Y’all, this is a hard post for me to write but it has been on my heart and on my mind for a while now.
I think it’s time to end the blog.
It’s not something that I really want to do; quite the contrary, actually, because I enjoy writing, sharing things in my life, and putting together/ showing off my outfits. I’m always logging in and starting post drafts but I rarely finish them these days. But the truth is blogging has changed so much in the last few years and I feel like I can’t keep up. And not just that I can’t, but that I don’t want to.
This might be an unpopular opinion, but I know I’m not the only one who feels this way. Grace Bonney of Design*Sponge explains it perfectly during her ZigZag podcast interview where she talks about ending her blog because to be a successful blogger in 2019, you have to turn it into “a human-sponsored product.” It’s all about influencing. Companies paying you money to convince people to buy their shit. Essentially, you’re a glorified marketing tool, a salesperson. And I’m not really down with that.
I started my blog because I wanted a creative outlet that would inspire others’ feelings about themselves (not their spending habits). But a few years in, I got sucked into the vortex and was spending way too much money on clothes that I didn’t need all because I thought they would look good on the blog and I could grow my readership. Well, neither of those things happened and I ended up wasting money on clothes that didn’t fit my actual lifestyle so I never wore them. Not to even mention the ethics of fast fashion, how it’s polluting the planet and exploiting human beings in other countries.
So where do I go from here?
I’m not sure. You’ve probably noticed – and maybe you’ve always been aware – that the posts are fewer and farther between and have been for several months, if not longer. Especially when Sebastian came along. I never wanted to be a mommy blogger so I’ve made a conscious effort not to make it one. And the honest truth is that I just don’t have the confidence to keep trying. I already feel like I don’t really have anything to contribute to the internet world. My style is okay, I don’t DIY a lot of things, I don’t have any life hacks, and I don’t have the time nor energy to focus on creative writing.
So where do I go from here? I don’t know. I might keep the Instagram going for a while, but I can’t blame folks for not liking poorly-lit bathroom selfies! Maybe this is it. Maybe it isn’t. Mostly likely, though, it is. I’ve had some fun with this here log in the last six years, so why not end on a good note?
Take care and much love,
Nikki.
Hi Nikki, I’ve never commented on your blog before and I haven’t been following for long, but I just want to point out that not all blogs have to be curated marketing machines. I started following your blog because you seem real and I liked your outfits…maybe it’s not “insta-worthy” by today’s standards, but I liked that your outfits aren’t put together by a current sponsor or that you’re trying to sell anything, they’re put together nicely and inspire ideas for outfits from my own closet. I don’t really get the concept of why people who have blogs feel the need to make money off them or grow their followers…back in my day (dating myself here), blogs were really just internet journals, a place to share your thoughts and/or a form of self-expression. Anyway, I just wanted to say all that since you sound somewhat reluctant to stop blogging, and you shouldn’t if you enjoy it! Maybe there’s another side to this whole blogging thing I don’t get where you don’t think it’s worth your time unless you’re getting paid for it, but it’s worth your time if you enjoy it as a creative outlet and you’re doing it for yourself and not for others. Not trying to sway your decision one way or the other, I just hope this helps provide you with some clarity. All the best to you either way!
Thank you so very much for your comment, Justginster. This is definitely what I needed to hear right now! The goal of my blog wasn’t to make money but, as I’ve mentioned, to have a creative outlet and inspire others – and showcase my personality a little bit, too, in my writing, I suppose. I still don’t see the blog as a money-maker and I want to keep it as real as possible, but if I *could* get paid to do it while keeping it real, that would be an added bonus (because it does take a lot of time and effort to maintain). I guess I’ve just been feeling like no one wants to read my posts or see my outfits because they’re not always insta-worthy. I take outfit photos in a bathroom mirror! HA. The pressure to keep up with the Jones’s is very real, especially when trying to grow readership. However, I’m super glad that my outfits have inspired ideas from your own closet – that’s really the whole point of it all! You’ve given me a lot to think about. Maybe this isn’t the end of the road and I should keep it going, even if it’s just for me. Again, thank you for commenting; it has been a huge help. I’ll keep you all posted 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hi again! I didn’t get a notification that you’d replied to my comment so I only just happened to check in when I saw you’d posted another entry recently! I’m glad to see you’re still writing, hopefully just for yourself! I believe it was Teddy Roosevelt who said that comparison is the thief of joy…so I wonder if making your blog private/sharing it with only friends/family would help alleviate some of the pressure and/or the need for more time and effort? I keep a private blog myself and well…it obviously doesn’t make me any money but there’s definitely no pressure, either!
P.S. I like the bathroom pics! And after typing that, I realize how weird that statement looks but please know that I don’t mean it in a weird way AT ALL, lol…I just like how real it is! Like, hey, you have a day job and you’re at work and you happen to like the way your outfit looks so you take a pic, it’s just…relatable (because I honestly do that myself sometimes, I just don’t post it on the internet for the world to see ?). Happy blogging!