Standard “Hayles is having a rant about blogging” disclaimer – this isn’t about you. But if it makes you think about things, then good.
The current hot topic on blogs at the moment is how blogging has changed, and how awful it is that things aren’t like they used to be. I’ve been noticing this on a few blogs over the last month, but the announcement that Domestic Sluttery, a blog that inspired so many to start their own, is shutting down made me put pen to paper. Fingers to keyboard. Whatever.
So why is the site closing?
Because it’s coming close to not being fun any more.
Sure, if something isn’t fun, then you shouldn’t do it anymore. But then, if something isn’t fun, that used to be fun, what’s stopping you from making it fun again? If you’re not happy with how something is done, then only you can change that. You have two choices really, fellow bloggers. Either suck it up, and learn that things change, blogging has evolved, or blog like you used to back in the day, without any pressures.
One of the main discussion points in all these posts lamenting the loss of 2009 style blogging is that it’s not all about the blogging anymore. It’s fantastic that some people can make a living from their blogs, but it’s not the be all and end all. It’s possible to blog without being bothered about getting as many ads, as many sponsored posts, as many items (and get them reviewed and posted before anyone else)
But blogging has changed so much, the industry is now very different to when we launched. It’s become about chasing pageviews and shares and fighting Facebook algorithms.
I get it – bloggers feel a little more under pressure than they used to. Pressure to be able to provide the numbers that brands want, and be omniprescent on all social networks, but what people seem to forget is that you don’t have to do that to be a blogger.
You know what you have to, must, need to do to be a blogger? Write.
So get on with it.
