Given that I’ve been so busy with my new novel—and getting prepared for the holidays at work, which tends to be our busiest time of the year—I haven’t clearly given myself enough time to focus on the is blog. But truthfully, the time apart has given me some perspective. It’s helped me to ask that major question: Why do I even blog in the first place?
To be honest, it’s never been about the money (although it is cool that this blog is probably going to rack in over $1K by the end of this year). For me, it’s always been about the hobby of it. The freedom to write whatever I want, whenever I want, without the stress of a business plan guiding my editorial thoughts.
Sure, journalists get a chance to publish stories they are passionate about, and I do push for the stories I really want to write. But most of the time it’s a business like any other, and we’re producing a product for a customer (i.e. readers) based on what types of things they’ve loved in the past. So our content pretty much reflects our reader’s interests—even if it doesn’t exactly mirror our own.
But I’m okay with that, and that’s why I blog. I do care about y’all, but what fun would this be if I just tried to please everyone else with my writing and never get the chance to create or write what I want to?
So I took some time to get back to square one, to create some new goals for myself around this space, and to get some inspiration from a few of the other bloggers I love to follow. No, not Instagram influencers. Real bloggers that sit their butts in the chairs and actually write a post that I genuinely enjoy reading. Some write every day, some a few times a week, some just a few times a season. Sure, some have social media, but the real heart of what they really do is on their blogs. And it’s where my love for online content started in the first place.
I think what I love most about these blogs is how they aren’t all about chasing SEO value (search engine optimization, also known as Google rankings) or worrying about every post making money. With these bloggers, you get a mix of all kinds of things. They aren’t always selling things to you, and in those moments when they do, you’re more inclined to listen because you’ve created such a personal connection with them in your inbox all the time.
Alright ending my soapbox. Here are my faves, and links to their newsletters so you can join in on the fun.
Carly Riordan
Formally known as Carly the Prepster, Carly has been one of my all-time favorite bloggers for years now. She started blogging during her days at Georgetown and writes all kinds of posts. Some about fashion. Some about home decor. Some about trips she goes on. Some about just life as a homeowner, a new mom, a wife, a pet owner. She has a few reoccurring series, but what I truly love about her is how her post is always a fun surprise in my inbox every day. You never know what you’re going to get, but you know you’re never going to be disappointed.
Click here to sign up for her newsletter.
Joy The Baker
Don’t get me wrong, her recipes are the absolute bomb. But if you follow Joy, you follow her for her personality. She is the funniest, most sincere blog writer I’ve ever come across. Her posts sometimes make you cry, sometimes make your belly laugh, and pretty much always make you hungry for dessert.
Click here to sign up for her newsletter.
Un-Fancy
For the longest time, I was a huge fan of the capsule wardrobe, and Caroline Joy is the absolute queen of them. Her style is inspiring—she can make incredible outfits with such a small list of items. For a while, she was on a posting hiatus, but recently came back to the blogosphere and I am forever thankful for it.
Click here to sign up for her newsletter.
Hello Adam’s Family
Liz Adams does the perfect mixture of blogging, in my opinion. Part of the time she’s just writing about her life, and other times she’s sharing fun tips. Shopping guides, recipes, style, and homeowner tips. Even a few parenting things every now and then. Her “Coffee with Liz” segments are my favorite where she answers some honest readers’ questions and gets real with her audience.
Click here to sign up for her newsletter.
Jules Acree
I have a girl crush on Jules. She drinks matcha and does yoga and grows a garden and cares about waste and the environment and is all about organization and…and…I could go on. Her special Sunday newsletter sends inspired my own weekend newsletters, but she’s a lot more consistent about it than I am. From her videos to her blog posts, I’m just all about her content. She challenges you to be more intentional and kind to yourself—practices I’ve needed in my life lately. I’m such a fan.
Click here to sign up for her newsletter.
What blogs are inspiring you lately? Share below, I love finding new ones!
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