I was just having a little look on Twitter - a place I rarely visit these days - and I noticed a tweet about a list of Top Tweeters. Mmmmm .... I thought ... Top Tweeters ... Well that's a list I certainly won't be on. This is mainly because I rarely tweet about anything and when I do my tweets are hardly earth shattering.
I will probably never appear on any list of fabulous tweeters or bloggers because I just don't work hard enough at it. I am a bit of an arm chair tweeter/blogger. I write for me and not particularly for anyone else. Of course, when people come by and leave me comments, or follow me, or generally show signs of liking me or the way I write then that is absolutely fabuloso ... after all I am as susceptible as the next person to flattery!
However, I don't spend hours working at improving my standing in the wonderful world of blog. Frankly, I don't have the time. Even now I am typing as quickly as I can with my slightly over-long gel nails because I need to get changed for football, have to defrost summer berries for tonight's pavlova and really should be reading for my end of degree essay ...
And anyway ... I don't think lists of top bloggers and tweeters really show the best writers. There are bloggers I have read, in my role as and meeter and greeter for BritMums, who have less than 20 followers and yet they write beautifully, from the heart. The best bloggers, in my opinion, are not the ones who write about things they know will get lots of hits or who write reviews on products they have received for free. The best writers , the ones I love to read, who move me to tears sometimes, are the ones who write about their own lives. The single mums who struggle with their little ones, writing as a release ... the mothers who have lost children, who have children who are ill ... the people who are honest, writing from the heart.
The writers who turn me right off are the ones who really fancy themselves as 'serious writers' and who fill page after page with self indulgent drivel. Now, don't get me wrong - I am prone to a bit of self indulgence m'self - but I don't pretend that I am the poet laureate or an undiscovered genius.
Its funny isn't it? Just because you get on a list doesn't actually mean your blog is the best blog since sliced bread. But it does mean that lots of people know about or read your blog. And that is achieved either by lots of hard work - getting your blog out there by pressing the flesh like crazy - or by being jolly lucky - or, and this is the rarest thing, sadly, - by being absolutely brilliant.
My blog is my place of sanctuary and, if I'm being completely honest, I know its never going to be on a big all-singing list of fabulous blogs. Of course, I would love it to be. I'm not that 'umble. But I don't work all day trying to make my blog well known. Some of my posts are rubbish, some are ok and sometimes I look and think - gosh, that was quite a good bit of writing. So I shall carry on pootling about. If you have made it to the end of this post, then thank you!!
I will probably never appear on any list of fabulous tweeters or bloggers because I just don't work hard enough at it. I am a bit of an arm chair tweeter/blogger. I write for me and not particularly for anyone else. Of course, when people come by and leave me comments, or follow me, or generally show signs of liking me or the way I write then that is absolutely fabuloso ... after all I am as susceptible as the next person to flattery!
However, I don't spend hours working at improving my standing in the wonderful world of blog. Frankly, I don't have the time. Even now I am typing as quickly as I can with my slightly over-long gel nails because I need to get changed for football, have to defrost summer berries for tonight's pavlova and really should be reading for my end of degree essay ...
And anyway ... I don't think lists of top bloggers and tweeters really show the best writers. There are bloggers I have read, in my role as and meeter and greeter for BritMums, who have less than 20 followers and yet they write beautifully, from the heart. The best bloggers, in my opinion, are not the ones who write about things they know will get lots of hits or who write reviews on products they have received for free. The best writers , the ones I love to read, who move me to tears sometimes, are the ones who write about their own lives. The single mums who struggle with their little ones, writing as a release ... the mothers who have lost children, who have children who are ill ... the people who are honest, writing from the heart.
The writers who turn me right off are the ones who really fancy themselves as 'serious writers' and who fill page after page with self indulgent drivel. Now, don't get me wrong - I am prone to a bit of self indulgence m'self - but I don't pretend that I am the poet laureate or an undiscovered genius.
Its funny isn't it? Just because you get on a list doesn't actually mean your blog is the best blog since sliced bread. But it does mean that lots of people know about or read your blog. And that is achieved either by lots of hard work - getting your blog out there by pressing the flesh like crazy - or by being jolly lucky - or, and this is the rarest thing, sadly, - by being absolutely brilliant.
My blog is my place of sanctuary and, if I'm being completely honest, I know its never going to be on a big all-singing list of fabulous blogs. Of course, I would love it to be. I'm not that 'umble. But I don't work all day trying to make my blog well known. Some of my posts are rubbish, some are ok and sometimes I look and think - gosh, that was quite a good bit of writing. So I shall carry on pootling about. If you have made it to the end of this post, then thank you!!
9 comments:
Hello from your newest follower.
I came here via BritMums and followed as I am an ex Open Uni student (Technology)an ex allotment owner and I liked your honest open writing style.
RJRDaydreamer
No need for thanks. I only read what I want to read and if I hadn't liked what you had to say I would have been on my way. I agree with you about the 'famous bloggers' - where do they find the time to promote themselves so much? And why do they want to?
Hello John! Really glad you've followed me - just off to look at your blog now!
Hi Pauline! I'm the same as you - I usually know if I want to spend time reading something within the first couple of lines. Glad you chose to read my posts!!
Sarah
x
I like this and agree with you. I've been blogging for 8 years and still have few followers (this change recently thanks to Facebook). I'm not a writer nor am I aspiring to be. I just blog about life, church, family etc and largely do it simply because I enjoy it.
Hmm I see it from both points of view. I got caught up with the hole MADS Awards when people nominated me (unexpectedly I might add) Then I jumped on the campaigning band wagon (see blog). The reason I think it makes a difference to someone like me (a single stay at home mum) is that when PR companies see famous awards being won etc they are more likely to offer commissioned work. I know I'm not the most popular, best written (seriously have you seen my grammatical errors lol) and what not. I couldn't cope being one of those so called top-dogs. I think it reflects to you previous posts about honest and integrity. Anywho that's just what I think ;-) xx
You have a great writing style, candid and entertaining. And apparently more than just us commenters here thinks so... check this out! http://www.britmumsblog.com/2012/05/bibs-finalists-2012/ (PS Well done!!!)
I love getting such nice comments!! You really make my day!! Thanks!! Oh ... and please forgive my over-zealous use of exclamation marks ... its one of my major weaknesses !!!!!!!
xx
If someone is happy with relaxed writing it's okay, but if someone is trying hard or aspiring to be the best blogger, that's okay too. Neither annoy me. Who knows what people are driven by or what their goal is? A bit less judgement please!!!!
Annette
Mmmm ... interesting comment Annette and I went back and re-read my post to see if I came over as judgemental or 'annoyed' by other bloggers. To be honest I don't think I am judgemental in a negative way. I just think that its a shame that some of the best blogs are not recognised as such because they are not yet well known. I certainly appreciate good writers, whether they be 'relaxed' writers or 'serious' ones. I just don't think that the mere intention of being a serious writer makes a person a good one.I really think that if you read the post again you would see that I am giving my opinion on blogs and lists and saying how much I like some of the little known blogs I read. I'm certainly not going to stop giving my opinion. I suppose I'll just be a blog that you won't want to come back to and that's ok. I don't expect everyone to like what I write. In fact I'm amazed, most of the time, that anyone likes it. Still, each to their own as you said. Sarah
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