Sometimes, when we play D&D or some other tabletop PRG (don't worry, this really is about blogging), Significant will turn to someone else and say, "You should do this" or "Don't do it that way." But that's not how game-play works. You're supposed to "be" your character. You can describe how they're acting or what they're doing, but you can't strategize with other players about how to handle situations, you have to just react the way you think your character would.
This is called metagaming. I accuse Significant of getting "meta" whenever he tries to give me out-of-character advice, because even if it's helpful, it messes up the flow of the game.
I don't know how much this applies to blogging, and hopefully it doesn't interrupt the flow too much, but I think about blogging a lot. It's a hobby that I enjoy, and am always looking for ideas, tips, and ways to improve. I also spend more time than I should worrying about things I'm doing wrong. So naturally that comes out in a blog post every now and again.
So let's get Meta!
Blogging things I get angst-y about...
1. Scheduling
I know consistency is important. I like connecting with you folks, and I feel I get more interaction when I post regularly. So I try really hard to stick to my Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday schedule. But then sometimes there'll be a cool link up, or I'll have an extra idea that I don't want to waste one of my "good days" on. It might be irrational, but I get worried that those extra posts will make my schedule more confusing and do more harm than good to my readers.Relevant Posts:
- The Lady Okie - Blog Talk #2: Scheduling Blog Posts
2. Speaking of Consistency
So I've got my post schedule, and I have my social media sharing schedule, but I don't share EVERY post to Facebook. I feel like Facebook is mostly my relatives, so they'd be less interested in posts like this one today, and sometimes the posts are about more controversial/sensitive topics. It's out there if they want to find it, but I'm not necessarily going to put it right in front of their noses. But then again, I only know who about half of my "fans" are, so maybe I'm hurting myself by not putting the juicy stuff in front of them.3. Social Media
So I've gotten much more into Twitter and Pinterest once I realized that's where most of the other bloggers were. And it's fun! But Twitter is rapidly becoming my brain dump spot, and I'm not really sure what to do with the Facebook page. It mostly gets ignored unless I find something interesting that's related to business or something of local interest (you know, because family). I don't want to post the exact same things on each site, but now it's like Twitter is my personal account, and Facebook it's a pseudo-professional page for my graphic design business. Generally, they're diverging in 2 different directions and I can't decide which to take.4. Branding/Identity Crisis
Originally the blog started as a "get to know me" add-on to my graphic design portfolio. Starting this year, I've completely left that behind, and have been reveling in the sheer fun of saying whatever the heck I want. So now I need to decide if I'm a graphic designer with a blog, or a blogger who designs. If I ever manage to make that decision, then maybe I can streamline my social media.5. Sponsorships
I mentioned in another post, 6 Reasons to Stay Small, that I don't plan on offering sponsorships, and that includes sponsored posts. But there are lots of blogs I like and admire and I link to their stuff pretty regularly when it's relevant to what I'm writing. So how do I go about making sure people know I'm not just saying stuff because I'm getting paid to? And when I recommend something it's because I genuinely like it?Relevant Posts:
- The Lady Okie - Blog Talk #3: Sponsorships
- Betsy Transatlantically - Thoughts on Relationship Capital
6. Internet Trust Issues
I've read a couple posts about blogs dying and the author disappearing. Readers who were really invested are saddened by this, obviously, and wish for more closure, or an update post to know what happened. But there's the other side of the coin, where bloggers fake deaths, or tragedies, to garner sympathy from readers. It's gotten to the point that any sob story you read on Reddit, 3 comments down there's already people poking holes in the story. If you had a real tragedy would anyone even believe you? Or would you just end up on GOMI, getting bashed for your "lies" or your "karma whoring"? (Reddit term, for the uninitiated)Relevant Posts:
- Just Beachy - When A Blog Dies
- A Peek at Karen's World - A long time ago, we used to be (blog) friends
- The "Florkens" - My Thoughts on GOMI... For Whatever That's Worth
7. Competition
Despite not seeking revenue (for now) for blogging, the spirit of competition still occasionally arises. Sometimes I write a post and think, "Damn, this is spot on!" And sometimes I'll write something I think is ok, read another post that did it better, and feel down because mine's not as good. And this is totally ridiculous and unnecessary, on my part. Wanting to improve at a hobby is fine, seeing other hobbyists as competition rather than potential friends is just dumb. (although I suppose they could be both. Friendly competition is a thing, right?)So in the spirit of non-competition, I'm including all the posts I've enjoyed that are related to these topics. If you've got something that fits one of these categories, let me know and I'll add it!
Relevant Posts:
- The Lady Okie (again - she's already thought about all this stuff apparently) - How to Be a Successful Blogger
- The "Florkens" - Blogging's Double Edge Sword
What blog things do you worry about? Do you think the term "meta" is fun or obnoxious?
