No Holding Back

Living With Purpose

My 5 Lamest Blog Posts Ever

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Do you have a list of your lamest blog posts?

I’m on vacation in NY this week, and I’ve had lots of time to think…

I’ve got so much content on my mind, but it seems that whenever I go to spill it on paper, it all just floats away.

Poof. Gone.

Until the next time I’m busy doing something with the kids, or cannot access my computer. THEN all my great ideas come flooding back.

What IS that?????

One of the thoughts that has actually stayed in my mind is the fact that, despite my desire to be an incredible creator of engaging and inspiring content, I often fall far short of the greatness I wish to bestow on my readers.

I also wind up going off down these stupid little rabbit holes. I am easily distracted. I am searching to find out who I am, what my voice is, and how I can best express that. And often I do that by veering far from any path of a “niche.” I am nicheless. To a degree.

Why would I even stress about that?

I am a blogger for pete’s sake. Not a brain surgeon. Not a politician, not a rocket scientist.

I don’t have to have it right.

I don’t have to fit in someone else’s neat little frame of what my world should look like. If today I feel like bearing (baring?) my soul to the world, and tomorrow I feel like reviewing the newest Dora flip flops, it’s my world. Right? Does it matter if one day I talk about the deepest, darkest places of my soul and the next day I post a recipe?

Sure, it might confuse the heck out of some people, but this is MY space.

So why do I feel so much pressure to get it right? To please strangers? To be affirmed?

It’s kind of stupid.

I didn’t start blogging to become a well known writer. I started blogging to work through grief. To share the feelings and thoughts that I did not feel brave enough to share with anyone in my life. To honor and remember sweet Kathryn.

Truthfully, even though I still want to go down any trail I choose with my topics and content, I still want to know that what I write matters.

I want to have a defined voice. Along the way to develop that voice, I have tried on many different “hats.” I have evolved, and thankfully, I believe I have grown as a writer and a blogger!

Today I’d like to share the lamest posts from my blogging evolution with you.

Before I get to them, here is my lamest graphic:

lamest imageGood try, but not quite….

My 5 Lamest Blog Posts Ever

I Am Tired Peeps

This post consists of a whole four sentences. I guess I felt I needed to post Something that day. What can I say? I was a new blogger, and darn excited about it. Even if I didn’t have anything earth shattering to write about.

Mama’s Don’t Let Your Kids Grow Up to Be Haters

Now this one, had I put more time, effort, and brain power behind it, probably could have been a really powerful post. But, I rushed through it, just to get something posted, and, well, it turned out pretty crappy. Maybe I’ll re-write it one day. The message is still good.

Self Help Books only Help if you Read them

This might rank up there in the top 5 lamest blog posts in the WORLD. It’s bad. Really bad. And I probably felt like I was sharing something insightful and amazing. Or, I just felt like I desperately needed to post that day, and this is what I came up with. It’s mind blowingly terrible.

I Can

This actually could have been a really good post. But I gave up on it too soon. It’s short and doesn’t really ever get into the depth of where it could have gone. I am marking this one to go back and re-do one day.

Take Heart

This one also could have been great, if I had put a little more time into it. I guess these are the lessons we learn from blogging… how to write engaging, quality content. This was a subject that certainly is one that would resonate with many parents – our experiences in the NICU, yet I hardly wrote anything. Granted, it was an anniversary day, and I guess I just wanted to mark the occasion without going into too much detail. But still… I can do better than this!

So there you have it.

My five lamest blog posts. Trust me, there are more out there if you feel like digging through the archives. But the good news is that I think I am improving as a writer, as a blogger, and as an advocate. Sometimes it just takes practice, training, and reading. Yes, reading.

I’ve been so inspired by other bloggers who really know how to tell a story. I could go through a list of them, but I don’t want to forget someone (AND, I”m on VACATION so I’m too lazy to look up all their urls!) But the point is, I’ve realized, as I visit many blogs and read so much there is no secret to why some people have millions of visitors, and why some of my posts had ZERO views. (So sad, I know!)

It’s content.  We hear this a lot don’t we? But it’s true. The people I go back to and sign up for their newsletters are the writers who have found their voice. They know what they want to write about, they know how to engage the reader, and they evoke emotions. Laughter, anger, disgust… whatever it is, they evoke it in you, and make you want to come back for more.

That’s what I want to achieve. Not the millions of readers necessarily, but publishing the kind of posts that people say – “I want to read more from her!” Or “Yes! I know exactly what she means!” Or even better – “Oh my gosh, this was so awesome (or thought provoking, or funny or whatever) that I want all of my friends to read this.”

I want to leave you with one final post.

This one wasn’t really lame, but I didn’t have much of a following at the time I published it, and it got little attention. And that makes me sad, because I think it was decent.

Bigger

If you have time, check it out. You might relate to it.

Have you ever gone through your old posts to see how far you’ve come? It was pretty fun. And left me with some good goals for my 3rd year of blogging!

If you liked this post, please share it! 🙂

 

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Comments

  1. You made me smile so very much with this post this morning as I truly have had my fair share of lame posts, too. I think we all have those articles we have written that are amazing and awesome in their own right, but for for each of those, we also have the duds, too. Guess it is just happens from time to time for all of us. Hope you are having a wonderful vacation though and enjoying your time away now 😉
    Janine Huldie recently posted…The Stars And Stripes Edition – GLOSSYBOX June 2014My Profile

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    • I was just so anxious to be blogging that I just wanted to post stuff… even when I didn’t really have anything to say or when what I did say was not incredibly well thought out! I’m working on trying to be a better writer and taking my time. It’s hard!!!

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  2. I definitely have a lot of posts that I could have taken more time to make them better! And also a few that I would love to go back and improve. But just like you, I didn’t become a blogger to become a well known writer…but it has led me to be published in a couple of books, which is something I never expected!
    Ginny Marie recently posted…Parks and Recreation {Spin Cycle}My Profile

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  3. Oh Alexa! I can so relate to this post. I definitely have my share of lame posts, and similar to you they were rushed and forced because I felt like I needed to post something … anything. I’m trying to stop doing that and just write when I have something worth reading, or saying, but I still falter sometimes. I also am still trying to find my voice. With as many bloggers as we read, and the desire to produce copy that people will relate to, I know we sometimes play with different styles. The best posts, I’m sure, are truly authentic. You should do a new post on your best five! Start there. 😉
    Kerry recently posted…Women Brave Enough to Admit Their FailuresMy Profile

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  4. Oh you should see my rambling posts from years ago! It’s a journey of growth, isn’t it? I love that you shared your ‘worst posts’ and the ones that have promise, should definitely be on your list to attend to-

    Off to check your special one out now!

    And I find it amazing that some of the posts I write that make me SQUEEL with delight, aren’t received like I had anticipated. Ya know?

    I also see many many bloggers get attention and huge mass followings- that aren’t good writers at all. content fail… connections success. Unfortunately, that’s how the world works everywhere.

    Sigh.
    Chris Carter recently posted…The Best Marriage Resources for Newlyweds and Seasoned Spouses.My Profile

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  5. My current blog is relatively new, but before that I had a healthy living blog for a few years that ended up growing to a decent following. When I look back at my early posts there (from 2008-2009) I CRINGE. They are HORRIBLE. Why? Because I was obviously trying to fit into a niche and emulate the really popular bloggers in that niche. It wasn’t me at all.

    I personally like that you explore your deep dark secrets one day and post a recipe the next. Because that’s how life works, right? We have deep days and light days.
    Katie @ Pick Any Two recently posted…Feel Good Friday: Will You Choose to See the Flowers?My Profile

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  6. I didn’t find you until last year, Alexa, but I definitely feel like you have a voice. It is an evolution, and I think looking back at posts you feel are lame is a great way to see that. Definitely rewrite a few of those posts that you feel have potential.

    One thing I will say – it may be no secret why some blogs have millions of views, but there are also many that have those views not because of writing quality. Conversely, there are many excellent writers who don’t get many page views. I suppose it depends on what your focus is, and the reasons why you write.

    Enjoy your week with your family!
    Dana recently posted…Elusive wordsMy Profile

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  8. I love this post! It definitely made me laugh 🙂 I hate the feeling of “needing to write” when I don’t have much to say. I’ll have to go back through my archives… I’m sure I have some that could make the list! I definitely make more of an effort on my graphics these days… Some of my older ones are horrible! I love your “Bigger” post! I hate the constantly need to compare.
    Caroline recently posted…I feel prettiest when…My Profile

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  10. It IS fun to look back! The first time I did it (to be honest I’ve only looked back like twice, I think?) I started to delete some of the bleh ones, and then I stopped myself. Those bleh posts got me to where my blog and my voice is today! Yup, there were tons of rants and odd subject matters, but I decided that I’d never delete a post. It is what it is, that’s reality, and I love it.

    Thanks for your authenticity! THIS was a great blog post. Hope you had a great vaca!
    Liz McGrory @ Coach Lizzymc recently posted…Virtual Book Tour Stop: Family. Work. Life.My Profile

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