged for your lovely comment, it is much appreciated! I have tried to be self-obsessed and more journal like, but it makes me vomit.
DeleteI am slowly developing a better ear for music, after years of commercial radio abuse.
Hi Claire, happy 5th! I am behind with my own blogversary, which has just recently hit 5 too, though I'm not sure that my rambles have improved with time...
ReplyDeleteI think I already follow you on FB/Twitter (or stalk, whatever) so can't add any more!
Here's to more blogversaries, cheers!
Oh happy 5 years to you too! Just think how long we have blog known each other now! Not such my rambling powers have improved, in fact they have probably gotten worse :)
Delete/cheers
Blog on my friend
Add me to the list, my dear! And much congratulations. 5-1/2 years -- wow! Pat yourself on the back and thanks for making me smile.
ReplyDelete/adds to list
DeleteThanks dude, the time has flown by, I know that phrase it used willy nilly, but it really has. Glad I found you out there in the scary world of BC :)
Thanks blog like commenter's, you lucky bunch have been added to the cauldron and something will be pulled out of it, maybe some rabbit entrails, but hopefully the names of the winners too....
ReplyDeleteClaire - Anything out of the cauldron yet? Sorry, just super excited about the possibility (no matter how small) of winning a doodle so I figured a friendly poke couldn't hurt. Also, I'm also just making sure the winner weren't announced somewhere else and that I missed it or something.
DeleteYes indeed, I am just writing a new post and will announce them then :)
DeleteThanks for checking back in! I have been caught up with some other work, so my bad!! :)
Hey guys things have been crazy busy here, promise I will announce the winners in the next few days!
ReplyDelete