Normally I talk about writing novels on this blog. It’s definitely my favourite form of writing. Blogging is another great form of writing, and is very popular, especially amongst writers, and
obviously it’s something I do quite a lot of too. This week for Top Ten Tuesday,
the subject set by the people at TheBroke and the Bookish is ‘top ten blogging confessions.’ I’ve been blogging
for several years now on different blogs, and I’ve got plenty of things to
confess about my terrible blogging habits.
1. i Don’t
Know How To capitalize titles
It’s
a terrible for a writer to confess I know, but I have no idea of the exact
rules of capitalization in blog titles. I know the end word is always capitalized.
I know words like ‘and’ or ‘the’ don’t normally have capitals. But apart from
that? I’m just guessing, and picking what looks good to me whether it’s right
or not.
2. I Worry about Running Out of Ideas for Posts
I don’t know about you guys, but sometimes I find it hard to
keep coming up with new ideas for blog posts. I prewrote pretty much every
single post for July, and trying to think up all the blog post ideas was very hard.
Sometimes I worry that I’m not going to be able to keep thinking up fresh ideas
for blog posts. Which is ridiculous because how could I ever run out of things
to say? But on a bad blogging day, it certainly feels possible.
3. I
Wish I Could be a Funny Blogger
There are some awesome bloggers out there who have the
funniest ways of saying things (Cait, I’m looking at you). I absolutely love
the way they write and often wish I could write like they do. But when it comes
to me trying to be a funny blogger? Well, that just doesn’t happen sadly. I’m
stuck being an unfunny blogger.
4. I Rarely Read Badly Designed Blogs
You know those blogs where the writing in the post is really
tiny, or where the background is dark and so is the text colour and you have to
squint to try and decipher what the blogger’s saying? I tend not to go back to
those blogs. My apologies to all those bloggers I’ve visited once and never
returned to, but if I can’t read the post easily, then I’m not coming back.
5. I am
Envious of Blogs with Awesome Blog Design
There are blogs out there with truly amazing blog designs
and I sit there staring at them in sheer awe at the blogger’s skill. Seriously,
I wish I was as good at blog design as some of those bloggers out there in the
blogosphere. Any good idea I’ve put into my own blog design has probably been
inspired by something I’ve seen on a prettier blog than mine.
6. I Often Forget to Comment
It’s sad but true. My blogger feed is packed full of
interesting posts, and I love spending time browsing through them. But often I’m
reading them in a hurry, or I just don’t feel like stopping to comment just
then. And then I forget to go back and add a comment later. Considering how
much I enjoy getting comments myself, you’d think I’d be better at this by now.
7. I Wish I had Success Now
This is only a very young blog. It’s only been going two or three
months so far and I’m generally very happy with the way it’s been developing. But
sometimes I look at blogs that have hundreds of followers and loads of comments
on every post and I wish I had their success right now instead of having to
work hard and wait for it. But if and when the success comes, it’ll be all the
better for my having had to work for it.
8. I Hate Reading through my Archives
I’m happy with all the posts I’ve posted on this blog so
far, but I am terrified of reading through the archives of my other blogs. Ugh,
my posts were so terrible in previous years. It’s a half encouraging, half
terrifying experience, looking back. It’s encouraging because I’ve obviously
improved, but it’s terrifying to think that I used to write like that and think
that that was good.
9. I Can’t Take Good Photos for Blog Posts
Some people seem to be equally good at writing and taking
photos. Me, I can compose a blog post, but I couldn’t compose an adequate photo
to save my life. Most of the pictures I use in my posts are either creative
commons pictures, or my own pictures disguised with large amounts of photo
editing. With cool effects, no one’s going to notice how back my photography
skills are, right?
10. I Rely on Scheduling a Lot
I have to admit, I’m really bad at remembering to post on set
days. I’ll decide which days I’m going to post on, and then completely forget
to post on that day. Scheduling has really saved my blog’s life. I now write
the posts ahead of time, and then schedule them to post automatically
throughout the week, which saves me having to remember to post them myself.
Without scheduling, regular posting just wouldn’t happen on this blog.
Do you share any bad
blogging habits with me? What are your blogging confessions?
I can sympathize with so many of these. I would rely on scheduling, but I'm too lazy to even do that, so my blog posts usually end up happening about once a week, unless I forget or have other things that leave me without access to a computer. Number nine is huge for me. So far, I haven't had a single picture on any of my posts. I tried looking for free-to-use stock photos, but couldn't find any to match what I wanted. Honestly, almost all of these are what I would say as well, especially numbers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,8, 9, and 10.
ReplyDeleteIt's so hard to find photos for posts about writing, isn't it? I often end up having to make my own graphics, like for this post, because I just can't find the right picture. I don't think that not having a picture is too big a problem though. I got into the habit of always having one, but it's the post that counts, and I always find your very interesting.
DeleteI also rely on scheduling, I feel like it takes a lot of pressure of when I have the next week or so scheduled. I love your confessions. Very relatable!
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly what I love about being able to schedule my posts. Knowing I have posts in advance making blogging feel a lot less of a struggle on the busy weeks. Especially weeks like these where I'm stuck in the middle of Camp NaNo and don't want to have to think about writing posts on top of everything else.
DeleteI wish I could be a funny blogger too. I love the snarky funny blogs... but please.. I will never be one. I too wish I was better at taking pictures for my blog. Though I have been working on that this year. Great post!
ReplyDeleteAngie
Top Ten Tuesday
I often wonder how people manage to be so funny all the time. Are they born that way, or is there some trick I could learn to become a funny blogger like them? Sadly, like you, I don't think I will ever get to be that funny. I just don't have the right humour I think.
Delete*blushes* Ohhhh, you're nice. SO NICE AND AWESOME. Although, to be truthful, I feel very unfunny most days and I just hope with my fingers crossed that it comes out marginally entertaining. >-< And I often feel like I've run out of inspiration! One week I'll be busting with ideas! The next...zilch. It's a vicious cycle. The trick? Just keeeep writing. (I also rarely read badly designed blogs. They make me twitchy.)
ReplyDeleteMy TTT!
Trust me, you come across as funny all the time. I often wish I could sound just like you in my blog posts. Because you're awesome and pretty much my favourite blogger. The inspiration thing kills. Generally when I get struck by inspiration too, it's at a point where I'm far too busy to actually write posts. Like now...The infuriating life of a blogger.
DeleteI love your list!
ReplyDeleteI wish I could afford a good blog design, mine's crap. I did it myself from a photo of some books and it really shows.
I want to rely more on scheduling, but I'm such a procrastinator it never works out :(
Cora @ Tea Party Princess
I don't think your blog design is bad. It's simple and clean and pretty. I rather like it. It's way better than mine (a graphic designer I am not.) I only rely on scheduling for this blog and make it work because I am determined to have a professional looking blog (whether that is working or not is undecided.) Most of the time I procrastinate far too hard to even think of blog post ideas, let alone write and publish them.
DeleteI love this post. I am also a new blogger and I don't want to wait for comments and followers and what not. But then I also have to remember that all of that should not be my main focus. I am also the worst at commenting on other people's posts. I feel like such a stalker.
ReplyDeleteIt is very hard to remember that the success isn't the point of blogging, isn't it? I have no idea who reads my posts, or whether I'm getting my message out there, but funnily enough, the only thing that ever seems to bother me is the fact that my followers aren't going up quickly and I don't get a lot of comments. Thanks for visiting Emma!
DeleteI rely on scheduling 100% of the time. I love being organized and always end up writing blog posts before they every go up and i need the scheduling thing to put up my posts. As a new book blogger I always wish success would come faster.
ReplyDeleteGreat TTT :)
http://perksofbeingreaders.blogspot.com/2014/07/top-ten-blogging-confessions.html
I love having the blog all organised too. I'm not normally so organised, so being able to get everything ready ahead of time is a big bonus for me. It's so hard having a new blog and looking for success, isn't it? I've been blogging for a few years now, but this is a new blog, and it's very hard to start over and begin gathering readers all over again.
Delete+JMJ+
ReplyDeleteI'm no good at taking photos, either! After a while, I got tired of needing fifty tries to get anything good, so I stopped using original photos and have relied on creative commons stuff ever since.
My own photos always look so terrible next to other people's that I rarely use mine any more. I use my mum's instead, as well as a lot of creative commons pictures. I do love being able to use amazing pictures that I could never have taken, don't you? Getting that perfect photo is ever so hard when one is not very good at photography. Thanks for visiting!
Delete