As Long as You Learn Something

Day #3: What lessons have your learned from blogging? 

When I started this blog in last July (almost a year ago, wow!!), my goals were to blog 4-6 times per week, on topics which both irritated and amused me, hence the "rants and raves." I wanted to find a way to get people to read it, and I wanted people outside of my immediate friends and family to read it.

I learned how to put my own blog on a selfless blast on the regular. I learned to post a blog and then Pin it on Pinterest with a photo that people would surely click on. I began Tweeting each post and I started a Tumblr account (which I still am unsure of). I also, of course, publicly post each blog to Facebook. Additionally I learned that I could link other blogs in my own new blog (thanks Matthew). This resulted in a much larger audience than I knew I was capable of. I have posts which have been viewed 300-500 times, which is so amazing - people outside the US are following it...just what I wanted!

By writing a public blog and not locking down any privacy settings, I have learned that crazy people do, in fact, like to see what I am doing on the internet. I have learned that my former family stalks me online, which I think is hysterical. The less funny part is, they also make attempts to sabotage my already distant relationship with my own grandmother. So that's just really mean. But do what you gotta do to feel better about your pathetic little life, I suppose.

I have learned that my rants are more widely read than my raves. When I get on a tangent about how much I hate dogs, or even more so when I talk about victim shaming or body image, people respond and are generally super energetic about it - apparently it's a more entertaining read to listen to me complain. Even more than my bitching about things that piss me off, readers (except my mom) enjoy when I write about sex, sex, or more sex. Which makes sense.

Overall, by writing this blog, I have grown much more confident in my writing ability; I feel like I have a great following, I get a ton of compliments on my posts, and people often share or re-tweet them as well. I have learned that maybe "being a writer" isn't something I will ever make a living off of, but it is certainly something that I do. I write. I am a writer. I don't necessarily need for that to be my source of income (though what I wouldn't give for that), for it to be successful. I have learned that when I do receive criticism on something I post, I don't have to change it or remove it; it's my blog, it's my writing, and I don't have to censor it for people I know are reading it.

Ahhh, writing. Like free therapy.