The first stage experienced in The Commitment Curve is Uninformed Optimism. This is your first day of blogging. Do you remember those emotions? Do you remember why you started to blog to begin with? You are really jumping in head first not knowing that you will be trying to find your way back up to breathe. It is exciting – a whole new world even.
You may have started this new venture not knowing what you would get into, but that was part of the fun, right? This stage, as a blogger, is when you press Publish and are giddy that you have one person that registers on your statcounter. Granted, it may be your mom, but still. It’s one person reading what you had to share.
Your are optimistic probably because you have no clue where you are headed! That is just plain exciting!
I had a blog for months in my My Space account, but it was private. It was also safe because I knew they were personal friends who wouldn’t require me to grow the thick skin like I have today. When I started Mommy Snacks.net, I was ecstatic to help inspire others to save money. More important, though, I felt blessed to provide hope to just a few when the hopelessness of the economy seemed too daunting – we were there so I could totally relate.
Two years ago, I had no clue about those who consider themselves *professional* bloggers. I didn’t know you could make a penny from blogging, let alone the thousands I now know many successful bloggers work hard for. I certainly didn’t know that I would meet and interact with people in this blogging space and eventually call them my IRL friend (that’s in real life friend, of course).
All of those things are *side* benefits. I didn’t anticipate them whatsoever because I was completely uninformed. I think even in these past two years there is so much more for people – there is so much more sharing – to help people understand those additional benefits. I had no idea where blogging would take me. I had no clue I would even continue to write for as long as I have. It gave me an outlet to express creativity since leaving corporate America behind.
Blogging was fun.It still is.
I was being validated.
It felt good – it feels good! Just like the Bel Biv Devoe song, but without the inappropriate suggestions.
Do you remember the feelings when you started to blog? Share them in the comments.
The next installment, I will share about the Informed Pessimism stage. This is one I find myself going in and out of still today. I will bare my virtual soul and explain why.
Andrea Deckard is the author of MommySnacks.net. She started a blog to provide hope. It is truly her mission to help people save on what they need to spend on what they want. No lie!
Related Posts for The Blogging Commitment Curve:
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
[Reply]
It’s amazing how quickly things change!
[Reply]
- kelly
[Reply]
Crystal & Co Reply:
April 1st, 2010 at 11:46 pm
Cute blog by the way!
[Reply]
[Reply]
[Reply]
[Reply]
I do love the feedback now that I have some readers. It makes me feel like I’m not alone and that maybe my struggles are helping someone else.
I think I teeter on the edge of this stage and the next.
[Reply]
I don’t have that many followers yet and can relate to the comment about wondering if anyone is even reading what I write. And yes, the excitement I feel when I see that someone has commented on something just makes me silly but more than that, it gives me reason to continue. Thanks for the great article!
[Reply]
[Reply]
[Reply]
I can’t wait to read the rest of this series. I can aleady see myself reflected in what you’ve written.
[Reply]
And while that part is very hard for me (and ultra time consuming!) I absolutely LOVE blogging! How thrilling to be on this crazy ride and not know exactly where it is going. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for my little laundry blog.
Looking so forward to the rest of this series -
-Lauren
[Reply]
This phase lasted a good 7 years. I found it hard to believe more and more were putting themselves out there!! In February 2008 my youngest daughter (#3) was born diagnosed with a birth defect at 2 wks of age. Craniosynostosis!! It was probably the most earth shattering thing that had ever happened to me, so I found myself starting a blog about her, and to share our journey. It was very therapeutic…I learned a lot about blogging & discovered sitemeter and watched it grow. It really was amazing to me to see how many people around the globe was affected by this diagnosis and I had never heard of it. I did not promote her blog at all, but it gets about 60-70 hits a week just with people googling cranio. Mind blowing!! I was so encouraged to interact w/ others, and it was a good way to keep everyone informed. People around the world were praying for our sweet baby and I was in awe!! She’s a healthy 2 yr old now btw.
That summer a trusted group of online homeschool mom friends started raving about facebook I figured I’d check it out. I remember being SO nervous about all of it. Now I love facebook!
This past summer after years of looking up recipes online, my passion and love for cooking came full circle when it collided with my online habits. I had NO idea about this growing food blogger community. And that was it….forget privacy….I have to have a way to connect with others that share my passion. I’m still in that exciting stage as well…but at times get frustrated by the lack of time to fully engage this new passion. After all a mom of 3 has quite a few other commitments
[Reply]
[Reply]
[Reply]
I don’t enjoy the business side of it as much. It is a difficult balance and I am still learning, but I read a post by you when I first started monetizing. It said be true to your own voice and that has been my guiding principal. If it is not something I would use, then it doesn’t go up on my blog. I guess that means sometimes I will miss out on the bigger pay outs, but I have to be true to myself and to my readers.
[Reply]
[Reply]
[Reply]
Lauren- Your laundry blog’s design is beautiful! I love the calming colors and pictures.
[Reply]
And then like you said the absolute thrill of just one person reading your post… and it IS your mom!
Mom, did you read it? What do you think?
Then the days of thinking… is this really what I am supposed to be doing? Is anyone really reading this stuff?
Great post and excellent information!
Thanks
[Reply]