Why I Still Write a Blog
In June of 2021, I started writing this blog on a mostly empty website. I had an About page, the beginnings of an online store, and not much else. I was a middle school ELA teacher creating art during lunch breaks, my free periods, and after school. As I wrote then, “Podcasts, articles, newsletters, and books that I’ve read claim that blogs are a thing of the past because people are overwhelmed by content. Then I read something that says, no, don’t worry, blogging is alive and well. Who to believe?” I started one anyway because I enjoy writing (MFA in writing) and this was a place to stretch those underused writing skills and write my way into my art practice.
I began with no clear objective or schedule: “I see that social media is full of people working very hard to plan blog posts that coincide with project launches or with specific goals in mind as they try to boost their following. I can’t even begin to understand how they are doing that. “
When working in my studio or walking in the woods, an idea for a post would show up. I’d think about it for a few days, writing the post only in my head, working until connections fell into place and the narrative developed. Then I’d spend an hour, often less than that, writing and publishing the blog. I’d mention the new blog on Instagram and move on.
As my art practice and business became more complex, I added a newsletter, which needed content, and started creating content for Instagram to grow my audience. Oh, and left that teaching job.
I became one of those people who started to plan blog content to content with art launches, workshop offerings, and affiliate marketing. I write to answer frequently asked questions or share my favorite supplies. And as much as these posts have become part of my business, I’ve also started having fun writing them instead of taking myself as seriously as I did with the first few entries.
These posts are now a mix of journal entries and support for artists. I can write silly posts about scraps and useful posts about letterpress printing. Somedays I think about SEO and keywords and sometimes I clear my head. My blog brings a new audience to art and workshops and has created a community (check out the comments!).
If you have questions about blogging or suggestions for what I should write about next, please email me or write a comment below. And thank you for reading!