***PSST! The first Sewcialist theme month has been announced! Go check it out, and I hope you join in!***
There is lots of talk about how blogging is dying out… but I just don’t see it! Sure, blogs I follow taper out, but there are always new ones starting up!
And yet, there are inescapably some pressures related to blogging. I’m curious which ones affect you, and if we all feel the same (or totally different) challenges!
Here are some of the stress factors that I hear other bloggers talk about:
- not enough content (I think this is especially challenging if you only post finished projects – I find it helps to have blog series and chatty discussion posts like this to round things out!)
- taking pictures (Maybe my Better Picture Project series can help you out!)
- growing a community (My best advice is join in sewing challenges like The Sewcialists, so that you’ll make friends with other bloggers and get mentioned in the round-ups!)
- finding your niche (Or am I the only one who struggled with this? I started as a craft blog, people! It took a lot of trial and error to figure out what to focus on here.)
- hate writing (Maybe you are meant to be a vlogger or do Instagram stories?)
- intimidated (We talked about that here!)
- keeping to a schedule (This was always a factor at the Curvy Sewing Collective, where posts go live every Monday, Wednesday and Friday!)
- life is busy (I have no solutions for that, sorry!)
I’ve got two big stress factors in blogging: replying to comments promptly, and ended up with a backlog of posts!
In other words, it turns out I love writing. I’ve only come to that realisation recently, but clearly since I post about two posts a week for 5 years, I’ve got things to say! (And bless you for reading my ramblings. I feel lucky every time I post that anyone is paying attention!)
My challenge is that by time I get home at the end of a workday, I’m not always in the right headspace to thoughtfully reply to comments. I really admire bloggers who keep up with their comment section though – when someone takes time from their day to write you you, it’s the least you can do, right? But I leave it one night, then two, then I imagine you guys getting a notification that I’ve responded three days later and thinking, “What did I even comment about in the first place?” I really to try to reply to everything, but sometimes I just get stressed and I let a blog post go. Is that… ok?
My other stress factor is the one bugging me right now: TOO MANY POSTS! I’ve almost always got one or two posts waiting in the wings (plus skeleton outlines for blog series posts, just in case). Because of Me-Made May though, I ended up with at least 5 posts written and waiting… and even with two posts a week, by time I post them, I’ll have even more posts ready! (Of course, I could do three posts a week, but somehow that throws off my mojo, and besides, it seems a little selfish to inundate you with my projects!)
Now, I apologise if this all sounds like humble-bragging (“Oh, woe is me, I have ideas and some followers!”) but these are honestly the stress factors that I find myself obsessing over regularly! So, keep me company, please: Tell me what stresses you out about blogging (or any other social media) and how you manage it!
Crafting A Rainbow 
This made me laugh. It’s great that you like writing. Personally, when I comment in a post, unless I say something particularly meaningful or ask a question, I don’t expect a reply. If i do ask a question, I’m quite happy if the blogger responds within a week. I tend to comment as a way of saying thank you for the free entertainment. I just appreciate all the helpful, inspiring or entertaining things that people like you take the trouble to write and post. I think blog stress generally comes under the heading of self imposed stress.
Looking forward to reading your queued posts!
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You are so right about it being self-imposed stress! Even typing this post up made me feel like, “um, those re some absurd stress factors that I bet no one else is thinking about!” Thanks for reminding me to take it easy!
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Honestly I have never been one to notice how often someone posts. I think it would be fine to stack 3 into a week, I know it would make me happy. ( no need to reply lol)
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Thank you! I actually did sneak in three last week or the week before! 😉 And I probably will over the summer a few times too… because oh my gosh, I can’t wait to sew ALL THE KNITS in summer vacation!!!!
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Comment replying can be weirdly stressful! I always try to reply to specific questions, but don’t always get to the “thank you!” replies. I know I don’t really expect others to reply to each comment I leave, so I try not to stress about it much. I do miss the blogging a little (haven’t posted since last fall…) but getting decent pictures is what I hate the most. Maybe I’ll get back to it someday, but it’s also nice to just sew and wear what I make without feeling the pressure to get pics, write, post… the whole process takes longer than I’d like!
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I totally understand what you mean. It’s one of the reasons I don’t blog.
But I did love your posts!!
I’ve been thinking about starting a blog for the last 2 years or so, but I think I don’t like the writing and taking pictures enough.
I really love reading blogs and I think it would be great to have a ‘dairy’ of what I’ve made, but I think I’m not the person to have a blog of my own. I’ve only recently started to comment on posts partially because I don’t really like the writing (and because I didn’t think the blogger would be interested in my comments)
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Anne, I’m glad you’ve started to comment on posts! I know I always appreciate comments – makes me feel like I”m not just a crazy self-centred person yelling into the void! 😉
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That’s a good approach to replying to comments! I’m glad you are enjoying the break from blogging… I can imagine that with kids it’s a lot harder to have the time to take pics and write posts!
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I don’t stress about it. I just write when I have something to write about, not keeping to a schedule. My blog is mainly to help me remember when things happened, and to keep up with my favorite pictures, and if others enjoy it so much the better. I love blogging and I hope it never goes out of fashion.
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I”m glad to hear you’ve found a good groove in blogging that works for you in a low-stress way! I’m with you – I hope blogging never goes out of fashion, because it does bring something different to the table than just IG or Twitter!
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While I’m sewing I’m already writing the blogpost in my head and it always turns out a lot wittier than my actual posts because by the time I manage to take pictures I’ve forgotten have the stuff I wanted to tell. I really underestimated taking pictures. I don’t like posing and I don’t seem to find the right time. So I end up posting random ramblings because they don’t require pictures.
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I don’t like posing, either, and I don’t think my pics are particularly good. This is one factor that prevented me from writing a blog for a long time. However, when I felt a specific reason to blog, the pics didn’t matter any more. I just am getting used to posting pics that I wish were better and trying new ways to get better results.
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Ahahaha – I do the same! And then by time I go to write, I’m just banging out some comments about the front, back, fit, alterations, and I’m all out of witticisms! 😛
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I never notice how often a blogger posts nor do I expect them to respond to my comments and most don’t. They might click a “like” button and that’s okay. I know they’re busy probably working on their next post! I would like to post more but I’m already writing so much in so many other areas of my life it’s hard to find the motivation to write yet something else and I never want my sewing life to get contaminated with shoulds, have tos, musts so I let it go. Frankly I’m too old to get stressed about anything that isn’t a flat-out emergency. That’s the beauty of aging. You just don’t have the energy to sweat the small stuff 🙂
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You are one of the most prolific commenters I know ) I always love seeing you post on other people’s blogs, too! I always appreciate commenters who really jump into a discussion, and I want to reciprocate! You are making aging sound pretty dang good – I sweat small stuff too much!
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It’s photos that stop me from blogging more. I blog about baking and sewing and find it much easier to do baking posts because I can take those photos myself. I’ve got several sewing posts written up but with no photos and half of them are over a year old now! I could take photos of the garments on my mannequin but I always prefer to see other people’s on themselves so I end up doing nothing.
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I vote you just take some pictures, of whatever quality possible, and get those posts out into the world! 😉
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Oh yes…me too… feeling particularly silly about the Christmas posts, and others that are time specific. That said, I do like to let items have a bit of wear before blogging them as it means I can really tell my feelings about it… should have made the sleeves a touch longer, or the fabric bags out over the day etc.
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I started my blog because I saw a void (sewing for a post-mastectomy, non-reconstructed body) that I felt needed to be filled. Maybe there are only a hundred people that this topic applies to, but I’m trying to create a resource that will be helpful to those who are now in this situation and those who may need it later. So, I want posts that will have some staying power, but I’m sewing for me at this time. The balance is between timelssness and timeliness. Some of my posts can benefit anyone who is interested in the topic, but my larger goal is to help “flatties” who sew.
Oh, and I am not that great with taking stellar photos, yet. I’m having trouble figuring out how to get information out to my intended audience. And I’m sure there are other issues I’m not thinking of! However, I’m not letting those things stop me because I feel so motivated by the mission.
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That’s a brilliant niche for a sewing blog! I was looking for a tutorial on how to make a bamboo jersey slouchy hat some someone going through chemo this year, and had a hard time finding one… if you ever get a chance, that would be a great topic to cover, perhaps?
Photos are a challenge for a lot of people! I did a series called the Better Pictures Project last year this might have some tips that would help you? https://craftingarainbow.wordpress.com/better-pictures-project/
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🙂 – yes, I’ve read the better pics series. It’s helpful, and it takes practice. Thanks for the hat idea!
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I’d like a link for your blog please.
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🙂 thanks for asking- flatterpatter.blog
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My experience is that you always answer promptly, to my delight, even though I don’t expect it. PLEASE DON’T FEEL THAT YOU MUST REPLY TO THIS COMMENT… NO PRESSURE… 🙂
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Mwahahaha – I’m replying to your comment! Because as always, talking to you folks about this stuff has lightened the load and made me feel great! ❤
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I never expect a reply, especially to “That looks great!” comments. I genuinely do think whatever garment looks great, but I also trust that bloggers are genuinely thankful for the little compliment comments–they don’t need to say it over and over! So, my problems are all about insecurity. Photos are the worst, as it they involve insecurity about my appearance, my home’s appearance, and the quality/interest of my clothes as well. And I think my writing is boring. I’m continuing on, though, because my insecurity is valid, but not justified, and in these cases it’s sometimes best to do the opposite of what you feel like doing. I’ve met some really neat SF bloggers in real life, too, and I don’t want to run away from this community just yet!
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OMG, there is a reason you have NEVER seen the inside of my house! Agh! Who wants to clean for photos?
I”m glad you are getting to meet local bloggers – i always find it relaxing to meet people and realise they are just normal. For your anxiety about being boring, would it help to remind yourself that people only read your blog if they want to, so literally NO ONE will read it and be bored! If they are bored, they move on, and if they read it, it’s because they like your sewing, personality and voice? (also, I just clicked over to your blog to follow it, and my first thought was “Oh shit, that Burda dress is stunning!”)
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What stresses me out the most is the huge pile of ideas for blog posts, patterns, and sewing tutorials that I want soooo badly to share but I just don’t have enough time. Since I’ve gotten in a rhythm with my weekly garment posts, I’ve found the writing and the photography part of the process to be quite enjoyable. It encourages my partner and I to spend time together on the weekend getting the shots. The Wednesday Weekly encourages me to stay up to date with the community and keeps me motivated! I never expect replies to comments, but it is nice to receive one. I also struggle with replying to comments on my blog and Instagram, but I try to remind myself that most people (like me) are not waiting for it. Great post! Im off to check out the Sewcialist challenge now 🙂
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YES! The pile up of ideas that won’t get written makes me nuts too, and I expect it’s worse when pattern development is taking up big chunks of your sewing/blogging time! I do appreciate Insta stories for the random stuff that isn’t worth a blog post but is interesting to share.
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I was a regular, enthusiastic blogger from 2004-2013. I stopped because of the pressure I felt to take beautiful photographs and present content visually instead of relying on the strength of my writing. I also work in a public-facing job and was concerned about the link between my private and professional lives. I miss blogging, and I’d love to start again, but I still feel an incredible pressure to fit my life into a prettier box.
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I struggle with the public/private divide too! I always ask myself, “If I walked into a classroom and students had my blog projected on the board, would I be mortified or fine?” That’s how I gauge what is safe to post!
I wonder if there is anyway to start blogging again, but keep it more private? I have one friend with an invite-only blog, so only her friends can see it! It’s hard to build a following that way, but at least you’d be able to blog comfortably!
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You could do what I do, which is make your blog non-searchable by the public — if you use Blogger at any rate. It’s not private, so anyone with the link can read it, but you won’t get random people (including students, say) coming across it.
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I’m with Lisa, I actually tend to compose blog posts in my head when I’m on the train or daydreaming about sewing, but as soon as I get home from work, nothing is further from my mind than blogging or taking pictures… In the last weeks, even getting into the right mind set for sewing was a challenge, but I made two pairs of trousers yesterday (PJ pants and what’s basically PJ pants but with elasticated ankles, so obvsly it’s street fashion) so I’m hoping the black streak is lifting… 😉 I think you’re a fab blogger, Gillian, because you’re always engaging readers with questions like these! 🙂
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Thanks Alessa! I’m glad your sewjo came back – Maybe you should mull over a project for the Sewcialists Tribute Month? Remember you and I picked each other last time? I don’t think either of our styles has changed much since then, actually – I still love a knit dress or maxi!
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Great post Gillian! I always enjoy these thought provoking posts you write. Life is very busy for me right now so I try to keep the self imposed pressure to blog at a minimum. I do it for the enjoyment and to document my makes. But…I probably only post 75% of what I make due to time. What I really wish for my blogging….?….that I could write up really good tutorials. It’s just not my thing. I think I would be a better hands on, face to face teacher. So many more words come out of my mouth than my fingertips!!
I have very real guilt when I’m behind on reading other bloggers posts….and if I don’t comment. It always give me a little thrill when I’m the first to leave a comment! Love reading your posts! (Even if I don’t always comment)
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Ooh yes, first comment bragging rights! 😉 Sorry to hear life is really busy right now, but glad you taking it easy on the blogging as a result!
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I had to step away from my blog while helping my youngest brother through his terminal illness. Every time I think about going back, I suffer ridiculous anxiety. I’m not sure I’ll ever restart.
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Oh jeez, that must have been terrible, and such a hard association to overcome. No pressure to restart if it’s not what is right for you!
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Well, I don’t much blog anymore, as you know, but I really miss it in many ways. I too love writing. It’s an endless pleasure for me. But I don’t have time (and I don’t know any answer for this challenge either). I also feel very badly about not replying promptly to comments. People are very kind to take time to engage and, sometimes, I don’t acknowledge that as well as I could. I used to be seriously responsive (and I hope to one day be that responsive again!).
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I wish it was easier to fire off a reply as soon as I get the email notification of a comment. (Is there a way to “reply” via emial? I need to check that out!) I know what I want to reply right away, but once I go to reply to a whole bunch of comments at once, it seems more time-consuming!
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Well, for the record, I think you’re one of the most responsive commenters I know! I try to almost always reply to blog comments but it does take me a while—often I’ll go through and do them all before my next post. I used to blog daily—not much, sometimes not even a picture, just a little journal of what I’d sewnnor thought about sewing that day—but I don’t have anything like that kind of time now (technically I didn’t have it then either 😰) so I tend to post the stream-of-consciousness stuff on instagram and just do finished project posts. Which are probably fairly boring to read but oh well. That’s what I’ve got right now, and I want the notes about what I did. Pictures are my big hang up, although hopefully that will be better when the new house happens. The only times I’ve found blogging stressful really was when some perv started commenting on pictures of my kids, and it took me a while to figure out how to block them. Ugh. Otherwise I generally find sewists positive and helpful. I do feel bad when someone asks if i can trace off or sell them a vintage pattern and then I don’t get to it. 😦
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How do you take pictures? Does one of your kids/husband help out, or are you a tripod and remote girl? I find it all way easier if I leave everything all set up (like I did throughout MMM) so I can just grab the tripod with the camera already on top, and then bang out 10 pics and go back inside! 😛
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When we were in Calgary I’d leave everything set up, but there’s nowhere to do that here (and using my real camera requires transferring the pics to a real computer, which is too much time usually these days. 😂 typically now I’m a “prop the iPhone somewhere and use the timer” girl although sometimes I get a kid to take them. I typically get better results when I take them myself, though. At this point my iPhone takes better pictures than my old point ‘n shoot, and the pics are more accessible. 😂 what I should do is get a tripod that’ll work with my iPhone. I’m hoping at our new house I’ll be able to find a good photo spot I can use reliably in the winter.
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I know I commented on IG earlier, but now that I’ve had more time to think about it, I actually have something else to add besides the pictures. Sometimes it seems like there’s this pressure to make all of your projects completely flawless to avoid that “Becky home ecky” look (incidentally, that phrase needs to die in a fire, on behalf of all Beckys who sew), or to be super prolific. Well, my garments aren’t flawless. Fitting has been a huge issue for the last couple of years, and it’s taking me forever to finish even the simplest projects. It’s very easy to feel like I have little to add to the sewing community at all these days, and certainly nothing of value. But I guess since I started it as more of a personal project journal, it shouldn’t matter if others don’t necessarily read it, right?
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Photos used to stress me out, which I have resolved by 1) working to improve them and get more consistent results and 2) being ok with mediocre photos as long as they clearly show the garment and get DONE. Often these days I’ll write the post before I get photos, because the writing is the bit I really love, and often it will be weeks and weeks before I have an appropriate time to take photos. That way I don’t forget what I did when I sewed it, and I’m also more motivated to actually take the photos. And I remember the details that need recording in photos better, too. I do still get stressed about editing them because I just use windows photo editor and it’s a pile of garbage, so I should look into that!
I also get a bit stressed by replying to comments and I have a much longer lag time than you! I try to get to something within the first three days but if it’s within a week I feel ok about it. I have a much quieter comment box than you though! Which is cause and which effect? 😛
I did have trouble when blogging went through a transition. A lot of the people I started blogging alongside stopped blogging and moved mostly to insta. So it stopped being ‘me writing for my friends’ and I wasn’t sure what I wanted to say, plus with the CSC I got that influx of silent readers and I just wasn’t sure who my audience was. Then I realised I hadn’t blogged for ages and I really missed it and I also like having a record of my makes because I reference them a lot. So I deliberately pushed through that discomfort and decided my blog was for ME and I could do whatever I wanted with it. Recently I moved my garden/random life stuff off to a side blog where I so far have just made a couple of stream of consciousness type posts, and it’s nice to have a place where it’s basically just for me and I feel zero pressure to be anything particular. Now my main blog is all sewing all the time. I have also made peace with only having randomly timed posts. I go through phases of sewing and blogging and that’s ok. The blog is a tool to help me connect and record, it doesn’t run my life.
Basically… lots of things have stressed me out about blogging and I have overcome them by learning to be ok with mediocrity! I have vague goals for how I want my blog to be but I don’t ever want to be a professional blogger and for me it’s more important to have blogging be an enjoyable part of my life than for it to be perfect.
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I hope people don’t think I will reply to each comment, because I CAN’T!!! Now you’re putting me under stress!!! 🙂 I always answer the direct questions, but I don’t often thank someone for a “that dress/top/pants looks great” type of comment. Now I feel bad. 😦
Oh, and not a stressor, but a bottleneck for me is photo editing. I photo edit on an old computer (running Vista – can you imagine??!??!) and it’s slow and time-consuming. I don’t edit much but crop and change the light levels on almost every picture. It’s so dark in Alaska!!
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I’ve just started blogging – only as a way to record my makes as a few have bit the dust and I have no record and 99% of the time no photos of them at all. I am terrible and literally just take a picture and upload it with no editing at all! Perhaps I should read your better photo series!
I’m not looking for my blog to become anything other than a record for me but I do have a few patterns (mainly kids dress up and clothes) that I may share if I get the courage.
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My sewing blog started simply as a way to record my sewing projects, and it’s only this last year I’ve become more organised in my approach and started wondering how/if to try and attract a following. But I’ve had a writing blog for years and I used to sometimes get overwhelmed by responding to comments (especially if I guest blogged on a really popular book review blog) so now I’m wondering if my sewing blog could get stressful in that way…
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I used to blog a lot more frequently but then life got in the way in a big way. I’m a hopelessly slow writer so a blog post takes forever! I keep on blogging finished items because it’s very useful to have a record of what I sew and the pictures give me a better idea of what works and what doesn’t than a mirror would. But process posts or chatty ones are a real rarity now; it’s a pity because I like it when other people do them.
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Photos used to stress me out, but they’re getting less that way. It’s tough to find the time to sit down and write everything I want to say about a top. The teacher in me wants to put in all of the–ooh, try this, it’ll save you time, hey, don’t do that etc. I do wonder though if anyone but me cares at times. I started my blog as my own way to chart my sewing progress and I’ve gone from a dead beginner to a really confident, I think fairly competent sewist. There’s times that I go back to my posts to remember my learning. I love how IG has become a place for progress posts.
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You’ve had some particular gorgeous pics lately! ❤
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Thanks Gillian. I’ve been working at it!
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I don’t know that I’d say I’m stressed about blogging, but I tend to obsess about how I’m wording things and proof-reading. It tends to slow me down; plus I’ll go off on a tangent and wander off to another part of the internet, which slows me down even further. Knowing this about myself means I put off blogging (especially when I’m busy). I now have a teaching blog, too, which means I have to be even more careful about what I say. Sloooooow…
(And since, unlike my personal/sewing/making/travelling blog, I care about and want people to read and share my teaching blog, that does stress me out a bit.)
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The tiresome part for me is definitely the admin-y bits that go along with blogging. For example, I’ll be out walking the dog one day and think – ‘Ooh, I know I’ll set up a new gallery page with all my past makes so people can find them easily’. But I only get around to tasks like that at Christmas… My 25-year old self had a lot more free time, and a lot more patience with IT. She’d have been a great sewing blogger, if only she’d thought of it!
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Thankyou for the Interesting post. I stress about my work, I stress about my children, I stress about my partner and what is happening to our planet. Blogging is my destressor along with sewing. I make blogging stress free by not having any expectations on myself – not on number of posts, followers or comments received. Nonetheless I really enjoy blogging . I have made 1000s of comments on blogs and mostly receive no replies. I am totally fine with that because I understand that we are all busy and time is precious. I sometimes individually reply to comments or make a group reply on my blog. It is a bonus for me and I greatly appreciate it if someone does reply or even on my blog but it isn’t necessary. Cheers.
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The thing that stresses me out the most is finding time to take pictures and write a post. Life is crazy busy until Canada Day and it is tough to find time to actually make myself not look completely disheveled, round the hubs up to take said pictures, and then actually write.
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